THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

193JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH AGAINLuke 18:31-34Jesus’ mission is about to come to an end. He has prepared His disciples for Hisimpending death by instructing them about a life of faith. He now reminds them of what He willface in Jerusalem.This prediction is sometimes referred to as the third prediction of Jesus’ death eventhough the total number is more than three. The first prediction is found in chapter 9 verse 22and the second in verses 43-45 of the same chapter. The Messiah’s death had been predictedand/or prefigured centuries before in such Old Testament passages as Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 andZechariah 13:7. Other Lucan passages that record Jesus’ repeated foretelling of His coming deathare found in Luke 5:35; 12:50; 13:32-33; 17:25; 18:32; 24:7 and in Matthew 16:21; 26:24,31,54and Mark 9:9,12,31; 10:33-34; 14:21,41.JESUS’ REPEATED PREDICITON OF HIS DEATH (18:31-34)What does the third prediction of Jesus' death have to do with His teaching that precedesit regarding giving up everything?It doesn’t seem to fit.Luke points out:"Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, 'We are going up to Jerusalem, andeverything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.”(v. 31)FULFILLED PROPHECYLuke’s statement, “and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Manwill be fulfilled” (v. 31) speaks of fulfilled prophecy.As we look back with the perspective of having seen the fulfillment of this and the manyother prophecies, we have every reason to believe in the integrity of Jesus’ claim. This is whyfulfilled prophecy is one of the most credible evidences to show that Jesus was exactly who theBible said He was/is: God in the flesh (Jn 1:1,14). While many religions claim their books to bedivinely inspired, the Bible is the only one which contains prophecies that can’t simply beexplained away as chance.