17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. (Matthew 20:17-19 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
This is now the third time that Christ had acquainted his disciples very lately with his approaching sufferings, and bloody passion. He did it twice before, chapters 16 and 17, yet now he mentions it again, that they might not be dismayed, and their faith might not be shaken to see him die, who called himself the true Messias and the Son of God.
The first time he told his disciples of his death in general; the second time he declares the means, by treason; now he tells them the manner, by crucifying: that he should be scourged, mocked, spit upon, and crucified: all this he did, to prevent his disciples’ dejection at his sufferings.
Learn thence, that it is highly necessary that the doctrine of the cross be often preached to us; that so being armed with the expectation of sufferings before they come, we may be the less dismayed and disheartened when they come.
Our Lord’s frequent forewarning his disciples of his death and sufferings was to fore-arm them with expectation of his sufferings, and with preparation for their own.