Matthew 20:18
““Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,”
What does Matthew 20:18 mean?
Jesus is telling his disciples plainly what's about to happen: he will be arrested, handed over to the religious authorities, and sentenced to death. This isn't a veiled prediction, but a direct warning so his followers aren't completely blindsided by the suffering that lies ahead. In the larger story of Matthew, Jesus has already told his disciples twice before that he must die and rise again, so he's preparing them spiritually for the heartbreak and confusion they'll soon experience. Even in the middle of announcing his own execution, Jesus speaks with a kind of peaceful clarity, as if he knows this terrible thing is necessary and purposeful, which would have been strange comfort to his bewildered friends.