this time i want you to read it in full;
Jesus did not keep His death a secret from His disciples. Throughout His ministry, He plainly told them what would happen, when it would happen, and why. Although at first they struggled to understand, there came a moment when they finally grasped the truth. This truth was revealed by Jesus Himself, before any outsider—including Paul—could have known. Scripture clearly shows that the original disciples, chosen and taught by Jesus, understood His coming death and resurrection well before Paul ever became a follower.
Jesus Openly Foretells His Death
Jesus spoke of His death on multiple occasions. The first clear prophecy is recorded after Peter confessed that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God."
“From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” (Matthew 16:21)
This marks the first time Jesus
began to explain clearly to His disciples that He would be killed and raised on the third day. It’s important that Matthew writes
“from that time”—showing this was a turning point. Jesus no longer spoke in parables but openly revealed the suffering ahead.
Peter, still not fully understanding, reacted strongly:
“Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” (Matthew 16:22)
But Jesus corrected Peter:
“Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23)
This rebuke shows that Peter's thinking was still earthly, but the teaching had begun. Jesus was preparing them to accept the hard truth.
Repeated Warnings and Growing Clarity
Jesus did not mention His death just once. He reminded them again:
“Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, ‘The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.’ And they were exceedingly sorrowful.” (Matthew 17:22–23)
This time the disciples are
“exceedingly sorrowful”—showing they understood enough to be deeply troubled.
Again, shortly before arriving in Jerusalem:
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.” (Matthew 20:18–19)
This is the most detailed prophecy yet. Jesus plainly names the people involved, the actions taken, the method of death—
crucifixion—and the timing of the resurrection.
HOW CAN YOU SAY THEY DID NOT KNOW?
The Moment of Understanding
Although the disciples struggled at times to accept what Jesus was saying, there is a clear moment when they finally understood.
At the Last Supper, Jesus again spoke of His death:
“For the Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!” (Mark 14:21)
After He gave them bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood, Jesus said:
“This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.” (Mark 14:24)
At this point, the disciples no longer questioned that Jesus was going to die. Their silence at the table, their sorrow in Gethsemane, and their reaction to His arrest all show that they finally knew what was coming.
Jesus had told them many times. But after the Last Supper, they stopped asking questions. Their sorrow became real, not just confusion.
After the Resurrection: Full Clarity and Witness
When Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared first to His disciples—not Paul.
He reminded them that everything had happened exactly as He had foretold.
“Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’ And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:44–45)
From this moment, their understanding was complete. They understood both His death and His purpose. Jesus had taught them personally, opened their eyes to the Scriptures, and called them to be witnesses.
“You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:48)
The Disciples Testify Before Paul’s Conversion
Before Paul ever met Jesus, the disciples were already teaching that Jesus died and rose again. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the crowd:
“Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” (Acts 2:23–24)
Peter speaks boldly, proving that
he now understands everything Jesus had told them.
The disciples were the first witnesses, the first preachers of the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Paul, however, did not meet Jesus until later—after these events. His first encounter with Jesus came on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3–6), when Jesus revealed Himself directly to Paul. But by then, the disciples had already seen, heard, believed, and were spreading the message.
The Disciples Knew First!!!
Scripture clearly shows that:
- Jesus foretold His death multiple times to His disciples.
- They began to understand after His third clear prophecy.
- At the Last Supper, they finally accepted the truth.
- After the resurrection, Jesus opened their minds fully.
- The disciples were preaching the gospel before Paul ever believed.
Therefore, the original disciples knew of Jesus’ death and resurrection both in prophecy and in experience before Paul ever encountered Jesus. Their understanding came directly from the mouth of the Lord Himself.
Let this stand as a testimony to their faith and witness:
“We are witnesses of all things which He did… whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly… And He commanded us to preach to the people.” (Acts 10:39–42)
Their testimony they witnessed all this first hand!! they Knew first before anyone else. Their understanding came first. And it was they who were chosen to pass it on to the world just as Jesus asked them to do.
