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Bible Dictionaries
Surprise
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or SURPRISE.—The word has an objective as well as a subjective reference: it means both ‘the act of taking unawares’ and ‘the emotion caused by anything sudden.’ The emotion is closely akin to wonder, ‘the state of mind produced by something new, unexpected, or extraordinary’; but sudden emergence is its distinctive characteristic. It may enter in as an element in disappointment, when hopes are defeated, purposes miscarry, or efforts are frustrated suddenly. When the nature of an object is inexplicable, unintelligible, when the occurrence of an event is unexpected, uncalculated, surprise is felt. It necessarily implies limitation of knowledge, an incapacity of the subject knowing to completely possess and command in thought the object known. In the objective reference, some instances of surprise, or at least the attempt to surprise, are found in the Gospels. The enemies of Jesus tried to ‘catch Him in talk’ (Mark 12:13, Luke 11:54) by the questions they put to Him. They ‘watched Him whether He would heal on the Sabbath day, that they might find an accusation against him’ (Luke 6:7). He had to be constantly on His guard against their malignity. By the treachery of Judas they were able to surprise Him, unprotected by the multitude, in Gethsemane. Peter’s denial was in some measure due to his being taken by surprise, even although Jesus had forewarned him. It is in the subjective reference of the term that we are specially interested in reading the Gospels—the surprise Jesus felt and the surprise He caused. So different was Jesus in character, purpose, spirit, from His environment, that He could not always understand it, still less could it understand Him. During His earthly ministry the secrets of all hearts were not laid bare to Him, although He occasionally displayed an extraordinary insight into the thoughts and wishes of others; nor was the veil of the future altogether withdrawn, even although He did, in regard to His own death and resurrection, and the doom of the city which rejected Him, show an exceptional knowledge. But supernatural as in these respects His knowledge was, it was not a Divine omniscience—for which surprise is impossible, as for it there is neither the inexplicable nor the unexpected. The subject of the limitation of Jesus’ knowledge is more fully dealt with in the art Kenosis. Jesus was surprised by the anxiety felt and the search made for Him by His parents, when He remained behind in the Temple. ‘How is it that ye sought me?’ (Luke 2:49); He ‘marvelled because of their unbelief, in Nazareth (Mark 6:6); He was disappointed at the dulness of understanding of His disciples (Matthew 15:17; Matthew 16:9; Matthew 16:11) and of His hearers in Jerusalem (John 8:43), and at the unbelief of His generation (Mark 8:12). But, on the other hand, the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:10) and of the Syrophœnician woman (Matthew 15:28), brought Him glad surprise. The storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:24) was a surprise to Him even as to His disciples, although His faith was not disturbed as theirs was; so also He knew not that He was sending His disciples into any danger when He dismissed them after the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:22; see the discussion of these two incidents in Adamson’s The Mind in Christ, pp. 5–10). He was disappointed in His desire for rest with His disciples (Mark 6:31; Mark 6:34), and for secrecy (Mark 7:24-25). He expected to find fruit on the barren fig-tree (Mark 11:13). Although the growing estrangement of Judas was, from its beginnings, perceived by Him (John 6:64; see Dods’ comment in loco in Expositor’s Gr. Test. i. p. 759), yet when He called him He did not anticipate his treachery. His state in Gethsemane was one of amazement (Mark 14:33); there was an element in the doom He looked forward to that He could not understand, and had not looked for. His amazement is expressed in the cry of desolation on the Cross (Matthew 27:46). What He then experienced was worse than He had anticipated. As man’s sin had ever been a surprise to Him, so was its worst consequence when it fell on Him.
Jesus Himself so transcended the world in which He lived, taught, and wrought, that He was constantly a surprise to men. This He Himself expected (John 3:7; John 5:20; John 5:28; John 7:21). The marvel began with Joseph and Mary in the Temple at Simeon’s prophecy, and at Jesus’ own words (Luke 2:33; Luke 2:50). The multitudes marvelled at His teaching, His healing, His forgiveness of sins, His wisdom in answering the questions of His opponents, and His grace in preaching the gospel (Mark 1:22; Mark 1:27, Matthew 7:28-29, Mark 2:12; Mark 5:20; Mark 5:42, Matthew 9:8; Matthew 9:33; Matthew 12:23, Luke 9:43; Luke 7:49, Matthew 22:22, Luke 20:26; Luke 4:22). His disciples were astonished at His command over the storm (Mark 6:51), His teaching regarding the rich (Matthew 19:25), and the curse on the fig-tree (Matthew 21:20). His disregard of the current customs caused surprise (Luke 11:38, John 4:27), as did the freedom from these He allowed to His disciples (Mark 2:18; Mark 7:5). The world’s surprise at Jesus is its tribute to His unique perfection; His surprise at man’s sin and unbelief the evidence of its need of the grace and truth of the Son of God. See, further, Amazement.
Literature.—A. J. Mason, Conditions of Our Lord’s Life on Earth, 135–138; T. Adamson, Studies of the Mind in Christ, 5–12, 167; Gore, BL [Note: L Bampton Lecture.] 147f.
Alfred E. Garvie.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Surprise'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/s/surprise.html. 1906-1918.
