In George Seaton's film The Proud and the Profane, the steps of a young nurse are traced to Iwo Jima where her husband had been killed in World War II.  She goes to the cemetery where her husband lies buried and turns to the caretaker, a shell-shocked soldier, who had seen her husband die.  "How did he die?" she asked.  "Like an amateur," he replies.  "They teach you how to hurl a grenade and how to fire a mortar, but nobody teaches you how to die.  There are no professionals in dying."

Jesus knew of the innate fear in the heart of the disciples concerning death, his death and theirs.  Jesus also knew that they would all pay a terrible price for his ministry.  So he takes this private tutoring session as the opportunity to try to teach them.