Matthew 17:23

Monday, 9 March 2026

and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful. Matthew 17:23

“‘and they will kill Him and the third day, He will rouse.’ And they distressed exceedingly” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that He was about to be betrayed into the hands of men. The thought continues with, “and they will kill Him.”

The words are plain enough, and one would think they would be taken at face value. However, the human mind can make up many excuses for wording that we don’t like, understand, or wish to come about. The same word, apokteinó, is used metaphorically as well as literally. Paul uses it in a metaphorical sense in Romans, 2 Corinthians, and Ephesians. For example –

“For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.” Romans 7:11

Therefore, it may be that the disciples justified a figurative meaning in their minds as a way of denying the reality of the words Jesus presented to them. As for those words, they continue with, “and the third day, He will rouse.”

Again, we now know the words mean He will resurrect. But the word egeiró simply means to arouse. For example –

“And Joseph, having thoroughly aroused [egeiró] from the sleep, did as the messenger of the Lord he commanded him, and he received his wife.” Matthew 1:24 (CG).

For all we know, they may have thought Jesus was referring to something figurative, like being beaten into a coma and then coming out of it on the third day. Whatever was on their minds, Matthew next records, “And they distressed exceedingly.”

This sounds like they got it and understood Jesus’ words, but that is not the case. Mark says, “But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him” (Mark 9:32). Luke is a little wordier, but his note agrees with that of Mark. Whatever was on their minds, it was enough to distress them, but they were confused as to its true meaning.

Life application: It is said, “hindsight is 20/20.” The meaning is that once something is done, we can look back on what happened in regard to some matter and understand with perfect clarity what took place, as if we have 20/20 vision.

However, before the event occurs, we don’t have that clarity. Thus, to say “hindsight is 20/20” is a way of alleviating feelings of stupidity on our part for not seeing how something seemingly so obvious would come about.

It is also a way of refuting arrogant attitudes of someone who claims he is smarter than you because he was able to do something after an event that someone else could not do before the event. In other words, “Yeah, you got that right, but only because hindsight is 20/20.” The implication is that the person would not have gotten it in advance either.

And although the saying is usually true, it is not always the case. We have the written record of Jesus’ incarnation, His ministry, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and His ascension. It is all written down plainly and without muddied waters to obscure any of it. And yet, the following points are true. Various people who say they believe the Bible:

• Do not accept God’s incarnation, thus denying the deity and/or humanity of Jesus.
• Do not accept that His ministry is the end of the law.
• Do not accept that He actually died.
• Do not accept that He physically rose and came out of the tomb.
• Deny the ascension to the right hand of God, including sitting in the position of all power and authority in heaven and on earth.

These are all clearly and explicitly recorded in Scripture. And yet, there are innumerable denials of these and related truths within the greater umbrella of “Christianity.”

God was there at the creation, having given us a record of the event. And yet, some Christians deny a literal six-day creation. God was there at the flood of Noah, having given us a record of the event. And yet, some Christians deny that a literal flood took place.

The list goes on and on. If we take the Bible literally and in proper context, we will have 20/20 vision regarding what God has done, is doing, and is going to do concerning what is recorded. And yet, we deny these fundamental truths.

What a sad existence we live when we claim we are a part of the body of Christ and yet we deny the very source of what explains what that body signifies. Let us grow up to maturity, accepting the word of God and allowing it to renew our thinking in regard to what it proclaims.

Lord God, thankfully, You don’t condition our salvation on accepting all that You have said in Your word. If You did, there would be many fewer souls on the highway to heaven. However, how displeasing it must be to You when we arrogantly dismiss what Your word says. Help us to consider Your word, accepting it as it is written. To Your glory! Amen.