Earlier this month I found myself at chapter 17 of A.B. Bruce’s The Training of the Twelve. Bruce entitled that chapter, “The Sons of Zebedee Again: or Second Lesson on the Doctrine of the Cross” and true to form he set relevant passages 1below his title. To familiarize myself with the text before swimming out into Bruce’s chapter I was paused by the first verse.
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. (Mark 10:32–NIV)
“Paused?” you ask, “How so?” By the reactions amongst this Jerusalem-aimed group. Leading it was the poised Christ. His poignant Gethsemane question: “Is there another way?” had yet to be posed, but the nearness of that forthcoming trouble had no crippling effect on his progress. He would deal with those terribles when the time came. Two other groups were caught up in the moment, though: the astonished disciples and the fearful followers.
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