The foretelling of Jesus' Passion is a significant theme in the New Testament, where Jesus Christ predicts His own suffering, death, and resurrection. These predictions are crucial for understanding the mission and purpose of Jesus as the Messiah, as they highlight His role as the suffering servant prophesied in the Old Testament.

Synoptic Gospels

In the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—Jesus explicitly foretells His Passion on multiple occasions. These predictions serve to prepare His disciples for the events that will unfold and to affirm the divine plan of salvation.

1. First Prediction:
· Matthew 16:21: "From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
· Mark 8:31: "Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again."
· Luke 9:22: "The Son of Man must suffer many things, He said, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."

2. Second Prediction:
· Matthew 17:22-23: "When they came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised to life.' And the disciples were deeply grieved."
· Mark 9:31: "For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, 'The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise on the third day.'"
· Luke 9:44: "Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men."

3. Third Prediction:
· Matthew 20:18-19: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life."
· Mark 10:33-34: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn Him to death and will deliver Him to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again."
· Luke 18:31-33: "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again."

Gospel of John

In the Gospel of John, the foretelling of Jesus' Passion is more implicit but equally profound. Jesus speaks of His impending death using metaphorical language, such as the lifting up of the Son of Man (John 3:14, 8:28, 12:32-34) and the grain of wheat that must die to produce many seeds (John 12:24).

Old Testament Prophecies

The foretelling of Jesus' Passion is deeply rooted in Old Testament prophecies, which Jesus fulfills through His suffering and death. Key passages include:

· Isaiah 53: The Suffering Servant passage, which describes a figure who bears the sins of many and is led like a lamb to the slaughter.
· Psalm 22: A psalm of David that vividly portrays the suffering and anguish of the Messiah, including the piercing of hands and feet and the casting of lots for His garments.
· Zechariah 12:10: "They will look on Me, the One they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child."

Theological Significance

The foretelling of Jesus' Passion underscores the divine necessity of His sacrificial death for the redemption of humanity. It reveals Jesus' obedience to the Father's will and His willingness to endure suffering for the sake of love and salvation. These predictions also serve to strengthen the faith of believers, affirming that Jesus' death and resurrection were not random events but the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan as foretold by the prophets.