Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2212
“And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again.” Matthew 20:17-19.
You have this same story in Matthew, Mark and Luke, a little differently told, as would naturally be the case when the information came from three different observers. It will be to our edification to put the three accounts together, so as to get a complete view of the incident, for each Evangelist mentions something omitted by the others.
Our Lord firmly resolved to go to Jerusalem about a fortnight before the Passover, with the view of becoming, Himself, the Lamb of God’s Passover. He had frequently left Jerusalem when His life had been in danger because His time was not yet come and He, thus, set us the example of not willfully running into danger, or braving it with foolhardiness. But now that He felt that the hour of His s
Sacrifice was near at hand, He did not hesitate, or seek to avoid it, but He resolutely set out to meet His sufferings and His death. When He was in the highway that led to Jerusalem, He marched in front of the little band of His disciples with so vigorous and bold a step—and with such a calm, determined air of heroism upon Him, that His followers were filled with astonishment (Mark 10:52).
Here are the very words—“And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them; and they were amazed, and as they followed they were afraid.” Knowing that, according to His own account, He was going to suffering and death and, being well assured, from their own observation, that He was about to encounter the most furious opposition, they were amazed at His dauntless courage and wondered what made Him so resolved! We also read that “they were afraid,” afraid for themselves, in a measure, but most of all afraid for Him. Would not His daring lead to conflict with the powers then in authority and might not terrible things happen both to Him and to them? It was not altogether timidity, but awe which came over them—His manner was so majestic and sublime. That lowly Man had a something about Him which commanded the trembling reverence of His disciples. After all, meekness is imperial—and commands far more reverence than anger or pride.
His followers felt that great events were about to transpire and they were deeply sobered and filled with awe-struck apprehension. In the Presence of their Lord, who seemed to be leading a forlorn hope to a fierce battle, they were afraid. They were amazed at His courage and afraid for the consequences. They were also amazed at Him and afraid because of their own unfitness to stand in His Presence. Do we not know what this feeling is? Then it was that He took the 12 aside and began to tell them what things should happen to Him. The conversation was private. At this time we will go aside with the chosen Apostles for a little while and hear what their Lord would say to us, even as He aforetime said it to them. May the good Spirit bless our meditation!
I shall have three things to speak of and the first will be our Lord’s private communings. This will give us an insight, secondly, into our Lord’s private thoughts. And when we have looked into these a little, as far as our dim eyes are able, we will then notice, in the third place, our Lord’s dwelling on the details of His passion, for into those details He went with singular impressiveness. Let us not forget our need of the Holy Spirit’s illumination while we come near to a place so holy as this of “The Revelation of the Passion.”
I. First, then, our LORD’S PRIVATE COMMUNINGS. He did not say all things to all men. He spoke certain matters only to His disciples. To the outside world it was given to hear the parable, but to the disciples was it given to know the explanation. Not even to all the disciples did our Lord make known the whole of His teachings. He had an elect out of the elect! First came 12 out of the many and then came three out of the twelve. These three were admitted to special manifestations which the other nine did not share. As if to carry the principle of election to the utmost extent, one was chosen out of the three, who enjoyed a peculiar personal love and leaned his head upon his Lord’s bosom, as the other two never did. We are happy to be admitted, by the key of Inspiration, into the inner chamber of our Lord’s private conferences.
On this occasion, our Lord’s communings were with the leaders of His band. Those who have to lead others need more instruction than the rest. It needs more Grace to lead than to follow. No man can give out what he has not received. If you are to be a fountain of living waters to others, you must, yourself, be filled from the fullness of God. Dear Brothers and Sisters, you whom the Lord has chosen to be vessels of mercy to others, take care that you wait much upon Him yourselves, and are much with Him in secret retirement. Live near to God, that you may bring others near. I remember sitting, one rainy day, in an inn, at Cologne, looking out of a window upon a square. There was not much to see, but what was to see I did see, as I occasionally looked up from my writing.