Hebrews 5:8-9

5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. ¹  5:9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Luke 13:32

13:32 But ²  he said to them, “Go ³  and tell that fox, ⁴  ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day ⁵  I will complete my work. ⁶ 

Luke 24:26

24:26 Wasn’t ⁷  it necessary ⁸  for the Christ ⁹  to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Luke 24:46

24:46 and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ ¹⁰  would suffer ¹¹  and would rise from the dead on the third day,

John 19:30

19:30 When ¹²  he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!” ¹³  Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ¹⁴ 

¹ sn There is a wordplay in the Greek text between the verbs “learned” (ἔμαθεν, emaqen) and “suffered” (ἔπαθεν, epaqen).

² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

³ tn The participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.

⁴ sn That fox. This is not fundamentally a figure for cleverness as in modern western culture, but could indicate (1) an insignificant person (Neh 4:3; 2 Esd 13:35 LXX); (2) a deceiver (Song Rabbah 2.15.1 on 2:15); or someone destructive, a destroyer (Ezek 13:4; Lam 5:18; 1 En. 89:10, 42-49, 55). Luke’s emphasis seems to be on destructiveness, since Herod killed John the Baptist, whom Luke calls “the greatest born of women” (Luke 7:28) and later stands opposed to Jesus (Acts 4:26-28). In addition, “a person who is designated a fox is an insignificant or base person. He lacks real power and dignity, using cunning deceit to achieve his aims” (H. W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas [SNTSMS], 347).

⁵ sn The third day is a figurative reference to being further on in time, not a reference to three days from now. Jesus is not even in Jerusalem yet, and the events of the last days in Jerusalem take a good week.

⁶ tn Or “I reach my goal.” The verb τελειόω (teleiow) is a key NT term for the completion of God’s plan: See Luke 12:50; 22:37; John 19:30; and (where it has the additional component of meaning “to perfect”) Heb 2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28.

³ tn This Greek particle (οὐχί, ouci) expects a positive reply.

⁴ sn The statement Wasn’t it necessary is a reference to the design of God’s plan (see Luke 24:7). Suffering must precede glory (see Luke 17:25).

⁵ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

⁴ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

⁵ tn Three Greek infinitives are the key to this summary: (1) to suffer, (2) to rise, and (3) to be preached. The Christ (Messiah) would be slain, would be raised, and a message about repentance would go out into all the world as a result. All of this was recorded in the scripture. The remark shows the continuity between Jesus’ ministry, the scripture, and what disciples would be doing as they declared the Lord risen.

⁵ tn Grk “Then when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

⁶ tn Or “It is accomplished,” “It is finished,” or “It is ended.” See tn on John 13:1.

⁷ tn Or “he bowed his head and died”; Grk “he bowed his head and gave over the spirit.”