Jesus’s Death

The death of someone we love leaves a void that could never be filled. Time will lessen the blow, but never heal. I lost two brothers. The second brother died when I was nine years old. He was five days old and had a hole in his pallet. The doctors didn’t catch it, and he drowned in his mother’s milk. I still have nightmares about his death.

Jesus died at nearly 33 years old. His family—Joseph, Mary, brothers James, Joses, Jude, Simon, and sisters—had known him for almost three decades. His disciples had been with him night and day for two to three years. Suddenly and unexpectedly (since he was so popular and well-loved by those who experienced his miracles), he would die. They would be so distraught. So, the Lord prepared them for it.

He said to his disciples,

“The days are coming when you will desire to see me but can’t see me. Some will say to you, ‘See, he is there’ or ‘See, he is here.’ Do not run after them.” (Luke 17:22–23)

One can assume how his family and disciples would have been so distraught on that Friday and Saturday when Jesus was dead. They would have cried and wanted the clocks rolled back a few days earlier. Disciples who betrayed him would have wanted a second chance to make everything right. And if someone said that he had been resurrected and was seen walking in Jerusalem or Galilee streets, they would have wanted to run over and see him. But the Lord cautioned them not to.

His arrival wouldn’t be secretive but powerful.

“Just as lightning lights from heaven to heaven, my appearance will be.” (17:24)

Sadly, however, his departure and return would have other events to precede before.

“Foremost, it is necessary that I suffer many sufferings and be rejected by this generation.” (17:25)

The Lord Jesus knew what he must endure before he was glorified. His predictions would have mystified his family and disciples, but he wasn’t surprised by them at all. He knew he had to suffer, and people would reject him.

Saying these, he explained while he suffered, people would be rejoicing and partying like in the days of Noah and Lot—eating, drinking, marrying, getting married, selling, buying, planting, and building—as if nothing was out of the ordinary, even if fire and sulfur were to fall around them (17:26–30). But the Lord wanted the disciples to be alert. They shouldn’t leave wherever they were—if they were on the rooftop, they should stay there; if they were on the field, they should stay there (17:31). They should remember Lot’s wife and not turn back (17:32). If they did, they would lose their lives, even if they were one of his disciples, just like two people in bed or two women grinding grains and one gone (17:33–35). They should stick together and wait for his return from his death.

The disciples listened except for Judas, who went away and killed himself. Thomas seemed to have walked away but returned. Eleven out of twelve disciples stayed together, and perhaps all his family (Mary, James, and Jude did). They listened to his advice.

We are not in this timeframe, between the Lord’s death and resurrection. Yet, we don’t see him now and await his return. Unlike Lot’s wife and Judas, we must stay alert and eagerly wait for his arrival while we stay put and endure suffering.