The Passion Puzzle Series

There is something quite interesting about putting a puzzle together. A single piece provides a little information, but when connected with many or all of the other pieces, the picture comes into view.

The Apostle Paul has referred to the gospel as a “mystery.” Just as puzzles need to be assembled, mysteries have a problem to be solved or a conclusion to be reached. Today, we get a little bit more of the mystery of the gospel, or the Passion Puzzle.

If you have your copy of God’s word, open to Luke 18:31-34.

In these few verses, we will get to consider three clues and a few questions that will help us assemble the passion puzzle or solve the gospel mystery.

Luke 18:31–34 ESV

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Over the course of His ministry, Jesus has been gradually giving pieces to the passion puzzle for his people to assemble. He’s not trying to withhold His plan, as much as he is revealing the plan as they are ready to receive it. It’s as though He’s laying breadcrumbs or clues for His people. So, launching from this passage, let’s consider some of the clues or puzzle pieces that Jesus is laying out.

Clue 1: what’s happening now (31a)?

They are going up to Jerusalem. Now Jerusalem is located in the mountains of Judea. It’s sort of in a high valley about 2500 feet above seal level with some taller mountains all around it. Because it is so high, people would often refer to going to Jerusalem as going up. So they are on their way up to Jerusalem.

However, in some ways, this is not new information for us. Back in Luke 9:51, Luke notes that Jesus turned toward Jerusalem. Everything in his ministry from that point forward is in the direction of Jerusalem.

So, what’s happening now? They are headed to Jerusalem - getting closer and closer with each passing day.

Jesus said that they are going up so that “everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.” So, that kind of leads us to the next clue that we need to consider…

Clue 2: what was written then (31b)?

Son of Man

Let’s first look at this title “the Son of Man.” This was Jesus favorite term when He referred to Himself. Sometimes He would say things like me, my, and I, but often when He was referring to aspects of His life that fulfilled some prophecy, He would refer to himself in the third person as the Son of Man.

Now, that title is found throughout the Old Testament and it’s typically used in two ways.

Literally - to refer to someone who was born of a human. Which of course is all of us. In fact the book that has the most references to “son of man” is the book of Ezekiel. While that book is prophetic and apocalyptic, “Son of Man” is the title that God uses for Ezekiel - calling him Son of Man some 93 times.

So I don’t think those references are what Jesus is talking about. There is another use for the the “Son of Man” and that is

Figuratively - referring to someone who is more than human. Someone who is different. Someone who is specifically sent from God. God gave the prophet Daniel some very clear visions and timelines. He gave Daniel this picture of the Son of Man.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

“I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

So, this Son of Man is actually one “like” a son of man. Someone who seems human, but is more. In many ways, this title appropriately fits Jesus - fully God and fully human. This passage in Daniel is actually the only passage where this phrase “son of man” refers to this other person. So is this the only prophecy that Jesus is referencing?

No, I don’ think so.