Mark 9:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe how, after He had cautioned Peter, and as Elijah and Moses spoke with Him about His impending glory, the Father made His voice heard from heaven, alongside numerous miracles, with the resurrection approaching. For He had proclaimed that He would not remain in the grave for long, but would rise on the third day. Despite all these signs, they struggled to comprehend, experiencing deep sorrow, not merely a passing sadness. This occurred because the significance of His words had not yet been grasped.

They were filled with deep distress, for, as previously mentioned, they had long ago discerned other truths with their spirits and intellects (cf. Matt. 17:23).

After the Lord had departed from that assembly, He journeyed on in relative obscurity. He spent additional time with His disciples, frequently reminding them that the Son of Man would be betrayed into the hands of mankind, that He would suffer death, and that on the third day following His death, He would rise again. Despite these revelations, the disciples were unable to comprehend His words. Hearing about this troubling fate brought them sorrow, yet they hesitated to inquire of Him what it truly meant and why it was necessary.

Following the events on the Mount of Transfiguration and at its base, Jesus Christ, as recorded in Mark, traveled through Galilee without wanting anyone to be aware of His presence. This journey through Galilee was characterized by secrecy and concealment. The term "gar" in verse 31 provides the rationale for Jesus' desire to avoid making His movements known during this period. The reason was that He needed to focus His attention entirely on His disciples, preparing them for the trials and suffering He was to face. It is clear that this journey through Galilee was the last before His ascent to Judea, as indicated in subsequent Gospel narratives (Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 9:51). Here, the Lord presents a second prediction of His impending sufferings to His disciples (Mark 8:31-32).

Despite this moment, they still did not grasp His message and were hesitant to inquire further (Luke 9:45). Their desire to see the kingdom of Israel restored led them to shy away from seeking clarification from their Lord regarding the specifics of His suffering, fearing the possibility of receiving even grimmer news.

The disciples, reflecting on the events they had witnessed along with the significant teachings and solemn prophecies, couldn't shake the feeling that a profound transformation was imminent concerning their Master’s future. The moment for His glorification on earth had not yet arrived, a time when He would no longer embody the modest instructor He had been but instead reveal Himself in the full splendor of the Messiah that His followers anticipated, establishing a magnificent and triumphant kingdom. This notion, while inspiring their hearts, also stirred the common biases present among the populace, leading them to seek advantageous positions within the soon-to-be-established kingdom of the Messiah.

The Lord’s new announcement regarding His impending suffering, death, and resurrection is presented in the Gospel of Mark using the same language found in Hebrews. Similarly, this message appears in the Gospel of Matthew, where only a few additional comments are made that are absent in Mark (see Matthew 17:22-23). The Lord sought to keep His journey through Galilee a secret, as He intended to privately disclose to His disciples the mystery surrounding His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection—a mystery that had long eluded their comprehension. Even upon the first revelation of this truth, the foremost among the Apostles, who had declared Jesus to be the Messiah, began to rebuke Him (Mark 8:31ff.).

After the event at the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus Christ proceeded towards Capernaum. As He traveled through Galilee, He sought to keep His presence concealed from others. During this journey, He reiterated to His disciples the prophecy regarding His fate in Jerusalem. He aimed for them to understand that He would not face suffering unwillingly, and that they should prepare themselves for the reality of His passion, so that they would not be taken aback by His impending ordeal.