The followers are afraid of what can happen in this town of hostile and “testing” Pharisees (see Mark 7:1; Mark 8:11; Mark 8:34–38; Mark 10:2), and their undefined fear is also fed by the instruction about suffering that they do not understand (Mark 9:32). Fearful followers are upset with their fearless leader.1
32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him,