Church Fathers 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)

The Venerable Bede: The disciples remembered the discourse in which the Lord had foretold that He was about to suffer many things from the chief priests and scribes, and therefore, as they were going up to Jerusalem, they were amazed. This is what is meant when it says, And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them.

Theophylact of Ohrid: This was to show that He runs to meet His Passion and does not refuse death for the sake of our salvation. And they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid.

The Venerable Bede: They were afraid either for fear that they themselves would perish with Him, or at least that He, whose life and ministry was their joy, would fall into the hands of His enemies. But the Lord, foreseeing that His disciples' minds would be troubled by His Passion, foretold to them both the pain of His Passion and the glory of His Resurrection.

Therefore, it says next: And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things would happen to Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: He did this to strengthen the hearts of the disciples, so that by hearing these things beforehand, they might better bear them afterward and not be alarmed by their suddenness. It was also to show them that He suffered voluntarily, for anyone who foresees a danger and does not flee—though he has the power to—evidently gives himself up to suffering of his own will.

He takes His disciples apart because it was fitting that He should reveal the mystery of His Passion to those who were more closely connected with Him.

St. John Chrysostom: And He lists everything that was to happen to Him, so that if He were to overlook anything, they would not be troubled later by suddenly seeing it.¹

Therefore, He adds, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man...

Glossa Ordinaria: This means He to whom suffering belongs, for the Godhead cannot suffer. ...shall be delivered—that is, by Judas—to the Chief Priests and to the Scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, judging Him to be guilty of death; and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles—that is, to Pilate the Gentile and his soldiers. And they shall mock Him, and shall spit upon Him, and scourge Him, and put Him to death.

St. John Chrysostom: But so that when they were saddened by His Passion and death they would also look for His Resurrection, He adds, And the third day He shall rise again. For since He had not hidden from them the sorrows and insults that were to happen, it was fitting that they should believe Him on other points.²

1. Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. sed v. Chrys. Hom. 65
2. Hom. in Matt., 65