“Jesus took
The twelve aside.
He said to them.
‘See!
We are going up
To Jerusalem!
Everything
That is written
About the Son of Man
By the prophets
Will be accomplished.’”
Παραλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς δώδεκα εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς Ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ, καὶ τελεσθήσεται πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου
Luke indicated that Jesus took the 12 apostles aside (Παραλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς δώδεκα). He said to them (εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς) that they were going up to Jerusalem (Ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ). Everything that was written (πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα) about the Son of Man (ῷ Υἱῷ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) by the prophets (διὰ τῶν προφητῶν) would be accomplished (καὶ τελεσθήσεται). Mark, chapter 10:32, and Matthew, chapter 20:17, have something similar to this. Mark said that while they were on the road towards Jerusalem (Ἦσαν δὲ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἀναβαίνοντες εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα), Jesus was walking ahead of them (καὶ ἦν προάγων αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἰησοῦς). These followers of Jesus were amazed or astonished, yet at the same time they were afraid (καὶ ἐθαμβοῦντο, οἱ δὲ ἀκολουθοῦντες ἐφοβοῦντο). Jesus then took his 12 leaders aside by themselves again (καὶ παραλαβὼν πάλιν τοὺς δώδεκα). They were merely called the 12 “τοὺς δώδεκα,” clearly indicating the elite 12 apostolic leaders. Jesus began to speak to them (ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς λέγειν) about what was going to happen to him (τὰ μέλλοντα αὐτῷ συμβαίνειν). In Matthew, while Jesus was near Jerusalem (Μέλλων δὲ ἀναβαίνειν Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα), he took his 12 leaders aside by themselves (παρέλαβεν τοὺς δώδεκα κατ’ ἰδίαν), as they went on their way to Jerusalem (καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς). In other words, this was not a general proclamation, but a semi-secret saying just for the leaders, the 12, much like a gnostic group with some of the top people knowing more than the others. Do you like to know things that others do not know?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 