Several Gospel passages, like today's reading from John's Gospel, take care to let us see that death did not come upon Jesus unawares, as if he did not realize the probable consequences of his chosen way of life and way of announcing the Kingdom of God.

Jesus was very much aware whether his time was approaching or not. So at various times, such as after preaching in the Synagogue at Nazareth, he would disappear and not allow himself to be captured and put to death. We can profitably pay attention to the various choices which Jesus made and so understand better his mind and heart. He chose to touch lepers in healing them, an unthinkable thing for a contemporary Jew to do; he chose to have meals with prostitutes and tax collectors, which earned him the criticism and antagonism of the Pharisees.

So Jesus' death was not a mere incidental happening in his life. It only makes sense because, as he affirmed: "I lay down my life in order to take it up again; no one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will." (Jn 10:18)