Mark 10:32

Predictions of the Passion

32. they were in the way Our Lord would seem to have now descended from Ephraim to the high road in order to join the caravans of Galilæan pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. St Mark gives a special prominence to this critical period in His human history: He describes (a) the prophetic elevation and solemnity of soul which He displayed; (b) His advancing before them as the destined Sufferer, (c) the awe of the disciples as they followed Him.

and Jesus went before them "After the manner of some leader who heartens his soldiers by choosing the place of danger for himself." Trench, Studies, p. 216.

and as they followed Or, according to the better reading, and they that followed,as though there were two bands of the Apostles, of whom one went foremost, while the others had fallen behind. "There are few pictures in the Gospel more striking than this of Jesus going forth to His death, and walking alone along the path into the deep valley, while behind Him, in awful reverence, and mingled anticipations of dread and hope their eyes fixed on Him, as with bowed head He preceded them in all the majesty of sorrow the disciples walked behind and dared not disturb His meditations." Farrar, Life, ii. p. 179.

And he took again This was for the third time. The two previous occasions are described in (a) Mark 8:31, in the neighbourhood of Cæsarea Philippi, just after St Peter's confession, and (b) Mark 9:30-32, shortly afterwards, during the return to Capernaum. The particulars are now more full and more clear than ever before. St Matthew (Matthew 20:17) distinctly tells us that this mournful communication was made privatelyto the Apostles.