Luke 18:34

18:34 The significance of his words was hidden from them: Not until after the resurrection did the disciples grasp the saving significance of Jesus’ death (see 9:45; 24:13-34).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 18:34. Καὶ, καὶ, καὶ, and, and, and) An ascending climax.—τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, this saying) put forth by the Lord.—οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον) they did not perceive the meaning of (recognise and acknowledge); they shrunk back in horror from it, as something strange and unheard of: so in Rom 7:15, “For that which I do, οὐ γινώσκω, I do not recognise,” as good (“I allow not,” Engl. Vers.) They felt conscious that something disagreeable was being spoken, Mat 16:22; but they did not in that consciousness go forward to the point, to which they ought to have gone.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 18:34 . This is peculiar to Lk. A similar statement in Luk 9:45 with the same curious repetition. “An emphatic prolixity” is Meyer’s comment. J. Weiss (Meyer) from the facts that this verse repeats Luk 9:45 and that Lk. avoids repetition infers that the words must have been in his source. I rather think that we have here an effort on Lk.’s part to compensate by a general statement about the ignorance of the Twelve for the instructive narrative about the two sons of Zebedee which comes in at this point in Mt. and Mk., and which Lk. omits, doubtless by way of sparing the disciples an exposure. The iteration (same thing said three times) is in Lk.’s manner (Act 14:8 ), but it is significant here. The aim is by repetition of a general statement to convey the impression made by the concrete story an utter impossibility. No wonder Lk. labours in expression, in view of that humiliating proof of ignorance and moral weakness! But the attempt to express the inexpressible is interesting as showing that Lk. must have had the sons of Zebedee incident in his mind though he does not choose to record it. The omission of this incident carries along with it the omission of the second and most important saying of our Lord concerning the significance of His death. Lk.’s gospel contains hardly any basis for a doctrine on that subject ( cf. Mat 20:28 , Mar 10:45 ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Hereby we see how ignorant the disciples were.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

understood none, &c.--The Evangelist seems unable to say strongly enough how entirely hidden from them at that time was the sense of these exceeding plain statements: no doubt to add weight to their subsequent testimony, which from this very circumstance was prodigious, and with all the simple-hearted irresistible.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 34. They understood none of these things] Notwithstanding all the information which Christ had given them concerning this awful subject, they could not as yet fully comprehend how the Messiah should suffer; or how their Master, whose power they knew was unlimited, should permit the Jews and Gentiles to torment and slay him as he here intimates they would.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(34) They understood none of these things.—The whole verse is peculiar to St. Luke, and reproduces what had been said before in Luk_9:45, where see Note. It is as though his professional habit of analysis led him to dwell on these psychological phenomena as explaining the subsequent bewilderment of the disciples, and their slowness to believe that their Lord had risen from the dead (Luk_24:11; Luk_24:21; Luk_24:25; Luk_24:38). They heard the words, but, as we say, did not “take in” their meaning. For a like analysis, see Note on Luk_22:45.

This saying was hid from them.—The verb so rendered occurs here only in the New Testament. Its precise meaning is “covered” or “veiled,” rather than hidden. Some such thought of dimmed perception was in St. Paul’s mind when he said of the unbelieving Jews that, as they heard the Law and the Prophets, “the veil was upon their hearts” (2Co_3:15).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34. they understood none of these things] as had been the case before, Luk_9:43-45; and St Mark tells us (Mar_9:32) that ‘they were afraid to ask Him.’ It was only at a later period that the full significance of all these words dawned on them (Joh_12:16). We must learn, as Pascal says, to love divine truths before we can understand them. The Apostles refused to admit the plain meaning of these clear statements (Mat_16:22).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho,.... Which lay in his way to Jerusalem;

a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: this was not blind Bartimaeus, nor his companion, for they were cured by Christ as he went out of Jericho; but this man before he came to it; for we afterwards read of his entrance into, and passing through Jericho, Luk 19:1 though much the same things are related in this account, as in that of the other two blind men; See Gill on Mat 20:30.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Ver. 34. And they understood none, &c.] Prejudicate opinions of Christ’s earthly kingdom hung as so many bullets at their eyelids, that they could not perceive so plain a truth.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Understood none of these things - Though they were “plainly” revealed, yet such were their prejudices and their unwillingness to believe them that they did not understand them. They expected that he would be a temporal prince and a conqueror, and they were not “willing” to believe that he would be delivered into the hands of his enemies. They did not see how that could be consistent with the prophecies. To us now these things appear plain, and we may, hence, learn that those things which to us appear most mysterious may yet appear perfectly plain; and we should learn to trust in God, and “believe” just what he has spoken. See Mat 16:21; Mat 17:23.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

They understood well enough the sense of the words he spoke to them. But they could not understand how they could be reconciled with the idea they had previously conceived of the Messias. They were scandalized in the first place, to think that God should suffer any thing inflicted by man; they were scandalized in the second place, to hear that sufferings and death could lead to victory and empire; and lastly, they were scandalized, (their own feelings taking the alarm) lest they should be forced to imitate their Master in this part which he had chosen for himself. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. But they listened all dazed and confused; they could not take it in, neither the shame of the death of their loved Leader, nor the glory of the Resurrection which was to follow immediately after. They could not persuade themselves that the hopes of an earthly Messianic glory in which they were to; share must positively Be given up. "We must learn to love Divine truths Before we can understand them," said Pascal. "Toward everything which is contrary to natural desire," wrote Riggenbach (in Godet), "there is produced in the heart a Blindness, which nothing but a miracle can heal."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They understood none of these things - The literal meaning they could not but understand. But as they could not reconcile this to their preconceived opinion of the Messiah, they were utterly at a loss in what parabolical or figurative sense to take what he said concerning his sufferings; having their thoughts still taken up with the temporal kingdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

This verse is not part of the main story line, but rather a comment about this part of the story. (See: End of Story)

They understood none of these things

"They did not understand any of these things"

these things

This refers to Jesus' description of how he would suffer and die in Jerusalem, and that he would rise from the dead.

this word was hidden from them

This can be stated in active form, but it is not clear whether it is God or Jesus who hid the word from them. AT: "Jesus hid his message from them" or "God prevented them from understanding the meaning of what Jesus was telling them" (See: Active or Passive)

the things that were said

This can be stated in active form. AT: "the things that Jesus said" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

understand

word

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

34. οὐδὲν τούτων συνῆκαν, as had been the case before, Luk 9:43-45; and St Mark tells us (Luk 9:32) that “they were afraid to ask Him.” It was only at a later period that the full significance of all these words dawned on them (Joh 12:16). We must learn, as Pascal says, to love divine truths before we can understand them. The Apostles refused to admit the plain meaning of these clear statements (Mat 16:22).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34.] Peculiar to Luke.

οὐδὲν τούτων—i.e. neither the sufferings nor the resurrection. All was as yet hidden from them, and it seems not to have been till very shortly before the event itself that they had any real expectation of its happening.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34. καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐδὲν τούτων συνῆκαν. Comp. 2:50. Note the characteristic καὶ αὐτοί and ἦν κεκρυμμένον. Lk. alone mentions the appeal to prophecy (ver. 31), and he alone states—with three-fold emphasis—that the Twelve did not at all understand. But Mt. and Mk. illustrate this dulness a apprehension by the request of the sons of Zebedee for the right and left hand places in the Kingdom, which Lk. omits. Their minds were too full of an earthly kingdom to be able to grasp the idea of a Messiah who was to suffer and to die: and without that they could not understand His rising again, and did not at first believe when they were told that He had risen. Their dulness was providential, and it became a security to the Church for the truth of the Resurrection. The theory that they believed, because they expected that He would rise again, is against all the evidence. Comp. 9:45.

κεκρυμμένον ἀπʼ αὐτῶν. This was changed when He διήνοιξεν αὐτῶν τὸν νοῦν τοῦ συνιέναι τὰς γραφάς (24:45). For ἀπʼ αὐτῶν comp. 9:45, 10:21, 19:42; 2Ki 4:27; Psa 118:19?; Isa 40:27; Jer 39:17. This statement is not identical with either of the other two. It explains the fact that they not only did not understand any of this at the time, but “did not get to know (ἐγίωσκον) the things that were said.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Saying [ρημα] . See on ch. Luk 1:37.

Were said [λεγομενα] . Or, more correctly, which were being said to them at the moment.

35 - 43.; Luk 19:1. Compare Mt 20:29 - 34. Mr 10:46 - 52.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.