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They Were Greatly Distressed - Matthew 17:22
They Were Greatly Distressed - Matthew 17:22
Matthew 17:21–24 - "As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.
Jesus knew what the plan and purpose of God was – He came to DIE [and be raised to glory]. This was not to be the ordinary death of ordinary men [all men are appointed to die] but was to be a sacrificial death. He would later state: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (26:28). This is the second of three such predictions of his death in Matthew (cp. 16:21; 20:17-18). With all His greatness that the apostles have seen, this is still beyond their understanding at this point. How could He be the Son of God and yet die? How can He be the son of David that will rule forever if He is going to die? If He dies, what happens to all the kingdom promises? Instead of focusing upon the fact the He also said he would rise again, they focused upon the fact of His death. Thus Matthew remembers that 'they were greatly distressed'.
Even though He raised others, what happens when HE is dead? Death is so final. Death ends people's hopes and aspirations. Kings and rulers lose all power [in this world] when they die. If Jesus dies, what happens to all of this that they have given their lives unto?
It is this very problem of focusing upon the wrong parts of God's promises that upset so many of us. God's purpose and plan is greater than the small part that we play in it. How many of us have focused upon our impending death and forgot that we too will be raised? How many of us focus upon the 'here and now' and overlook or ignore the aspect of the eternal in our life?
It is this very confidence in our own resurrection that empowers believers unto godliness in the face of difficulties. Paul would remind that Thessalonians that this confidence in the resurrection is the basis of dealing with the painfulness of death (cp. 1 Thess. 4:13-18).
Jesus died – and was raised unto glory. We will die, but we too will be raised. Our purpose and life is thus rooted not in the temporal affairs of this life but in the eternal affairs of heaven. Thus we should join Paul in saying: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). 'To live is Christ' is the key to such successful living. What is YOUR life – its aims, goal, and purposes?
Hugh DeLong
