“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death.
In this saying Jesus clearly announces his coming sufferings and death. He says, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,” emphasizing not an ordinary journey, but a decisive step toward fulfilling God’s will. He is going to the city that is to become the center of humanity’s salvation. In his words Jesus reveals beforehand the bitterness of his being handed over and betrayed. “The chief priests and the scribes” represent the religious leadership, who would formally condemn him because he had presented himself as the Son of God. Thus, Jesus emphasizes that his sufferings will not be a random disaster, but a reality foreordained by God’s will. In this verse the deep awareness Jesus has of his mission is seen: he knew what was to happen to him and went willingly, not under compulsion. He shows perfect obedience to the Father and boundless love toward humanity.