Understanding Hidden Things

In Luke 18:34, we come across a very touching and important moment in the lives of the disciples. Lord Jesus had just spoken clearly about His coming suffering, death, and resurrection. Yet the Bible tells us that the disciples did not understand what He was saying.

The verse says:

“But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.”
(Luke 18:34 – NKJV)

This is striking. The disciples were physically close to Jesus. They heard His voice. They saw His face. They walked with Him daily. Yet the meaning of His words was hidden from them. Their lack of understanding was not because they were careless, foolish, or uninterested. Scripture tells us clearly that the meaning was hidden from them. This shows us that God, in His wisdom, sometimes withholds understanding for a greater purpose.

This truth should comfort us. There are times in our own lives when we do not understand what God is doing or why certain things are happening. It does not always mean we lack faith or spiritual maturity. Sometimes, God knows that we are not yet ready to carry the full weight of a revelation.

Lord Jesus Himself acknowledged this when He said:

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.”
(John 16:12 – NKJV)

In other words, truth is not only about what is revealed, but also when it is revealed. God releases understanding in stages, according to our ability to receive it.

One major reason the disciples struggled was their strong expectation of a victorious, ruling Messiah. They had grown up believing that the Messiah would overthrow Rome and immediately establish a visible kingdom. The idea that the Messiah would suffer, be rejected, and die on a cross did not fit their understanding.

Jewish tradition even spoke about two Messiahs. One was called Messiah ben Joseph, who would suffer and die, much like Joseph in the Old Testament, who suffered before being exalted. The other was Messiah ben Judah, a conquering king who would rule in power, like King David. Many believed these would be two separate figures.

What they could not yet see was that Jesus fulfilled both roles. He would suffer first and reign later. He would go to the cross before the crown. Because the disciples were shaped by cultural and religious expectations, they struggled to accept both truths in one Messiah.

This struggle teaches us an important lesson. Wrong understanding or incomplete understanding can prevent us from seeing what God is actually doing.

A powerful example of this danger is seen when satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. The Bible says:

“Then the devil took Him up on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
(Luke 4:9–11 – NKJV)

Notice something important here. satan quoted Scripture—but he quoted it wrongly and out of context. This shows us that knowing Bible verses alone is not enough. Truth must be understood correctly and applied wisely. Wrong doctrine can blind people to God’s true purpose, even when Scripture is involved.

So how does the veil of misunderstanding get lifted?

The answer begins with humility and prayer. Jesus promised that God would help us understand His truth:

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”(John 14:26 – NKJV)

When we humble ourselves, lay aside our assumptions, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us, God begins to open our eyes. The truth that once seemed confusing slowly becomes clear.

God also reveals truth according to His perfect timing. After Lord Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples suddenly understood what they could not grasp before. The veil was lifted. What once confused them now strengthened them. This pattern is seen again and again in Scripture and in our lives. Revelation comes not when we demand it, but when we are ready to receive it.

At the centre of everything the disciples struggled with was the cross. The cross did not look like victory. It looked like defeat. Yet Apostle Paul explains this mystery clearly:

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
(1 Corinthians 1:18 – NKJV)

What the world sees as weakness, God reveals as power. The cross is where God’s love, wisdom, and victory are fully revealed.

As believers, we must learn patience in our walk with God. Spiritual understanding grows step by step. The Bible describes it this way:

“For precept must be upon precept,
line upon line,
line upon line,
here a little, there a little.”
(Isaiah 28:10 – NKJV)

In God’s time, what was once hidden becomes clear. And what once confused us becomes the very foundation of a deeper, stronger relationship with Him.

Bible Reading: Exodus 9-11

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Understanding Hidden Things

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