Mark 8 31

Mark 8:31 kjv

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 8:31 nkjv

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 8:31 niv

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

Mark 8:31 esv

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 8:31 nlt

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead.

Mark 8 verses

Mark 8 31 Meaning

Mark 8:31 conveys a pivotal truth: Jesus begins to teach His disciples clearly and authoritatively about the divine necessity for the Son of Man to undergo profound suffering, rejection by the established religious authorities, and ultimately death, followed by His resurrection after three days. This marks a turning point in Mark's narrative, revealing the true nature of His Messiahship, which ran contrary to popular expectations of a conquering king.

Mark 8 31 Context

Mark 8:31 appears as a watershed moment in the Gospel of Mark. It immediately follows Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ (Mark 8:29). This confession is highly significant, but Jesus quickly redefines the very nature of the Christ, moving from a popular understanding of a powerful, political Messiah to a suffering and self-giving one. The verse sets a new trajectory for Jesus's ministry: no longer just performing miracles and teaching parables about the kingdom, but now explicitly preparing His disciples for His atoning work, His impending passion, and ultimately His victory through resurrection. Historically, the Jewish people eagerly anticipated the Messiah as a deliverer who would free them from Roman oppression and restore Israel's earthly glory. The idea of a suffering and rejected Messiah, particularly one who would be put to death by their own leaders, was profoundly scandalous and contrary to these prevailing expectations.

Mark 8 31 Word analysis

• ἤρξατο (ērksato – he began): This verb signifies a new phase of Jesus's teaching. It suggests a decisive and deliberate shift from earlier, more veiled pronouncements (e.g., parables about the kingdom) to explicit and systematic instruction concerning His identity as the Suffering Servant and the "must" of His path. It implies that this was foundational and recurring truth they needed to grasp.
• διδάσκειν (didaskein – to teach): Highlights the authority and intentionality of Jesus's communication. This wasn't a casual remark but a formal, authoritative transmission of truth to His disciples, essential for their understanding of His mission.
• αὐτούς (autous – them): Refers specifically to the disciples, especially the inner circle who had just witnessed Peter's confession. This profound truth was for those closest to Him, those who would carry on His mission.
• τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (ton huion tou anthrōpou – the Son of Man): This is Jesus's most common self-designation, deeply rooted in Dan 7:13-14, where "one like a son of man" comes with clouds of heaven, granted authority and dominion. Yet, Jesus transforms its meaning here, linking it profoundly to suffering, service, and ultimately, death and resurrection. It underscores both His genuine humanity and His divine, pre-existent authority.
• ὅτι δεῖ (hoti dei – that it is necessary / that it must): The word "δεῖ" (dei) is profoundly significant. It conveys a divine, teleological, or pre-ordained necessity, not an accidental or forced event. This means Jesus's suffering and death were not a tragic turn of events but integral to God's redemptive plan, a theological imperative fulfilling prophecies.
• πολλὰ παθεῖν (polla pathein – suffer many things): "Many" suggests a comprehensive scope of suffering, not merely isolated hardships but a full experience of human pain, tribulation, and physical agony. "Pathein" signifies suffering, experiencing something intensely, often associated with enduring hardships.
• καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι (kai apodokimasthēnai – and be rejected): This verb literally means "to put to the test and find wanting" or "to disapprove after examination." It's a strong term indicating that Jesus would be scrutinized and officially rejected by those who should have welcomed Him, signifying a judicial, institutional repudiation by the religious leaders. This concept echoes Ps 118:22 ("the stone the builders rejected").
• ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καὶ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ τῶν γραμματέων (hypo tōn presbyterōn kai tōn archiereōn kai tōn grammateōn – by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law): These three groups represent the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish governing council and religious authority. Jesus precisely identifies the specific human agents of His rejection and condemnation, demonstrating His foreknowledge. This specification emphasizes the religious establishment's direct role in His fate.
• καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι (kai apoktanthēnai – and be killed): A blunt and direct prediction of His violent death. The passive voice ("be killed") can subtly imply divine allowance or God's ultimate orchestrating hand in this event, though executed by human agents.
• καὶ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστῆναι (kai meta treis hēmeras anastēnai – and after three days rise again): This is the critical, redemptive climax of the prophecy. "After three days" is a specific timeframe, emphasizing the definitive nature of the resurrection. "Anistēmi" (ἀναστῆναι) means "to stand up again," clearly pointing to a bodily resurrection from the dead, providing ultimate validation of His identity and work. Without this, the suffering and death would be meaningless.

Mark 8 31 Bonus section

• The emphasis on "Son of Man" (Danielic figure of cosmic authority) alongside "suffer, reject, kill" introduces a deep theological tension that challenged conventional thought. Jesus reinterprets the eschatological glory of the Son of Man to include radical self-humiliation and death before final exaltation.
• This first passion prediction directly leads to Peter's rebuke of Jesus (Mark 8:32) and Jesus's own strong rebuke of Peter ("Get behind me, Satan!"). This interaction starkly highlights the chasm between human understanding and God's divine plan, even among the closest disciples. Peter represented the popular expectation of a glorious, conquering Messiah, an expectation Jesus had to unequivocally correct.
• The phrase "after three days" (μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας) versus "on the third day" (τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ) appears in various resurrection accounts. While subtly different linguistically, their meaning for the event's timing is identical, signifying the completion of three days as in Jonah (Matt 12:40), affirming the precision of the prophecy.
• This verse initiates the "Suffering Servant" motif within Mark's Christology, making it explicit that the Christ, the Son of Man, is the very Servant of Yahweh who would suffer vicariously for His people (as depicted in Isa 53).

Mark 8 31 Commentary

Mark 8:31 is the crucial pivot of Jesus's ministry as recorded by Mark. It’s not just a prophecy; it's a revolutionary redefinition of Messiahship, clashing dramatically with Jewish political and triumphalist expectations. Following Peter's confession, Jesus immediately unpacks the shocking reality of His destiny: a Messianic identity tied irrevocably to suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. The repeated "dei" (must) emphasizes divine necessity – this path was God's ordained plan, foretold in the Scriptures (Isa 53, Ps 22, Dan 7). This truth was meant to transform the disciples' understanding of glory and power, moving them from earthly ambitions to the path of selfless sacrifice that defines true discipleship (as elucidated in the subsequent verses of Mark 8). It sets the stage for Jesus's unwavering commitment to His mission, knowing full well the suffering ahead, yet also the ultimate triumph. For believers, it highlights that Christ's passion was not an unforeseen tragedy but a necessary, intentional act of salvation, demonstrating profound love and obedience to the Father's will, culminating in His victorious resurrection.