The Meaning of Mark 8:31 Explained

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.

YLT: and began to teach them, that it behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise again;

Darby: 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 of the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Mark 8:31 Mean?

Study Notes

Son of man
Also, Matthew 16:21-28 ; Mark 9:31 ; Luke 9:22-27 ; Luke 24:6
(See Scofield " Ezekiel 2:1 ") . Our Lord thus designates Himself about eighty times. It is His racial name as the representative Man, in the sense of 1 Corinthians 15:45-47 as Son of David is distinctly his Jewish name, and Son of God His divine name. Our Lord constantly uses this term as implying that his mission (e.g.); Matthew 11:19 ; Luke 19:10 . His death and resurrection (e.g.); Matthew 12:40 ; Matthew 20:18 ; Matthew 26:2 and His second coming (e.g.); Matthew 24:37-44 ; Luke 12:40 transcended in scope and result all merely Jewish imitations. When Nathanael confesses him as "King of Israel," our Lord's answer is, "Thou shalt see greater things.. . the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." When His messengers are cast out by the Jews, His thought leaps forward to the time when the Son of man shall come, not then to Israel only but to the race; Matthew 10:5 ; Matthew 10:6 ; Matthew 8:23 . It is in this name, also, that universal judgment is committed to Him John 5:22 ; John 5:27 . It is also a name indicating that in Him is fulfilled the O.T. foreview of blessing through a coming man. See Scofield " Genesis 1:26 "; Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 12:3 ; Psalms 8:4 ; Psalms 80:17 ; Isaiah 7:14 ; Isaiah 9:6 ; Isaiah 9:7 ; Isaiah 32:2 ; Zechariah 13:7 ; Isaiah 32:2 ; Zechariah 13:7 .

Verse Meaning

Jesus" clear revelation of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection resulted from Peter"s confession of faith. The disciples were now ready to receive what would have been completely incomprehensible if they still viewed Jesus as only a political Messiah.
Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of Prayer of Manasseh , a biblical messianic title ( Daniel 7:13-14; cf. Mark 2:10; Mark 2:28). This was by far the favorite term that Jesus used to describe Himself in the Gospels. It appears81times. In its Old Testament usage this title presented Messiah as coming in glory but also suffering and dying. This title was not as popular as "Messiah" so when Jesus used it people unfamiliar with the Old Testament often did not know what He meant. "Son of Man" was an idiom in Jesus" day that most people would have understood as a circumlocution for "I." [1]
Here Jesus revealed that the Son of Man must (Gr. dei) suffer, because of God"s purpose. Most Jews of Jesus" day believed that Messiah would establish His kingdom without suffering and dying.
"The necessity arises, first, from the hostility of men; secondly, from the spiritual nature of his work, which made it impossible for him to oppose force to force; and thirdly from the providential purpose of God, who made the death of Jesus the central thing in redemption [2]." [2]
The three groups that would reject Jesus made up the Sanhedrin. The elders were its lay members. They were men of wealth and were the leaders of aristocratic families. The chief priests were the ranking priests and were mostly Sadducees. They occupied a hereditary office and supervised the temple and the sacrificial system. The chief priests included Annas, Caiaphas, and the leaders of the24divisions of the priesthood. The scribes or teachers of the law were the approved interpreters of the law, and they were mostly Pharisees. They were the theologians and lawyers of Judaism who were experts in Israel"s laws. Together these three groups formed a united front as opponents of Jesus.
Jesus also announced His resurrection "after three days." Mark"s readers would have understood this phrase as synonymous with "on the third day" (cf. Hosea 6:1-2; Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:22).
"Verse31is particularly important because it is the only explanation in Mark"s Gospel of "the messianic secret." Jesus did not want his messiahship to be disclosed because it involved suffering, rejection, and death. Popular expectations of messiahship would have hindered, if not prevented, the accomplishment of his divinely ordained (dei, "must") messianic mission." [4]
In this section, Mark recorded Jesus" first clear prediction of His passion ( Mark 8:31), the disciples" reaction to it ( Mark 8:32-33), and several lessons on discipleship ( Mark 8:34 to Mark 9:29).

Context Summary

Mark 8:22-38 - The Cost Of Following Jesus
Our attention has been drawn to the Master's sighs; here, however, was another characteristic act. He spat on the eyes of the blind man, perhaps to excite his expectation and faith. Repulsive as ophthalmia is in the East, it did not repel Him nor staunch the flow of His pity.
We do not at once see everything clearly, but step by step we come unto perfect vision. Here we see through a glass darkly, there face to face. There was a great price to be paid; it was only through suffering and death that Jesus could do His greatest work, in redeeming and cleansing the children of men. He might have been the miracle-worker apart from Calvary; but to be the Savior, He must not spare Himself but be willing to pour out His soul even unto death. It was hard for the Apostles to learn this lesson; they wanted the Master to spare Himself. Peter, especially, sought to dissuade Him; but the Lord knew better the desperate need of men and how it must be met. There are three conditions to be fulfilled by those who have resolved to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. 1. We must deny self; 2. Each must take up his cross; 3. We must think more of others than of ourselves. If these are realized, the soul is following Christ and making progress, even though it deems itself stagnant or drifting back. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 8

1  Jesus feeds the people miraculously;
10  refuses to give a sign to the Pharisees;
14  admonishes his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod;
22  gives a blind man his sight;
27  acknowledges that he is the Jesus who should suffer and rise again;
34  and exhorts to patience in persecution for the profession of the gospel

Greek Commentary for Mark 8:31

He began to teach them [ηρχατο διδασκειν αυτους]
Mark is fond of this idiom, but it is not a mere rhetorical device. Matthew 16:21 expressly says “from that time.” They had to be told soon about the approaching death of Jesus. The confession of faith in Jesus indicated that it was a good time to begin. Death at the hands of the Sanhedrin (elders, chief priests, and scribes) in which Pharisees and Sadducees had about equal strength. The resurrection on the third day is mentioned, but it made no impression on their minds. This rainbow on the cloud was not seen. [source]
After three days [μετα τρεις ημερας]
Matthew 16:21 has “the third day” There are some people who stickle for a strict interpretation of “after three days” which would be “on the fourth day,” not “on the third day.” Evidently Mark‘s phrase here has the same sense as that in Matthew and Luke else they are hopelessly contradictory. In popular language “after three days” can and often does mean “on the third day,” but the fourth day is impossible. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 8:31

Matthew 12:40 The whale [του κητους]
Sea-monster, huge fish. In Jonah 2:1 the lxx has κητει μεγαλωι — kētei megalōi “Three days and three nights” may simply mean three days in popular speech. Jesus rose “on the third day” (Matthew 16:21), not “on the fourth day.” It is just a fuller form for “after three days” (Mark 8:31; Mark 10:34). [source]
Mark 9:31 He taught [ἐδίδασκεν]
The Rev. would have done better to give the force of the imperfect here: He was teaching. He sought seclusion because he was engaged for the time in instructing. The teaching was the continuation of the “began to teach” (Mark 8:31). [source]
Mark 8:29 He saith [ἐπηρώτα]
More correctly, he questioned or asked. So Rev. Mark omits the commendation of Peter. See Introduction. On Mark 8:31-33, compare notes on Matthew 16:21-28. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

Mark 10:32 And he took again the twelve [και παραλαβων τους δωδεκα]
Matthew has “apart” from the crowds and that is what Mark also means. Note παραλαβων — paralabōn taking to his side.And began to tell them the things that were to happen to him (ηρχατο αυτοις λεγειν τα μελλοντα αυτωι συμβαινειν — ērxato autois legein ta mellonta autōi sumbainein). He had done it before three times already (Mark 8:31; Mark 9:13; Mark 9:31). So Jesus tries once more. They had failed utterly heretofore. How is it now? Luke adds (Luke 18:34): “They understood none of these things.” But Mark and Matthew show how the minds of two of the disciples were wholly occupied with plans of their own selfish ambition while Jesus was giving details of his approaching death and resurrection. [source]
Mark 10:32 And began to tell them the things that were to happen to him [ηρχατο αυτοις λεγειν τα μελλοντα αυτωι συμβαινειν]
He had done it before three times already (Mark 8:31; Mark 9:13; Mark 9:31). So Jesus tries once more. They had failed utterly heretofore. How is it now? Luke adds (Luke 18:34): “They understood none of these things.” But Mark and Matthew show how the minds of two of the disciples were wholly occupied with plans of their own selfish ambition while Jesus was giving details of his approaching death and resurrection. [source]
Mark 8:34 Deny himself [απαρνησαστω εαυτον]
Say no to himself, a difficult thing to do. Note reflexive along with the middle voice. Ingressive first aorist imperative. See note on Matthew 16:24 about taking up the Cross. The shadow of Christ‘s Cross was already on him (Mark 8:31) and one faces everyone. [source]
Mark 9:10 They kept the saying [ton logon ekratēsan)]
Now they notice his allusion to rising from the dead which had escaped them before (Mark 8:31). [source]
Mark 9:31 For he taught [edidasken gar)]
Imperfect tense, and the reason given for secrecy. He was renewing again definitely the prediction of his death in Jerusalem some six months ahead as he had done before (Mark 8:31; Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:22). Now as then Jesus foretells his resurrection “after three days” (“the third day,” Matthew 17:23). [source]
Luke 2:49 Must [δεῖ]
Lit., it is necessary, or it behoves. A word often used by Jesus concerning his own appointed work, and expressing both the inevitable fulfilment of the divine counsels and the absolute constraint of the principle of duty upon himself. See Matthew 16:21; Matthew 26:54; Mark 8:31; Luke 4:43; Luke 9:22; Luke 13:33; Luke 24:7, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:46; John 3:14; John 4:4; John 12:34. [source]
Luke 9:22 The third day [τηι τριτηι ημεραι]
Locative case of time as in Matthew 16:21. Here in the parallel passage Mark 8:31 has “after three days” (μετα τρεις ημερας — meta treis hēmeras) in precisely the same sense. That is to say, “after three days” is just a free way of saying “on the third day” and cannot mean “on the fourth day” if taken too literally. For discussion of this plain prediction of the death of Christ with various details see note on Matthew 16:21 and note on Mark 8:31. It was a melancholy outlook that depressed the disciples as Mark and Matthew show in the protest of Peter and his rebuke. [source]
John 3:14 Must [δεῖ]
Must signifies the eternal necessity in the divine counsels. Compare Luke 24:26, Luke 24:46; Matthew 26:54; Mark 8:31; John 12:34. [source]
John 20:9 Must []
On this necessity attaching in the divine counsel to the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus, see Matthew 26:54; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Luke 17:25; Luke 22:37; Luke 24:7, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:44; John 3:14; John 12:34; Acts 1:16. [source]
John 1:51 Son of man []
See on Luke 6:22. Notice the titles successively applied to our Lord in this chapter: the greater Successor of the Baptist, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of Israel. These were all given by others. The title Son of man He applies to Himself. In John's Gospel, as in the Synoptists, this phrase is used only by Christ in speaking of Himself; and elsewhere only in Acts 7:56, where the name is applied to Him by Stephen. It occurs less frequently in John than in the Synoptists, being found in Matthew thirty times, in Mark thirteen, and in John twelve. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Jesus' use of the term here is explained in two ways. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
I. That He borrows the title from the Old Testament to designate Himself either: (a ) as a prophet, as in Ezekiel 2:1-3; Ezekiel 3:1, etc.; or (b ) as the Messiah, as prefigured in Daniel 7:13. This prophecy of Daniel had obtained such wide currency that the Messiah was called Anani, or the man of the clouds. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(a.) This is untenable, because in Ezekiel, as everywhere in the Old Testament, the phrase Son of man, or Sons of men, is used to describe man under his human limitations, as weak, fallible, and incompetent by himself to be a divine agent. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(b.) The allusion to Daniel's prophecy is admitted; but Jesus does not mean to say, “I am the Messiah who is prefigured by Daniel.” A political meaning attached in popular conception to the term Messiah; and it is noticeable throughout John's Gospel that Jesus carefully avoids using that term before the people, but expresses the thing itself by circumlocution, in order to avoid the complication which the popular understanding would have introduced into his work. See John 8:24, John 8:25; John 10:24, John 10:25. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Moreover, the phrase Son of man was not generally applied to the Messiah. On the contrary, John 5:27and John 12:34show that it was set off against that term. Compare Matthew 16:13, Matthew 16:15. Son of God is the Messianic title, which, with one exception, appears in confessions (John 1:34, John 1:49; John 11:27; John 20:31). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
In Daniel the reference is exclusively to the final stage of human affairs. The point is the final establishment of the divine kingdom. Moreover, Daniel does not say “the Son of man,” but “one like a Son of man.” Compare Revelation 1:13; Revelation 14:14, where also the article is omitted. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
II. The second, and correct explanation is that the phrase Son of man is the expression of Christ's self-consciousness as being related to humanity as a whole: denoting His real participation in human nature, and designating Himself as the representative man. It thus corresponds with the passage in Daniel, where the earthly kingdoms are represented by beasts, but the divine kingdom by a Son of man. Hence, too, the word ἄνθρωπος is purposely used (see on a man, John 1:30, and compare John 8:40). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
While the human element was thus emphasized in the phrase, the consciousness of Jesus, as thus expressed, did not exclude His divine nature and claims, but rather regarded these through the medium of His humanity. He showed Himself divine in being thus profoundly human. Hence two aspects of the phrase appear in John, as in the Synoptists. The one regards His earthly life and work, and involves His being despised; His accommodation to the conditions of human life; the partial veiling of His divine nature; the loving character of His mission; His liability to misinterpretation; and His outlook upon a consummation of agony. On the other hand, He is possessed of supreme authority; He is about His Father's work; He reveals glimpses of His divine nature through His humanity; His presence and mission entail serious responsibility upon those to whom He appeals; and He foresees a consummation of glory no less than of agony. See Matthew 8:20; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:8, Matthew 12:32; Matthew 13:37; Matthew 16:13; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 26:64; Mark 8:31, Mark 8:38; Mark 14:21; Luke 9:26, Luke 9:58; Luke 12:8; Luke 17:22; Luke 19:10; Luke 22:69. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The other aspect is related to the future. He has visions of another life of glory and dominion; though present in the flesh, His coming is still future, and will be followed by a judgment which is committed to Him, and by the final glory of His redeemed in His heavenly kingdom. See Matthew 10:23; Matthew 13:40sqq.; Matthew 16:27sqq.; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:37, Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:31sqq.; Mark 13:26; Luke 6:22; Luke 17:24, Luke 17:30; Luke 18:8; Luke 21:27. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

John 20:9 For [γαρ]
Explanatory use of γαρ — gar The Scripture Probably Psalm 16:10. Jesus had repeatedly foretold his resurrection, but that was all forgotten in the great sorrow on their hearts. Only the chief priests and Pharisees recalled the words of Jesus (Matthew 27:62.). Must For this use of δει — dei concerning Christ‘s death and resurrection see Mark 8:31; Matthew 26:54; Luke 9:22; Luke 17:25; Luke 22:37; Luke 24:7, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:44; John 3:14; John 12:34; Acts 1:16. Jesus had put emphasis on both the fact and the necessity of his resurrection which the disciples slowly perceived. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 8:31 mean?

And He began to teach them that it is necessary for the Son - of Man many things to suffer to be rejected by the elders chief priests scribes to be killed after three days to rise [again]
Καὶ ἤρξατο διδάσκειν αὐτοὺς ὅτι δεῖ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλὰ παθεῖν ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀρχιερέων γραμματέων ἀποκτανθῆναι μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστῆναι

ἤρξατο  He  began 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἄρχω  
Sense: to be the first to do (anything), to begin.
διδάσκειν  to  teach 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: διδάσκω  
Sense: to teach.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
δεῖ  it  is  necessary  for 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεῖ  
Sense: it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper.
Υἱὸν  Son 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπου  of  Man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
πολλὰ  many  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
παθεῖν  to  suffer 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: πάσχω  
Sense: to be affected or have been affected, to feel, have a sensible experience, to undergo.
ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι  to  be  rejected 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἀποδοκιμάζω  
Sense: to disapprove, reject, repudiate.
πρεσβυτέρων  elders 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πρεσβύτερος  
Sense: elder, of age,.
ἀρχιερέων  chief  priests 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρχιερεύς  
Sense: chief priest, high priest.
γραμματέων  scribes 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: γραμματεύς  
Sense: a clerk, scribe, esp.
ἀποκτανθῆναι  to  be  killed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Passive
Root: ἀποκτείνω 
Sense: to kill in any way whatever.
μετὰ  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: μετά  
Sense: with, after, behind.
τρεῖς  three 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
ἡμέρας  days 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
ἀναστῆναι  to  rise  [again] 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.