It was an exciting and dramatic moment in Yeshua’s ministry. He, along with Peter, James, and John, had just experienced the transfiguration. The next day they come down from the mountain and are greeted by crowds. Yeshua casts out a demon from a boy, which His disciples had been unable to accomplish. The crowds “were all amazed at the greatness of God”.
In this very dramatic moment, Yeshua has not lost sight of His mission and what is to happen. He has not been distracted or become prideful in what the Father is doing through Him. He is not “lost in the moment”. At this point He brings the attention of His disciples to His impending fate where He would be turned over to men for torture and execution.
The disciples could not understand because it “was concealed from them”. They were afraid to ask, perhaps because Yeshua had just rebuked them about casting out the demon.
37On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him. 38And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, “Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy, 39and a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams, and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming at the mouth; and only with difficulty does it leave him, mauling him as it leaves. 40“I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.” 41And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” 42While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.
But while everyone was marveling at all that He was doing, He said to His disciples, 44“Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.
Two principles come to mind. First, God is never surprised by what is going to happen and He does not lose sight of His plans in a moment of celebration or victory or because men are impressed. Second, God will reveal to His disciples only what and when He wants them to know something. We just have to learn to trust Him, even if we don’t always understand what He is directing us to do or why. We have to trust Him even if we don’t fully understand His word in the Bible.
We can always feel comfortable to ask Him to enlighten us through the work of the Spirit. We just have to accept that the answer may be “no” or “not now”.
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