Mark 8:31 Meaning and Explanation
“And 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus begins teaching plainly that the Son of man must suffer, be rejected by the rulers of Israel, be killed, and rise again after three days.
What Does Mark 8:31 Mean?
The moment the confession is spoken, the curriculum changes. Began to teach marks a new phase of the ministry: this is the first of three predictions of his passion in Mark. Elders, chief priests, and scribes — the full leadership council of Israel — will reject him; death will follow; and after three days he will rise.
The small word must carries the weight of the whole verse: the cross is not an accident that overtakes Jesus but the appointed path he walks deliberately. Son of man, the title drawn from Daniel, joins glory and suffering in a single name. And the sentence does not end at the grave — every prediction of death in Mark ends in rising. The road is fixed, and so is its destination.
Mark 8:31 in the Original Language
dei (δεῖ), 'must' -- it is necessary; a necessity rooted in the purpose of God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 8:31
What does Mark 8:31 mean?
Jesus begins teaching plainly that the Son of man must suffer, be rejected by the rulers of Israel, be killed, and rise again after three days.