As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them on the way.
This passage describes a transition that marks the final and most painful period of Jesus’ ministry. He is going to Jerusalem willingly and consciously, knowing what awaits Him there. The phrase “was going up to Jerusalem” is not only a geographical direction; it also symbolizes a spiritual ascent toward the climax of redemption, toward the place where the sacrifice of the cross was to be accomplished. Jesus sets the disciples apart, showing that these words are directed not to the crowd, but to those who would later continue His work. He prepares them for the coming trials and disappointments by revealing His sufferings beforehand. In this episode, Jesus’ deliberate and voluntary course toward the cross is made evident.