The Meaning of Matthew 20:17 Explained

Matthew 20:17

KJV: And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

YLT: And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples by themselves in the way, and said to them,

Darby: And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples with him apart in the way, and said to them,

ASV: And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples apart, and on the way he said unto them,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  going up  to  Jerusalem  took  the twelve  disciples  apart  in  the way,  and  said  unto them, 

What does Matthew 20:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Matthew"s reference to Jesus going up to Jerusalem reminds the reader of the climax toward which the conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus was heading. Of course, Jerusalem was up topographically from most places in Israel, but the idea of going up there was metaphorical as well since Jerusalem was the center of national life. The rejection of Messiah Isaiah , of course, one of the main themes in Matthew"s Gospel. The writer did not say that Jesus had begun moving toward Jerusalem, only that He prepared His disciples further for that next important step.

Context Summary

Matthew 20:17-28 - Serving Nobler Than Self-Seeking
For the third time our Lord foretells His death. In Matthew 16:21, He dwelt especially on the shame of His rejection; in Matthew 17:23, He told how the gates of death would open on the Easter joy. Now He declares the method of His death, and tells how Gentiles would join with His own people in the tragedy of the Cross. He was no martyr, who went unknowing to his doom. He set His face to go to the Cross. Others die because they were born; He was born that He might die.
Many desire the power of the throne, without being prepared to pay the price of suffering. Others say glibly and easily, We can, little realizing what their choice involves, and that nothing but the grace of God can make their vow possible of fulfillment. But it is sufficient! Only claim it. God will not fail you! Notice Matthew 20:28. The Lord ministers to us all, daily, patiently, lovingly. He took on Him the form of a servant and became obedient. Serve all men for His sake! We have to go down to reach His side. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 20

1  Jesus, by the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, shows that God is debtor unto no man;
17  foretells his passion;
20  by answering the mother of Zebedee's children, teaches his disciples to be humble;
29  and gives two blind men their sight

Greek Commentary for Matthew 20:17

Apart [κατ ιδιαν]
This is the prediction in Matthew of the cross (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:17). “Aside by themselves” (Moffatt). The verb is παρελαβεν — parelaben Jesus is having his inward struggle (Mark 10:32) and makes one more effort to get the Twelve to understand him. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 20:17

Matthew 16:21 From that time began [απο τοτε ηρχατο]
It was a suitable time for the disclosure of the greatest secret of his death. It is now just a little over six months before the cross. They must know it now to be ready then. The great confession of Peter made this seem an appropriate time. He will repeat the warnings (Matthew 17:22. with mention of betrayal; Matthew 20:17-19 with the cross) which he now “began.” So the necessity (δει — dei must) of his suffering death at the hands of the Jerusalem ecclesiastics who have dogged his steps in Galilee is now plainly stated. Jesus added his resurrection “on the third day” (τηι τριτηι ημεραι — tēi tritēi hēmerāi), not “on the fourth day,” please observe. Dimly the shocked disciples grasped something of what Jesus said. [source]
Matthew 20:17 Apart [κατ ιδιαν]
This is the prediction in Matthew of the cross (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:17). “Aside by themselves” (Moffatt). The verb is παρελαβεν — parelaben Jesus is having his inward struggle (Mark 10:32) and makes one more effort to get the Twelve to understand him. [source]
Luke 18:31 Took unto him [παραλαβων]
Second aorist active participle of παραλαμβανω — paralambanō Taking along with himself. So Mark 10:32. Matthew 20:17 adds κατ ιδιαν — kat' idian (apart). Jesus is making a special point of explaining his death to the Twelve. [source]
Galatians 1:17 Went I up [ἀνῆλθον]
Comp. Galatians 1:18. Only in this chapter, and John 6:3. More commonly ἀναβαίνειν , often of the journey to Jerusalem, probably in the conventional sense in which Englishmen speak of going up to London, no matter from what point. See Matthew 20:17; Mark 10:32; John 2:13; Acts 11:2. In Acts 18:22the verb is used absolutely of going to Jerusalem. The reading ἀπῆλθον Iwent away had strong support, and is adopted by Weiss. In that case the meaning would be went away to Jerusalem from where I then was. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 20:17 mean?

And going up - Jesus to Jerusalem He took the twelve disciples aside themselves and on the way He said to them
‹Καὶ ἀναβαίνων ὁ› Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα παρέλαβεν τοὺς δώδεκα ‹μαθητὰς› κατ’ ἰδίαν καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς

ἀναβαίνων  going  up 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀναβαίνω  
Sense: ascend.
ὁ›  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Ἱεροσόλυμα  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: Ἱεροσόλυμα  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
παρέλαβεν  He  took 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραλαμβάνω  
Sense: to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.
δώδεκα  twelve 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: δώδεκα  
Sense: twelve.
‹μαθητὰς›  disciples 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: μαθητής  
Sense: a learner, pupil, disciple.
κατ’  aside 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἰδίαν  themselves 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἴδιος  
Sense: pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self.
ὁδῷ  way 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὁδός 
Sense: properly.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
αὐτοῖς  to  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.