Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people” (Matthew 26:1-5).
Whenever we hear Jesus predict His own death, and see the disciples’ utter failure to understand or believe what Jesus is telling them, we tend to react incredulously. What was their problem? Were they not paying attention? Were they just stupid? Modern man has an arrogant tendency to look down on those of previous generations. We tend to characterize those who came before us as ignorant. After all, we have televisions, smart phones, and computers. We do this in religious matters as well. We look down our nose at the disciples. We think to ourselves, “If I had been there with Jesus, I would’ve believed.” How could these idiots possibly doubt Jesus’ words after what they witnessed? They saw Him heal the sick, cast out demons, miraculously feed the multitudes, walk on water, and even raise the dead. If we saw all that, savvy and well-educated modern sophisticates that we are, we certainly would’ve believed.
But it isn’t true. Miracles don’t make believers, the Holy Spirit working through the Word does. If people won’t believe the words of Moses and the Prophets, they won’t believe even if someone rises from the dead.[1] The Jews who plotted to kill Jesus saw many of His miracles. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Pharisees did not marvel that Lazarus was again alive; they said, “If we let Him alone like this everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”[2] They, too, thought Jesus’ miracles would make converts. It didn’t work on them, though. The multitudes who ate multiplied loaves and fishes soon after deserted Jesus when he taught them the hard saying that, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.[3]
The teaching of Scripture cannot be stated any more clearly and concisely than in the explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed from Luther’s Small Catechism: I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.[4]
The problem with the disciples wasn’t that they needed to be convinced to believe in Jesus. They needed to be converted. This is what was happening to them over the course of their time with Jesus. The Holy Spirit worked to create faith in them as He willed. Christ tells them plainly: You don’t have faith even as big as a mustard seed. They protest, of course. They even vow to die with Jesus, when he tells them that they will all abandon him, as foretold in Holy Scripture. Their self-image will be shattered upon Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, when the shepherd is smitten, and the sheep are scattered. Peter must be restored by Christ.[5] The disciples on the road to Emmaus must have their eyes opened to Jesus.[6] Jesus must open understanding of the Scriptures to the disciples.[7] He is the key.
Christ worked their conversion - and ours - from beginning to end. We can be certain that as we now believe in Him, no one can pluck us out of His hand. This is why we, following St. Paul’s example, endeavor to know nothing but Christ crucified among those with whom God has surrounded us in our vocation. It is through hearing the message of Christ that men are born again - not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.[8] This is why it is important that we do not despise preaching and God’s Word. It is the means through which sinners receive repentance, faith, and forgiveness of sins, won for mankind by the death and resurrection of Christ.
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