And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
Read Chapter 20
John Chrysostom
AD 407
He goes not up at once to Jerusalem when He has come out of Galilee, but having first wrought miracles, and having stopped the mouths of Pharisees, and having discoursed with His disciples of renouncing possessions: for, if you will be perfect, says He, sell that you have: Matthew 19:21 and of virginity, He that is able to receive, let him receive it: Matthew 19:12 and of humility, For except ye be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven: Matthew 18:3 and of a recompense of the things here, For whoso has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, shall receive an hundredfold in this world: Matthew 19:29 and of rewards there, For he shall also inherit, it is said, eternal life: then He assails the city next, and being on the point of going up, discourses again of His passion. For since it was likely that they, because they were not willing this should come to pass, would forget it, He is continually putting them in remembrance, exercising their mind by the frequency with which He reminded them, and diminishing their pain.
But He speaks with them apart, necessarily; for it was not meet that His discourse about these things should be published to the many; neither that it should be spoken plainly, for no advantage arose from this. For if the disciples were confounded at hearing these things, much more the multitude of the people.
