Luke 18:34

Fourth, as regards the blindness of the human heart, he adds: And they understood none of these things, because they did not attend to this truth: Psalm: "They neither knew nor understood; they walk in darkness." And in this they bear the figure of ignorant …

They understood none of these things - The literal meaning they could not but understand. But as they could not reconcile this to their preconceived opinion of the Messiah, they were utterly at a loss in what parabolical or figurative sense to take what he said concerning his sufferings; having their thoughts still taken up with the temporal kingdom.

Note, Therefore it is that people run into mistakes, because they read their Bibles by the halves, and are as partial in the prophets as they are in the law. They are only for the smooth things, Isa. xxx. Thus now we are too apt, in reading the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled, to have our expectations raised of the glorious state of the church in the latter days.

And they understood none of these things,.... "Not one of them", as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; every article of his sufferings and death were unintelligible by them; they knew not how to understand him in any one point: or how to reconcile these things to the notions they had entertained of the temporal grandeur, and glory, of the Messiah, and his kingdom; and which shows their great ignorance of the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning these things. And this saying, or "thing"; for it answers to the Hebrew word דבר, which signifies any affair, or matter, as well as a word, or saying: and so here, the whole of this affair was hid from them; unless it should have a peculiar regard to that part of it, which expresses his resurrection from the dead; see Mar 9:10 or the delivery of him to the Gentiles, Luk 9:44 neither knew they the things which were spoken; the meaning of them. The Ethiopic version leaves out this, and puts the former clause, by way of question, "and he said unto them, and is this saying hid from you?"

They understood none of these things - Notwithstanding all the information which Christ had given them concerning this awful subject, they could not as yet fully comprehend how the Messiah should suffer; or how their Master, whose power they knew was unlimited, should permit the Jews and Gentiles to torment and slay him as he here intimates they would.

The promise before us is a very particular one. It does not refer to the believer's reward in the eternal world, and the unfading crown of glory. It refers distinctly to the life that now is. It is spoken of "this present time." The "many times as much" of the promise must evidently be taken in a spiritual sense. The meaning is, that the believer shall find in Christ — a full equivalent for anything that he is obliged to give up for Christ's sake.

Perhaps, if we knew all the facts, we should see no difficulty; but that we have been left so far in the dark shows that the thing is of no moment any way. One thing is plain, there could have been no collusion among the authors of these Gospels, else they would have taken care to remove these "spots on the sun."

The promise before us is a very particular one. It does not refer to the believer's reward in the eternal world, and the unfading crown of glory. It refers distinctly to the life that now is. It is spoken of "this present time." The "many times as much" of the promise must evidently be taken in a spiritual sense. The meaning is, that the believer shall find in Christ — a full equivalent for anything that he is obliged to give up for Christ's sake. He shall find such peace, and hope, and joy, and comfort, and rest — in communion with the Father and the Son — that his earthly losses shall be more than counter-balanced by his spiritual gains. In short, the Lord Jesus Christ shall be more to him — than property, or relatives, or friends. The complete fulfillment of this wonderful promise has been often seen in the experience of God's saints. Hundreds could testify in every age of the church, that when they were obliged to give up everything for the kingdom of God's sake — their earthly losses were amply supplied by Christ's grace. They were kept in perfect peace, staying their souls on Jesus. They were enabled to glory in tribulation, and to take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in distresses — for Christ's sake (Romans 5:3, 2 Corinthians 12:10.) They were enabled in the darkest hour — to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; and to count it an honor to suffer shame for their Master's name. (1 Peter 1:8, Acts 5:41.) The last day will show that in poverty and in exile — in prisons and before tribunals — in the fire and under the sword — the words of Christ before us have repeatedly been made good. Friends have often proved faithless. Great promises have often been broken. Riches have made themselves wings. But Christ's engagements have never been known to fail. Let us grasp this promise firmly.

Understood none of these things - Though they were “plainly” revealed, yet such were their prejudices and their unwillingness to believe them that they did not understand them. They expected that he would be a temporal prince and a conqueror, and they were not “willing” to believe that he would be delivered into the hands of his enemies. They did not see how that could be consistent with the prophecies. To us now these things appear plain, and we may, hence, learn that those things which to us appear most mysterious may yet appear perfectly plain; and we should learn to trust in God, and “believe” just what he has spoken. See Mat 16:21; Mat 17:23.