Beyond the poverty and humiliation of the present, He pointed the disciples to His coming in glory, not in the splendor of an earthly throne, but with the glory of God and the hosts of heaven. And then, He said, "He shall reward every man according to his works." Then for their encouragement He gave the promise, "Verily 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." But the disciples did not comprehend His words. The glory seemed far away. Their eyes were fixed upon the nearer view, the earthly life of poverty, humiliation, and suffering. Must their glowing expectations of the Messiah's kingdom be relinquished? Were they not to see their Lord exalted to the throne of 418 David? Could it be that Christ was to live a humble, homeless wanderer, to be despised, rejected, and put to death? Sadness oppressed their hearts, for they loved their Master. Doubt also harassed their minds, for it seemed incomprehensible that the Son of God should be subjected to such cruel humiliation. They questioned why He should voluntarily go to Jerusalem to meet the treatment which He had told them He was there to receive. How could He resign Himself to such a fate, and leave them in greater darkness than that in which they were groping before He revealed Himself to them?

Hinsides den nuværende tids fattigdom og ydmygelse viste han sine disciple hen til sit komme i herlighed, ikke med en jordisk kongetrones pragt, men med Guds og de himmelske hærskarers herlighed. Og da, sagde han, "skal han gengælde enhver hans gerning". Derpå gav han dem dette løfte til deres opmuntring: "Sandelig siger jeg eder: der er nogle af dem, som står her, der ikke skal smage døden, førend de ser Menneskesønnen komme i sit rige." Men disciplene forstod ikke hans ord. Herligheden syntes dem at være så fjern. De holdt blikket fæstet ved det, som var nærmere: det jordiske liv i fattigdom, ydmygelse og lidelse. Skulle de virkelig give slip på deres brændende forventning om Messias rige? Skulle de ikke komme til at se deres Herre ophøjet på Davids trone? Var det muligt, at Kristus skulle leve som en ringe, hjemløs vandringsmand, der skulle ringeagtes, forkastes og henrettes? Sorgen overvældede dem, thi de elskede deres Mester. Også tvivlen plagede deres sind, thi det forekom dem uforståeligt, at Guds Søn skulle blive genstand for en sådan grusom ydmygelse. De betvivlede, om han virkelig burde drage frivilligt til Jerusalem for at møde den skæbne, som han havde sagt ventede ham der. Hvor kunne han overgive sig til en sådan behandling og lade dem blive tilbage i endnu større mørke end det, de famlede sig frem i, før han åbenbarede sig for dem?