the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative plural masculine
not
ἠγνόουνēgnooun
G50
not to know (through lack of information or intelligenc… · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural
saying
ῥῆμαrhēma
G4487
an utterance (individually · noun — accusative singular neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
afraid
ἐφοβοῦντοephobounto
G5399
to frighten · verb — imperfect middle or passive deponent indicative, 3rd person plural
ask
ἐπερωτῆσαι.¶eperōtēsai
G1905
to ask for · verb — aorist active infinitive
him
αὐτὸνauton
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Luke 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
Luke 9:45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.
Luke 18:34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
John 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye…
John 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of…
Mark 9:10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
Mark 7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man,…
Mark 8:17-18 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your h…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Mark 9:30-40
Here, I. Christ foretels his own approaching sufferings. He passed through Galilee with more expedition than usual, and would not that any man should know of it (Mar 9:30); because he had done many mighty and good works among them in vain, they shall not be invited to see them and have the benefit of them, as they have been. The time of his sufferings drew nigh, and therefore he was willing to be private awhile, and to converse only with his disciples, to prepare them for the approaching trial, Mar 9:31. He said to them, The Son of man is delivered by the determinate council and fore-knowledge of God into the hands of men (Mar 9:31), and they shall kill him. He had been delivered into the ha…
But they understood not - This whole verse is wanting in two MSS., in the first edition of Erasmus, and in that of Aldus. Mill approves of the omission. It does not appear likely, from Matthew's account, that three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John, could be ignorant of the reasons of Christ's death and resurrection, after the transfiguration; on the contrary, from the circumstances there related, it is very probable that from that time they must have had at least a general understanding of this important subject; but the other nine might have been ignorant of this matter, who were not present at the transfiguration; probably it is of these that the evangelist speaks here. See the obs…
But they understood not that saying,.... Meaning either the whole of what he had said, concerning his delivery, death, and resurrection: and which then must be interpreted with some limitation; for they must understand the sense of his words, which were clear and express; especially concerning his death, which affected their minds with trouble and grief; for Matthew says, "they were exceeding sorry upon it"; see Gill on Matthew 17:23; but they could not understand how it could be, and upon what account, and for what end, so holy and good, and innocent a man as he was, could be put to death; nor how this could consist with his character, as the Son of God, the Messiah, and king of Israel; and…
The Church Fathers
If ignorant, how could they be sorrowful? Because they were not altogether ignorant. They knew that he was soon to die, for they had continually been told about it. But just what this death might mean, they did not grasp clearly, nor that there would be a speedy recognition of it, from which innumerable blessings would flow. They did not see that there would be a resurrection. This is why they grieved.
But they did not understand this saying, and they were afraid to ask him. This ignorance of the disciples is born not so much from their slowness of mind as from the love of the Savior, who, while still carnal and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, could not believe that he whom they knew as true God would die. And because they were used to hearing him often speak through figures, fearing the event of his death, they wanted to interpret what he spoke plainly about his betrayal and passion as figuratively signifying something else.
(ubi sup.) This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of intellect, as from love for the Saviour, for they were as yet carnal, and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not therefore believe that He whom they had recognised as the true God, was about to die; being accustomed then to hear Him often talk in figures, and shrinking from the event of His death, they would have it, that something was conveyed figuratively in those things, which he spoke openly concerning His betrayal and passion. It goes on: And they came to Capernaum.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Mark 9:30-36
Matthew 17:22-23
Mark 9:30-36
Luke 9:43-48
22. And while they remained in Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men: 23. And they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again. And they were deeply grieved.
Matthew 18:1-5
1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2. And Jesus, having called a little child to him, placed him in the midst of them, 3. And said, Verily I say to you, Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4. Whosoever then shall humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in th…
