Jesus took the disciples away from the crowds to teach them privately. Remember that when Jesus was with the crowds, He taught in parables (Mark 4:34). Now, alone with the disciples, Jesus explained everything.
Maybe they needed a little refresher on prayer after the last passage, in which Jesus was a little frustrated at their inability to cast a spirit out of a man's son.
But what Mark records here is a lot more serious. Jesus was preparing them for what was soon to come - something that would challenge their faith like nothing else. He told them:
- He was going to be betrayed
- He was going to be killed
- After three days He would rise
This isn't the first time Jesus told them this. He had also told them in Mark 8:31-32. On that occasion, Peter didn't like the sound of that and Jesus rebuked him. They did not understand then, and they don't understand here in this passage either (Mark 9:32).
But we learn important things from this brief passage:
- God shares His future plans - plainly - with those He loves and who love Him
- We should not be afraid to ask about things we do not understand
- We should always listen carefully when we hear the Lord speak - our future may depend on it.