Jesus knows beforehand He is to suffer in Jerusalem, and He privately warns His twelve disciples. He takes them aside, and says emphatically, “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem.” Jesus is telling them to be prepared, to get ready for an event that alters His human life, their lives, and the lives of the rest of the world.
He says, “Get ready for the horrific events that are coming My way.”
Jesus also knows He is to be resurrected in Jerusalem; and is saying: “Get ready for the wonderful moment that is coming your way.”
After His crucifixion, His disciples are hiding, terrified having forgotten Jesus’ word, “Listen!” They are not ready, but the women — Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and others with them — are prepared before the Sabbath to bring spices and perfume to the body of their Lord, Jesus who is kindly taken from the Cross and entombed by Joseph, one of the Sanhedrin. They are not ready for His resurrection, but are dealing with an immediate need of His body.
“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, [the women who came with Jesus from Galilee] come to the tomb, bringing the spices they have prepared. They find the stone rolled away from the tomb. They go in but do not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they are perplexed about this, suddenly two men stand by them in dazzling clothes. So the women are terrified and bow down to the ground. ‘Why are you looking for the living among the dead?’ ask the men. ‘He is not here, but He is resurrected!’ ” (Luke 23: 56, 24: 1 – 6)
All are devastated, doubting, and then amazed at the events Jesus predicts for them before they go up to Jerusalem. Not one is fully prepared.
Jesus says to us, “Listen!”
Grace Partakers 