What does Mark 9:32 mean?

Matthew 17:23 says the disciples are "greatly distressed." "Distressed" is from the Greek root word lupeo which means grieved or offended. It's natural to become distressed when we don't understand what's going on. What is less justifiable is how the disciples watch Jesus heal, expel demons, calm the sea (Mark 4:37–39), and walk on water (Mark 6:48), but not understand what He means by being raised after three days. They are still caught up in their expectations of what the Messiah ought to do and be. How can the liberator of Israel die?

The disciples have good reason to be nervous about asking Jesus for clarification. Jesus has already shown frustration with their lack of understanding (Mark 8:17–18; 9:19). We do the same. When God speaks but we don't like what He has to say, we tend to complicate His words to the point where we can claim we don't understand them. We do this when we don't like the laws against sin—particularly sexual sin—or the promises that hardships are a part of the Christian life.

Sometimes the Bible contains metaphors. For example, the Pharisees are not literally "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27). And sometimes Jesus uses hyperbole; He doesn't expect us to literally pluck out our eyes (Mark 9:47). But unless the text is obviously a figure of speech or cultural idiom, we should interpret the Bible literally. Accepting the hard passages shows that we love and trust God. He will work everything for our good (Romans 8:28). And it is often the hard passages that reveal the greatest truth about God, the world, and our place in His kingdom.