Why was Jesus' prediction of the Resurrection not surprising?

Answer 1

To the disciples Jesus' predictions of His resurrection was not surprising because they did not understand what He was telling them. Their idea of a Messiah was a warrior Messiah that would free them from Roman control and bring their nation back to the great nation that it was before. They did not expect Jesus to die, at least not for a long time to come and so His predictions passed right over their heads.

Answer 2

Predictions of a future event would only be surprising if the record of the prediction was published and widely circulated before the predicted event occurred. Mark 8:31 does portray Jesus as predicting his resurrection, but New Testament scholars say Mark's Gospel was not written until around 70 CE, long after the prediction might have been fulfilled.

Moreover,the Gospel originally ended at verse 16:8, with the young man telling the women that he was risen and they fled in terror, telling on one. The addition of the 'Long ending' (verses 16:9-20) occurred even later, when it was felt that the Gospel needed to contain some proof that Jesus had really risen from the dead.