"Hidden" 3-12-23
Overview
Hidden: The Determined Path to the Cross
As Holy Week draws near, Luke 18:31 places us on the road with Jesus just before His passion. Taking the Twelve aside, He says, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished." This is the fourth passion prediction since Luke 9, and Jesus deliberately roots what is about to happen in the prophetic word—most clearly in Isaiah 53, where the Messiah is described as "despised and rejected," a man of suffering written in the historical present, as though already accomplished. The cross is no detour. It is the Scripture-shaped plan of God.
The disciples' response is striking: "But they understood nothing about all these things. In fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said" Luke 18:34. The threefold emphasis—understood nothing, hidden, did not grasp—is no accident. The grammar points to what scholars call a "theological passive": they were being kept from understanding, and the One keeping them was God. A crucified Messiah was antithetical to Jewish expectation; they looked for a coronation, not a crucifixion. Paul later names this same scandal in 1 Corinthians 1:23: "We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." Peter's outburst in Matthew 16:21-23—"God forbid it, Lord!"—shows exactly why God concealed the meaning. Had the disciples grasped what was coming, they would have tried to prevent it. But the determined Christ would let nothing thwart the plan that God set before creation itself Ephesians 1.
That determination carries Jesus to Golgotha as the spotless Lamb who bears the sin of the world, absorbs the just wrath of God, and rises on the third day as proof the sacrifice is accepted. Nothing—no misunderstanding, no well-meaning protest, no hostile power—could divert Him from the cross where you and I are reconciled to God by His blood.
The pastoral word for us is this: by nature, the things of Christ are hidden from us too—not by a divine concealing, but by our own sinful blindness and unwillingness. We do not naturally understand or love Jesus; we do not seek Him. Yet the same determined God who set His face toward Jerusalem comes to us still. He claims us in the waters of baptism, washes us in the promises of the cross and empty tomb, and feeds us Christ's body and blood. Through Word and Sacrament, what was hidden is revealed, and faith is born and sustained—because God is determined to save you.
Transcript
Do you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Luke for 3s
our study this morning. 8s
Luke the 18th chapter, if you're using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to 10s
find that on page 71, Luke the 18th chapter. 14s
We stand at the cusp, really, of entering into such a rich, rich week in the life. 20s
Of the church, that being holy week, just a few weeks away now. 29s
We'll enter once again as a family of God, we'll enter in and follow in the footsteps 38s
of our Lord. 43s
There'll be the shout of Hosanna on palm, passion, Sunday, but also the remembrance of the 46s
Jerusalem, to redeem the world, to die and to rise. 57s
There'll be the depth and the quiet of Monday, Thursday, the washing of the disciples' 66s
feet. 73s
Jesus instituting the sacrament of Holy Communion at a Passover celebration. 73s
On good Friday, we'll enter into the somberness of that day. 80s
The adult choir, preparing a beautiful, beautiful and meaningful contata that evening. 88s
There'll be the stripping of the altar, the entrance into the blackness of Friday. 95s
In a congregation, respectfully, understanding the solemn nature, leaving and quiet, and silence 102s
into the darkness of the night. 116s
And then into the crown of Sundays, Easter, Sunday. 121s
Holy Week is a magnificent week of worship and gathering of God's people. 128s
But in these days, prior to Holy Week, we're examining a sermon series entitled Just Before. 138s
And we're examining what was it that Jesus was doing? 147s
What was it that he was saying? 151s
Just Before Holy Week. 155s
What was he doing? 160s
What was he saying in the Holy Days before Holy Week? 160s
And so as we anticipate Holy Week, we also enter into the Holy Days before Holy Week. 168s
And we turn to Luke the 18th chapter, and we see, and we hear. 177s
One of the things that Jesus was doing just before Holy Week. 185s
Look when they place, adverse 31 of Luke the 18th chapter. 193s
Then he took the 12th side and said to them, 199s
see, we are going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the 202s
prophets will be accomplished. 210s
This is one of the, what's called, passion predictions of our Lord. 214s
And notice that our Lord says everything that is written about the Son of Man by the 220s
prophets will be accomplished. 228s
He's rooting what is occurring and what will occur in the Scriptures that have been given. 230s
You remember a few years ago where we had the series Retro. 237s
It was a year long series and we never, ever left the Old Testament, did we? 241s
We preached Christmas Eve from the Old Testament. 247s
We did Easter from the Old Testament. 250s
Holy Week from the Old Testament. 252s
Every time we gathered on the Lord's day, the text was from the Old Testament. 254s
And we could see how the Old Testament points toward, 260s
points forward to the Lord Jesus Christ. 265s
We can see the unfolding of the ministry of Christ that would come at the time. 268s
We could see it all unfolded in the Old Testament as there was a pointing forward, 273s
the prophecy of exactly what the Messiah would do. 279s
Jesus. 288s
In the Holy Days before Holy Week, he turns to the disciples. 290s
He gives the passion prediction and he roots what has occurred and what is occurring in the Word. 296s
In the Word. 309s
It's interesting to note that really when you look at the ministry of Jesus, 313s
you can divide it into two different sections when you look at the Gospels. 318s
You have his ministry in Galilee and then you have what's called the journey narrative. 324s
That's where the face is set and he then moves to Jerusalem. 328s
There's really two different circles that you can draw in the Gospels. 334s
Is this the Galilee in ministry or is this the narrative here where he is moving toward the cross? 338s
At this point Jesus has just crossed the Jordan River. 347s
The approach to Jericho and then the Ascent, the steep Ascent to Jerusalem. 354s
He goes on. 365s
Verse 32. 367s
For he will be handed over to the Gentiles and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. 369s
After they've flogged him, they will kill him and on the third day he will rise again. 377s
This is the fourth time since Luke 9 that Jesus has told his disciples 388s
he's going to suffer. The fourth time he said it. 397s
Certainly he has in mind the prophecy in Isaiah 53. 401s
The prophecy of the Messiah. Written in what's called the historical present. 407s
In other words, it's written as if something that is going to be 413s
has already occurred that communicates there's such confidence that this is going to happen. 417s
It's communicated as if it already has happened. 423s
Isaiah 53. About the Messiah, he was despised and rejected by others. 427s
A man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity and is one from whom others hide their faces. 435s
He was despised and we held him of no account. 442s
So in one of the Holy Days before Holy Week, Jesus is teaching the disciples and he gives the 450s
passion prediction. He roots it in the prophetic word of Holy Scripture. What has happened? What will happen? 458s
The cross then into Jordan, the approach to Jerusalem, the ascent up into Jerusalem. 468s
And the reaction to what he said? Look at verse 34. 479s
But they understood nothing about all these things. In fact, 490s
what he said was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was said. 499s
Notice the threefold emphasis here in this verse on the inability of the disciples to get it. 510s
They understood nothing. It was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was said. 521s
The concept of a Messiah that would be killed was antithetical to the expectation. 538s
Of the Jews. As one author puts it, they were expecting a coronation, not a crucifixion. 550s
They were expecting a Messiah that would kill people, not be killed. Their anticipation was 560s
for the overthrow of the Roman government. And yet Jesus says, 569s
He's going to be killed. Paul says, first Corinthians the first chapter, 578s
but we proclaim Christ crucified, and catch this, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. 589s
Just a stumbling block to the Jews. Why? Wasn't what they were anticipating. 603s
Wasn't what they were longing for a Messiah that would turn to them and say, 608s
I'm going to be killed. I'm going to be killed. And a thetical to their expectation. 615s
But they understood nothing about all these things. In fact, 627s
what he said was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was said. 632s
Well, of course, right? We were an expectation like that. We're not going to get it. We're 641s
an expectation like that. They're not going to grasp what was being said. 645s
But notice that little phrase there. Notice that little phrase, 653s
in fact, what he said was hidden from them. It was hidden from them. Look closer there. 657s
Galswell Luke 9th chapter. Jesus says, let these words sink into your ears. 679s
In other words, remember, let these words sink into your ears. The son of man is going to be betrayed 687s
into human hands. Okay? Here's this passion prediction again, right? And then the scripture says, 694s
but they did not understand this saying. It's meaning was concealed from them. So they could 701s
not perceive it. It was concealed from them. So they couldn't perceive it. 711s
Well, that sounds an awful lot like the text, doesn't it? Verse 34. They understood nothing 720s
about all these things. In fact, what he said was hidden from them. In Luke 9, in Luke 18, 725s
this is an example of what's called a theological passive when you look at the language, a theological 737s
passive. What does that mean? It means that the disciples not only didn't understand what Jesus 745s
was saying. The disciples couldn't understand what Jesus was saying. And why? 755s
Because they were being kept from understanding. Okay then, what was keeping them from understanding? 769s
It's not a what? It's a who? So who was keeping the disciples from understanding? Are you ready? 786s
God. God. They didn't comprehend it. They didn't grasp it. They didn't understand it. And why? 815s
Because God was keeping them from understanding it. Okay. And why would God do that? 835s
Why would God keep the disciples from understanding the passion prediction? 852s
He's going to go to the cross. They're going to mock Scourge and crucify him. It's going to be killed. 860s
And on the third day, he was going to rise again. Why? Why did Jesus keep them from understanding? 866s
Turn with me, please. To Matthew 16, that's on page 16, if you're in a Pewadishian. 878s
Matthew chapter 16, verse 16, excuse me, verse 21. Matthew 16 will pick up in verse 21. 885s
Here we have it again. Here we have one of those passion predictions, right? From that time on, 897s
verse 21, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and undergo great 904s
suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priest and scribes and be killed and on the third day, 910s
be raised. There it is again. There's one of those passion predictions, right? Can't get clear than that. 918s
What was Peter's reaction to this? Verse 22, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 924s
Saying, God forbid it, Lord. This must never happen to you. Now do you see that in your mind, 935s
so I Peter taking the second member of the Trinity aside and rebuking him and telling him, 943s
this must not happen and what's Jesus' response? But he turned and said to Peter, 957s
get behind me, notice what he calls him, Satan. You are a stumbling block to me for you are 970s
sitting in your mind not on divine things but on human things. Jesus predicts what indeed will happen, 978s
he gives the passion prediction and Peter says, oh no, that must not happen. 988s
Okay, back to the text now. In the text, God hides for purpose. He hides the understanding 999s
for a purpose and what's the purpose of his hiding, the understanding? What would the disciples 1012s
do if they understood that Jesus was going to be killed? It's Peter's reaction, isn't it? 1022s
If they understand what indeed is going to happen at this point, what are the disciples going to do? 1033s
God forbid it and what might they do? Literally physically, keep him from that occurring. 1041s
They are kept from understanding at this point and it was only after the cross and after the 1057s
direction that we see God opening their eyes so that they would understand the actions of Jesus Christ. 1067s
It was only after the cross and after the resurrection. Why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ is determined 1076s
to go to the cross. Determined, this was the plan Ephesians 1 that God had in place before He 1091s
ever said let there be anything. There was the plan of salvation already in place because God in 1099s
His omniscience knew of the fall of humankind that would succumb. This was the plan that was already 1107s
in place and Jesus would let nothing thwart that plan absolutely nothing and God conceals 1113s
hides the understanding of the passion prediction because nothing will thwart the plan of a 1133s
term and God. In the Holy Days before Holy Week we read they understood nothing about all these 1149s
things. In fact what He said was hidden from them and they did not grasp what was said and determined 1165s
the Lord Jesus Christ goes to the cross and the plan is expressed. In Jesus the spotless Lamb of 1175s
God takes your sin and my sin, the sin of the world, the sin of everyone who ever was 1186s
was at the time or would be He bore it all on the cross the justice of God falling on the spotless 1194s
Lamb the Lord Jesus Christ who sheds His blood and takes the wrath of God for sin upon himself. 1203s
So that through the blood of Christ we are reconciled unto God. He is then raised on the third day 1212s
death is overcome the verification that the sacrifice has been accepted. The determined God 1222s
who lives out the plan and nothing, nothing with thwarted. By nature we don't have an understanding 1231s
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don't have a love for the Lord Jesus Christ by nature. We don't have 1252s
an understanding of who He is and what He's done. There is by nature absolutely no faith in us. 1262s
In fact the Bible tells us we want nothing to do with God. By nature it is all hidden from us. 1269s
It must be revealed to us. You see the fact that that is hidden from us that's not some theological 1281s
passive here, not for us. God is not keeping us from understanding. No we are by nature of people 1290s
that don't understand. We don't get Jesus. In fact we don't even want to get that Jesus by nature. 1299s
And that's because of the reality and condition of our sinfulness. But the determined God comes to us. 1307s
He claims us in the waters of baptism and he says, your mind I'm not letting you go. He washes us 1318s
in the promises of the cross and the empty tomb. He feeds us his very body and blood as we come and 1325s
comes to us in Word and in sacrament, birthing and sustaining and growing our faith. That's a determined 1336s
God. And the hidden is revealed and understanding and faith is born because God. 1350s
The hidden, hidden is determined. 1380s