Jesus is a mystery to many in Israel – a situation he’s had to encourage to handle false expectations. However, his disciples have come to see clearly that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed king sent by God. But their understanding of this needs radical upgrading for, as the Old Testament shows, Jesus must die to save his people from their sins. This is what it means for him to be the Christ, for him to be the Son of Man (another Old Testament term). The disciples struggle badly with the thought of this but it is key to God’s plan. Indeed, understanding suffering correctly is vital for all Christians.
Photo by Anh Nguyen on Unsplash
And here is a short talk based on the same passage: He Changed The World (Episode 31)
Necessary suffering