The words are simple.
The meaning is profound.
The implication is foundational for understanding your Bible.
“And they understood none of these things…”
— Luke 18:34
Jesus had just spoken clearly about His coming death, burial, and resurrection.
He told them plainly — not in parables, not in figurative language, not in prophetic riddles.
And yet:
• They didn’t grasp it.
• They couldn’t process it.
• They didn’t understand what He meant.
Why?
Because the message of the Cross as good news was still a mystery.
This is where Mid-Acts clarity shines bright.
1. Jesus Spoke the Words — But the Meaning Was Hidden
Luke gives us the reason:
“…this saying was hid from them…”
— Luke 18:34
They heard the words but not the meaning.
They saw the events but not God’s purpose.
They followed the Messiah but not yet the Redeemer of the Body of Christ.
The Cross, to them, was:
• A tragedy
• A disruption
• A failure of the Kingdom hope
They were not expecting a Savior to die.
They were expecting a King to reign.
That is why Luke repeats it three times:
• “They understood none of these things.”
• “This saying was hid from them.”
• “Neither knew they the things which were spoken.”
Triple emphasis.
Triple clarity.
Triple confirmation:
The apostles did not understand the Cross before it happened.
2. Why Didn’t They Understand? Because the Gospel of Grace Was Still a Mystery
This is where Mid-Acts understanding becomes essential.
The reason the Twelve did not understand the Cross is simple:
The meaning of the Cross —
as the payment for sin,
as the gospel of grace,
as the message for this dispensation —
was not yet revealed.
Paul writes:
“How that by revelation He made known unto me the mystery…” (Ephesians 3:3)
And again:
“I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man… but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
— Galatians 1:11–12
And again:
“…kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest.”
— Romans 16:25–26
If the gospel of the Cross was a mystery revealed to Paul,
then it was not known by the disciples during Christ’s earthly ministry.
No wonder “they understood none of these things.”
3. The Disciples Preached the Kingdom — Not the Cross
Before the resurrection, the Twelve were not preaching:
• “Christ died for your sins.”
• “Believe in the blood for salvation.”
• “Trust the finished work.”
Instead, they preached exactly what Jesus commanded:
“The gospel of the kingdom.” (Matthew 4:23; 10:7)
A message about:
• The King
• The Kingdom
• The promises to Israel
• The throne of David
• National repentance
• Restoration of Israel
The Cross did not fit their message—
and it was never presented to them as good news.
To them, the Cross was an interruption of prophecy.
To Paul, the Cross became the revelation of the mystery.
Two programs.
Two messages.
Both inspired.
Both true.
Both distinct.
4. Why This Matters Today: It Protects the Gospel of Grace
If the apostles understood the Cross…
If they preached the Cross…
If they offered salvation by the Cross…
Then Paul’s message would not be unique.
The dispensation of grace would not be distinct.
The mystery would not be a mystery.
But Scripture is clear:
• Before the resurrection — they understood none of these things.
• After the resurrection — He opened their understanding (Luke 24:45).
• Years later — the meaning of the Cross is revealed to Paul as new information.
This protects the purity of the gospel you preach.
This safeguards the distinctiveness of the Body of Christ.
This keeps Israel’s program and the Church’s program separate and clear.
Right division is not complication.
Right division is clarity.
Conclusion:
• Jesus foretold His death, but the disciples didn’t understand it.
• Scripture says the meaning was “hid” from them.
• The Cross as good news was a mystery revealed to Paul.
• The Twelve preached the kingdom—not the gospel of grace.
• Right division preserves the uniqueness of Paul’s message.
• The apostles’ confusion highlights God’s perfect timing.
The disciples heard the words of the Cross, but the revelation of the Cross came later — revealed to Paul, for us, in this dispensation of grace.
✍️ AnWaraynaEbanghelista
Preaching Christ according to the revelation of the Mystery
