Matthew 17:22
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
Original Language Analysis
ἀναστρεφομένων
abode
G390
ἀναστρεφομένων
abode
Strong's:
G390
Word #:
1 of 19
to overturn; also to return; by implication, to busy oneself, i.e., remain, live
αὐτοῖς
unto them
G846
αὐτοῖς
unto them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
3 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
τῇ
G3588
τῇ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Γαλιλαίᾳ
Galilee
G1056
Γαλιλαίᾳ
Galilee
Strong's:
G1056
Word #:
6 of 19
galilaea (i.e., the heathen circle), a region of palestine
αὐτοῖς
unto them
G846
αὐτοῖς
unto them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 19
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
9 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
G2424
Ἰησοῦς
Jesus
Strong's:
G2424
Word #:
10 of 19
jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites
Μέλλει
shall be
G3195
Μέλλει
shall be
Strong's:
G3195
Word #:
11 of 19
to intend, i.e., be about to be, do, or suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probabili
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
12 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
υἱὸς
The Son
G5207
υἱὸς
The Son
Strong's:
G5207
Word #:
13 of 19
a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship
τοῦ
G3588
τοῦ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
14 of 19
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
παραδίδοσθαι
betrayed
G3860
παραδίδοσθαι
betrayed
Strong's:
G3860
Word #:
16 of 19
to surrender, i.e yield up, entrust, transmit
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
17 of 19
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
Cross References
Matthew 16:21From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.Mark 8:31And 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.Matthew 17:23And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.Acts 7:52Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:Luke 24:26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?Luke 9:22Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.Luke 24:46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:Matthew 16:28Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.Matthew 24:10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.Matthew 26:46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Historical Context
This occurred after the Transfiguration (17:1-13) and healing of the demon-possessed boy (17:14-21), probably autumn AD 29. Jesus's ministry was now clearly moving toward Jerusalem and crucifixion. The verb παραδίδωμι carries overtones of legal handing over, anticipating the trials before Sanhedrin and Pilate. Despite Jesus's clarity, the disciples consistently failed to grasp the necessity of His death (see v. 23), illustrating how human expectations blind us to God's purposes.
Questions for Reflection
- Why did the disciples repeatedly fail to understand Jesus's clear predictions of His death?
- How does Jesus's voluntary submission to betrayal demonstrate both divine sovereignty and human free will?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them (Συστρεφομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Γαλιλαίᾳ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς)—The genitive absolute συστρεφομένων ('while gathering together, while assembling') indicates the disciples regathering after their missionary journey or after the Transfiguration. Galilee was Jesus's primary ministry base, yet He repeatedly predicted His departure. The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men (Μέλλει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων)—the future μέλλει ('is about to') shows imminence. The verb παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi, 'to hand over, to betray, to deliver up') is used of Judas's betrayal but also the Father's sovereign purpose (Romans 8:32).
The wordplay υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου...εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ('Son of Man into hands of men') emphasizes the incarnation's tragedy: the perfect Man betrayed by sinful mankind. Yet this 'betrayal' fulfills divine plan—God's sovereignty and human wickedness converge at the cross (Acts 2:23). This is Jesus's second explicit passion prediction (first: 16:21), showing He repeatedly prepared disciples for what they couldn't comprehend.