Charles Spurgeon Commentary Mark 10:32-34

"And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going before them: and they were amazed; and they that followed were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were to happen unto him, [saying], Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall spit upon him, and shall scourge him, and shall kill him; and after three days he shall rise again." — Mark 10:32-34 (ASV)

And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed: and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took the twelve again and began to tell them what things should happen to him, Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

From the number of these sentences, it is clear that our Savior entered into a very detailed account of his sufferings, dwelling upon each particular which he plainly foresaw, in which we see his prophetic character.

But it is more to our point to see that he knew beforehand what it would cost him to redeem our souls. "When the Savior knew the price of pardon was his blood, his pity never withdrew." He knew not only that he must die, but he knew all the circumstances of pain and shame with which that death would be attended. They should condemn him: should deliver him to the Gentiles; mock him; scourge him; spit upon him; and kill him.

Thus we learn that we also should dwell in holy, grateful meditation upon every point of our Lord's passion. There is something in it.

He would not himself thus have divided it out, and laid it, as it were, piece by piece, if he had not intended us to do with it as they did with the burnt-offering of old, when they divided it—a picture of what every intelligent, instructed believer should do with the passion of his Master. He should try to look into the details of the great sacrifice and have communion with God in it.

Now, although this revelation of his coming shame, sorrow, and death afflicted the hearts of his disciples, yet, nevertheless, observe what they did.

And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

He thought it right that the twelve, who led the way, should be better acquainted than the rest with the sad history that was so soon to be enacted. So he tells them about it in private, and I want you to notice how he dwells in detail upon his sufferings. He does not describe them in general terms, but he brings out into strong relief each distinct element of infamy: they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him.

From this we learn that our Saviour knew all that he had to endure, yet he went bravely forward to bear it for our sakes. For this reason, we should admire his divine courage and complete self-sacrifice. Mere men may promise to do a certain thing without knowing what it will involve, but—

"This was compassion like a God,
That when the Saviour knew
The price of pardon was his blood,
His pity never withdrew."

I think, too, that as our Lord thus dwells upon each point, he means us also to dwell upon the details of his redeeming griefs. We should not be strangers at the foot of the cross, nor in Gethsemane, but should hear each one of these notes ring out its sorrowful yet joyful music: They shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him. But what a glad note that concluding one is: and the third day he shall rise again. Death cannot hold him in its bonds; the sepulcher cannot continue to enclose him in its gloomy prison. This is the glory and boast of our Christianity, our hope and our joy, for—

"As the Lord our Saviour rose,
So all his followers must."