34. οὐδὲν τούτων συνῆκαν, as had been the case before, Luk 9:43-45; and St Mark tells us (Luk 9:32) that “they were afraid to ask Him.” It was only at a later period that the full significance of all these words dawned on them (Joh 12:16). We must learn, as Pascal says, to love divine truths before we can understand them. The Apostles refused to admit the plain meaning of these clear statements (Mat 16:22).