Jesus was paradoxical

JESUS WAS PARADOXICAL
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
MATTHEW 16:24 24 Then Jesus saidto his disciples,
“Whoeverwants to be my disciplemust deny
themselves and take up their cross and followme. 25
For whoever wants to save their lifewill lose it, but
whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Matthew 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; Luke 17:33;John 12:25
25 For xwhoeverwould save his life1 will lose it, but whoeverloses his life for
my sake will find it.
35 For dwhoever would save his life1 will lose it, but whoeverloses his life for
my sake eandthe gospel’s will save it.
24 For uwhoever would save his life will lose it, but whoeverloses his life for
my sake willsave it.
33 mWhoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoeverloses his life
will nkeepit.

25 lWhoever loves his life loses it, and mwhoevernhates his life in this world
will keepit for eternal life.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Gain That Is Loss, And The Loss That Is Gain
Matthew 16:25, 26
W.F. Adeney
Greatconfusion has been introduced into these verses in the Authorized
Version by the rendering of the same Greek word as "life" in ver. 25, and
"soul" in ver. 26. The Revisers have helped to a better understanding of the
passageby translating the word "life" throughout. Christ was not speaking of
the soulas we understand it, of the higher nature of man; but of life as
opposedto the idea of being killed and so losing one's life.
I. SELF-SEEKING IS SELF-LOSING. Jesus is warning his disciples of the
dangers and hardships of his service. Many will be tempted to shrink from the
cross in order to save their lives. They are told that a cowardlyunfaithfulness
under persecutionis not the way to save their lives. It is true a violent death
may be thus avoided. But what is the use of a life preservedat the costof
honour and fidelity? It is not really saved, for it is so degradedthat it has
become a worthless thing. Thus it is a wastedlife, a lost life. The same is true
today under other circumstances. The man who denies Christ for his own
convenience lowers himselfto the level of worthlessness. He who greedily
grasps at his own pleasure to the neglectof higher interests so impoverishes
his nature by his mean and narrow way of living that his life is really ruined.
This is the case onearth. It will be more apparent in the next world, when

Christ comes to "render unto every man according to his deeds" (ver. 27).
Even in spiritual things, if a man's religion is purely selfish it will be of no use
to him. If he thinks only of his own salvation, and nothing of the service of
Christ and the benefit of his fellow men, he will be lost. It is not the teaching of
Christ that our greatbusiness is to save ourselves. Religiousteachers are
greatly to blame for inculcating this most unchristian notion. Christ comes to
save us from ourselves;but this will not be effectedby the cultivating of a
habit of supreme self-seeking in religion. Such a habit is ruinous to all that is
worthy in a man. Therefore ver. 26, which is often quoted in favour of a self-
seeking religion, should be read in the light of ver. 25.
II. SELF-LOSING IS SELF-FINDING. This is the opposite to the principle
just considered;it has a positive importance of its own that demands careful
consideration. 'How is the paradox verified in experience? We must first of all
call to mind the immediate circumstances our Lord had in view. His disciples
were being warned of coming persecutions. Some of them would lose their
lives in martyrdom. Yet then they would most truly find them, for they would
be the heirs of life eternal, and would live on in the bright future. That is the
first lessonofthe words. But they go much further. What is true under
persecutionis true at all times. The martyr temper is the Christian spirit. We
gain the only life worth living on earth when we deny ourselves and embark
on a careerof unselfish service. The abandonment of selfish aims is the
acquisition of heavenly treasures. There is a blessednessin the life of
obedience and self-surrender that the selfish can never know. Happiness is not
attained by directly aiming at it; it comes in as a surprise to him who is not
seeking it when he is busy in unselfish service. Now, these lessonsare driven
home and clenchedby the obvious truth of the following verse (ver. 26). What
is the use of a world of wealth to a man who loses his life in acquiring it? The
pearl seekerwho is drowned in the moment of clutching his gem is a supreme
losereven while he is a gainer. Nothing will compensate a man for making
shipwreck of his life by self-seeking.- W.F.A.

Biblical Illustrator
For whosoeverwill save his life.
Matthew 16:25
Losing the soul to save it
Bishop J. B. Light foot.
One of the moral paradoxes of Scripture — the most decided, the most
contradictory, the most reckless(if we may so say) of them all. A complete
inversion of language. And it is no isolatedexpression. It is forcedon our
attention again and again. We cannotwander far in any direction without
encountering this startling signpost, announcing the path of destruction as the
only high-road to salvation. The context, moreover, enhances the paradox. We
are told that a man's life (or soul, for it is the same word in the original) is
absolutely priceless to him; that no exchange canbe an equivalent; that no
compensationwill requite him for the loss:yet in the same breath we are
bidden to despise it, to abandon it, to fling it awaylike a broken potsherd or a
rank weed. The contradictionis direct and positive; and in this contradiction
the lessonis to be sought.
I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS SOUL OR LIFE OF MAN? It is the living
principle; the centre of man's capacities, passions,energies;the very seatof
his personality. A man's soulis everything to him. Obviously, then, the health
or sickness,the saving or the losing, the life or death of this soul, must be a
matter of infinite moment, both in time and eternity; for it guides his actions,
regulates his affections, influences his feelings. It is to his whole being what the
mainspring is to a watch.
II. WHAT ARE THE FACULTIES AND DURATION OF THE SOUL? This
question cannot be evaded; it must be faced. Its practicalconsequencesare too
momentous to admit of delay. If this life which we call " life " is only a passing
moment of an infinite future, only the seed-time of a heavenly harvest, the

infancy of an eternal manhood, — then treat it as such, educate and discipline
it as such. You cannot go on drifting through life, till you find yourself at the
edge of a cataract. No man going on a journey neglects so to arrange his route
that at nightfall he shall halt at some place where food and shelter will be
obtained. Darkness willovertake him, perhaps, in any case, foreven the
grateful interposition and warding of the twilight may not be sufficient; but
what sane man would not shrink from finding himself in the darkness in a
barren, trackless desert, exposedto the pitiless storm?
III. How IS THE SOUL TO BE SAVED? By losing it. The meaning of these
words in their primary application is simple. To Christ's disciples and their
immediate followers, no comment was necessary. In an age of persecution, the
willingness to lose the lower life for the salvation of the higher would be only
too often testedin a literal sense. And the corresponding application now need
create no difficulty. Whoeverpurchases ease by dishonesty, or comfortby
neglectof duty, or popularity by concessionofprinciple — preferring self
where truth, honour, love, purity, or reverence demands self-negation, self-
abandonment — that man loses his soul, loses his life, by saving it.
IV. BUT THOUGH THE MAN WHO SAVES HIS SOUL IS SURE TO LOSE
IT, THE CONVERSE DOESNOT NECESSARILYFOLLOW. Here an
important proviso comes in — "for My sake."There are many ways of losing
the soul; but only one way of losing it so as to save. The profligate libertine
squanders his means, and neglects his health, and flings himself away;but he
does it selfishly, and to him the promise does not apply.
V. LOSS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE IS GAIN. This does not merely apply to
sacrifices made consciouslyand directly in the cause ofChristianity. If Christ
be (as we believe) the very and eternal Word of God; the very expressionof
the Father's truth, righteousness, purity, love; then the sacrifice of selfto any
one of these things is a saving of the soul by losing it; then the martyr to truth,

to holiness, to purity, to love, may claim his portion along with the martyr to
religion, for he has thrown himself away, has lost his soul for Christ's sake.
VI. THE SAME CONTRAST AND THE SAME ALTERNATIVE MAY
EXIST WITHIN THE SPHERE OF RELIGION ITSELF. It is possible to be
anxious about saving the soul, to be extremely religious in a certain sense, but
yet to risk the losing of it in the very desire of saving it. The soul must brace
itself by vigorous exercise — spend and be spent. The true method of salvation
is a greatventure of self, a forgetfulness ofself, a going out of self. Lose your
soul in energy; spend yourself in alleviating some misery, instructing some
ignorance, orreforming some vice. Fling your soul away, that, after many
days, you may recoverit again, purified, strengthened, renewed, living once
more.
(Bishop J. B. Light foot.)
Temporal gaineternal loss
Gurnall.
It hath costmany a man his life, when his house has been on fire, to attempt
through covetousness to save some of his stuff; venturing among the flames to
preserve this, he has perished himself. Many more have losttheir souls, by
attempting to carry some of their own stuff — their own self-righteousness —
with them to heaven. O sirs! come out, come out; leave what is your ownin
the fire; flee to Christ naked!
(Gurnall.)
Life lost in the effort to save it

It is reported, in connectionwith a railway accidentthat happened a few years
ago, that the only personwho lost his life was a gentlemanwho jumped out of
the train with a view to save it; all the other passengerswho kept their seats
were preserved.
Temporal loss eternalgain
R. B. Nichol.
God can infinitely more than counterbalance alltemporal lossesby the larger
and richer outpouring of His Spirit on the soul. He may demand our worldly
wealth; but if He increase our spiritual riches, are we not therein great
gainers? CanHe not, by the consolationsofHis Spirit, raise us far above all
temporal distresses;and, by opening up a prospectbeyond the grave, make us
to glory in all tribulations (Romans 5:3-5). It was thus that St. Paul took, as he
strongly phrases it, pleasure in infirmities, and persecutions, and distresses,
for Christ's sake. It was thus that, in ancientdays, they took cheerfully the
spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better and an
enduring substance. Even so may we expect it to be with us in this world. If
our afflictions abound, even so shall also our consolations abound by Christ.
And the consciousness, the comfortable reflection, that with a single eye we
have sought God's glory, will make every pain a pleasure, every loss a gain.
(R. B. Nichol.)
Losses andgains connectedwith religion
J. Burns, D. D.
I. THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE MEN MAY OBTAIN BY REJECTING
THE RELIGION OF CHRIST. They may obtain a considerable portion of
earthly riches;the sensualgratifications oflife; the distinctions of worldly
honour and praise.
II. IN WHAT RESPECTTHESE ADVANTAGES SHALL BE LOST TO
THEM. They shall often be interrupted in their enjoyment of them.
Sometimes they are overtakenwith overwhelming calamities. They must all

necessarilybe forfeited at death. They produce the most appalling
consequencesin the eternal world.
III. WHAT WE MAY BE CALLED TO SACRIFICE IN BECOMINGTHE
DISCIPLES OF JESTS. ChristcalledHis disciples to lose all will and choice
with respectto this world's good. We may be calledto lose the approbation of
friends; to endure the frowns of the world; lose life itself.
IV. IN WHAT RESPECTS WE SHALL FIND AGAIN THE THINGS WE
SACRIFICE. In the midst of these sacrifices — we have what is better than
life; we are attaining a greaterassimilationto the life of Christ; all our
sacrifices terminate at death; we shall be superabundantly rewardedat the
last day.
(J. Burns, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(25) Whosoeverwillsave his life, . . . whosoeverwilllose his life. . . .—There is
a subtle distinction betweenthe two clauses in the Greek which the English
fails to represent. “Whoso everwilleth—i.e., wishes—to save his life” (the
constructionbeing the same as in Matthew 16:24)in the first clause,
“Whosoevershalllose his life” in the second. It is as though it was felt that no
man could wish to lose his life for the sake of losing it, though he might be
ready, if calledon, to surrender it. The word rendered “life” is the same as
“the soul” of the next verse. Forthe most part, it means the former rather

than the latter with its modern associations, and is never used as a simple
equivalent for the spirit of man as the heir of immortality. Strictly speaking, it
is the animating principle of the natural as distinguished from the spiritual
life. Man, in the fuller trichotomy of the New Testament, consistsof“body,
soul, and spirit” (1Thessalonians 5:23), the soulbeing the connecting-link
betweenthe other two. The truth is, of course, put in the form of a paradox,
and hence, with a contrastbetweenthe two aspects ofthe soul, or psyche. To
be bent on saving it in its relation to the body, is to lose it in its relation to the
higher life of spirit; to be content to part with it in its loweraspect, is to gain it
back againin the higher.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 16:25-27. Whosoeverwill save his life — At the expense of his
conscience:whosoever, in the very highest instance, that of life itself, will not
renounce himself, shall be lost eternally. But can any man hope he should be
able thus to renounce himself, if he cannot do it in the smallestinstances? And
whosoeverwilllose his life, shall find it — What he loses onearth he shall find
in heaven. See note on Matthew 10:39, where this sentence is explained more
at large. For what is a man profited, &c. —
“To carry home the argument more closely, he puts them in mind of the
method according to which men estimate things. If God should offer the riches
of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the policy of Ahithophel, the beauty of
Absalom, the eloquence of Apollos, universal monarchy, and all kinds of
pleasures, and should say, Take them for one hour, and then die; who is the
man that would not immediately rejectthe proposedcondition, and reply, that
life is better than them all? But will men forego every earthly thing for life,
the life of the body? and will they not part with them, nay, and with life itself,
for their souls? since the longestany one canenjoy this life with its pleasures,
is, in comparisonof eternity, no longer than he enjoys the goodthings
mentioned, who dies in the same hour he receives them.” — Macknight. Or,
what shall a man give in exchange for his soul — Namely, at the day of
judgment? Forthe Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father — For

you may certainly depend upon it that, howsoeverhe may be now despised
and rejectedof men, there is a day appointed when he will come in all the
glory of the Godhead, encircledin the most pompous manner with his holy
angels:and then shall he convene the whole world before him, that he may
determine the final happiness or misery of each, and recompense everyman
according to his conduct. Thus, “that the argument, by which the necessityof
self-denial is so clearly established, might have the greaterweight, our Lord
speaks more particularly concerning the rewards and punishments of a future
state, assuring his disciples that they are all to be distributed by himself, the
Father having appointed him the universal Judge, so that his enemies cannot
flatter themselves with a hope of escaping condign punishment, nor his friends
be in the leastafraid of losing their reward.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
16:24-28 A true disciple of Christ is one that does follow him in duty, and shall
follow him to glory. He is one that walks in the same way Christ walkedin, is
led by his Spirit, and treads in his steps, whithersoeverhe goes. Lethim deny
himself. If self-denialbe a hard lesson, it is no more than what our Master
learned and practised, to redeem us, and to teachus. Let him take up his
cross. The cross is here put for every trouble that befalls us. We are apt to
think we could bear another's cross better than our own; but that is best
which is appointed us, and we ought to make the best of it. We must not by
our rashness and folly pull crossesdownupon our own heads, but must take
them up when they are in our way. If any man will have the name and credit
of a disciple, let him follow Christ in the work and duty of a disciple. If all
worldly things are worthless when comparedwith the life of the body, how
forcible the same argument with respectto the soul and its state of never-
ending happiness or misery! Thousands lose their souls for the most trifling
gain, or the most worthless indulgence, nay, often from mere sloth and
negligence. Whateveris the objectfor which men forsake Christ, that is the
price at which Satanbuys their souls. Yet one soul is worth more than all the
world. This is Christ's judgment upon the matter; he knew the price of souls,
for he redeemedthem; nor would he underrate the world, for he made it. The
dying transgressorcannotpurchase one hour's respite to seek mercyfor his

perishing soul. Let us then learn rightly to value our souls, and Christ as the
only Saviour of them.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Whosoeverwill save his life ... - See the notes at Matthew 10:39.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
25. For whosoeverwill save—is minded to save, or bent on saving.
his life shall lose it, and whosoeverwill lose his life for my sake shallfind it—
(See on [1319]Mt10:38,39). "A suffering and dying Messiahlikethyou ill; but
what if His servants shall meet the same fate? They may not; but who follows
Me must be prepared for the worst."
Matthew Poole's Commentary
We met with these words in Matthew 10:39. See Poole on "Matthew 10:39".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
For whosoeverwill save his life,.... Whoeveris desirous of preserving himself
from troubles, reproaches, persecutions, anddeath; and takes sucha method
to do it, as by forsaking Christ, denying his Gospel, and dropping his
professionof it; and by so doing, curries favour with men, in order to procure
to himself worldly emoluments, honour, peace, pleasure, and life,
shall lose it; he will expose himself to the wrath of God, to everlasting
punishment, the destruction of souland body in hell, which is the second
death, and will be his portion:
and whosoeverwilllose his life for my sake:that is, is willing to forego all the
pleasures and comforts of life, and be subject to poverty and distress, and to
lay down life itself, for the sake ofChrist and the Gospel, rather than deny
him, and part with truth,

shall find it; in the other world, to great advantage;he shall enjoy an
immortal and eternal life, free from all uneasiness and affliction, and full of
endless joys and pleasures.
Geneva Study Bible
For whosoeverwill save his life shall lose it: and whosoeverwilllose his life for
my sake shall{t} find it.
(t) Shall gain himself: And this is his meaning, they that deny Christ to save
themselves, not only not gainthat which they look for, but also lose the thing
they would have kept, that is, themselves, whichis the greatestloss ofall: but
as for them that doubt not to die for Christ, it goes wellwith them otherwise.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 16:25. ide Matthew 10:39. The Caesareacrisis was the most
appropriate occasionfor the first promulgation of this greatethicalprinciple.
It was Christ’s first contribution towards unfolding the significance ofHis
suffering, setting it forth as the result of a fidelity to righteousness incumbent
on all.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
25. whosoeverwillsave his life shall lose it] See note, ch. Matthew 10:39. Let
Christ’s followerlose the lower life on his cross, crucifyhis earthly affections,
and he shall win the higher spiritual life here and hereafter.
will save]Not the mere future, but= “shallresolve to save.”
Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 16:25. Θέλῃ—σῶσαι, shall wish—to save)It is not said, “shall save,
ψυχὴν, soul) The soul is the man in his animal and human capacity.—σῶσαι,
to save)sc. naturally.—ἀπολέσει, shall lose)sc. spiritually, or even
corporeally.—ἀπολέσῃ,will lose)sc. naturally, having castawayall
egoism[768]by self-abnegation. It is not said, shall wish to lose.—ἕνεκενἘμοῦ,
for My sake)This is the objectof self-abnegation:but many from other causes
lose their lives, sc. for their own sake, orthat of the world.—εὑρήσει, shall
find) In St Mark and St Luke σώσει, it is shall save, shall save sc. spiritually,
or even corporeally. The world is full of danger. The soul that is savedis
something that has been found.
[768]“Suitate.”—(I. B.)
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 25. - (Comp. Matthew 10:39;John 12:25.)Whosoeverwill (o{ gara}n
qe/lh"", whosoeverwills to) save his life (ψυχήν). Here are set forth the
highest motives for courage, endurance, and perseverance in the way of
righteousness. The wordtranslated "life" is used four times in this and the
following verse, though in the latter it is rendered "soul" in the Anglican
Version. The fact is the word is used in two senses:for the life which now is -
the bodily life: and the life which is to come - the spiritual, the everlasting life.
These are indeed two stages ofthe same life - that which is bounded by earth
and that which is to be passedwith the glorified body in heaven; but they are
for the moment regardedas distinct, though intimately connectedby
belonging to the same personality. And the Lord intimates that any one who
avoids bodily death and suffering by compromise of duty, by denying Christ
and disowning the truth, shall lose everlasting life. On the other hand,
whosoeversacrificeshis life for the sake ofChrist, to promote his cause, shall
save his soul and be eternally rewarded. Shall find it. "Find," as the opposite
of "lose," is here equivalent to "save." There may, too, be in it a notion of
something greatand unexpected, a treasure discovered, "salvationfar beyond
all that they lookedfor" (Wisd. 5:2). Says St. Gregory, "If you keepyour seed,
you lose it; if you sow it, you will find it again" ('Hom. in Evang.,'32.).

STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
For whosoeverwill save his life - That is, shall wish to save his life - at the
expense of his conscience,and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it - the very
evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the
bargain. See then how necessaryit is to renounce one's self! But whatsoevera
man loses in this world, for his steady attachmentto Christ and his cause, he
shall have amply made up to him in the eternal world.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/matthew-
16.html. 1832.
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The Biblical Illustrator
Matthew 16:25

For whosoeverwill save his life.
Losing the soul to save it
One of the moral paradoxes of Scripture-the most decided, the most
contradictory, the most reckless(if we may so say) of them all. A complete
inversion of language. And it is no isolatedexpression. It is forcedon our
attention again and again. We cannotwander far in any direction without
encountering this startling signpost, announcing the path of destruction as the
only high-road to salvation. The context, moreover, enhances the paradox. We
are told that a man’s life (or soul, for it is the same word in the original) is
absolutely priceless to him; that no exchange canbe an equivalent; that no
compensationwill requite him for the loss:yet in the same breath we are
bidden to despise it, to abandon it, to fling it awaylike a broken potsherd or a
rank weed. The contradictionis direct and positive; and in this contradiction
the lessonis to be sought.
I. What is meant by this soulor life of man? It is the living principle; the
centre of man’s capacities, passions,energies;the very seatof his personality.
A man’s soulis everything to him. Obviously, then, the health or sickness,the
saving or the losing, the life or death of this soul, must be a matter of infinite
moment, both in time and eternity; for it guides his actions, regulates his
affections, influences his feelings. It is to his whole being what the mainspring
is to a watch.
II. What are the faculties and duration of the soul? This question cannot be
evaded; it must be faced. Its practicalconsequencesare too momentous to

admit of delay. If this life which we call“ life “ is only a passing moment of an
infinite future, only the seed-time of a heavenly harvest, the infancy of an
eternal manhood,-then treat it as such, educate and discipline it as such. You
cannot go on drifting through life, till you find yourself at the edge of a
cataract. No man going on a journey neglects so to arrange his route that at
nightfall he shall halt at some place where food and shelter will be obtained.
Darkness willovertake him, perhaps, in any case, foreven the grateful
interposition and warding of the twilight may not be sufficient; but what sane
man would not shrink from finding himself in the darkness in a barren,
trackless desert, exposedto the pitiless storm?
III. How is the soul to be saved? By losing it. The meaning of these words in
their primary application is simple. To Christ’s disciples and their immediate
followers, no comment was necessary. In an age of persecution, the willingness
to lose the lowerlife for the salvation of the higher would be only too often
testedin a literal sense. And the corresponding application now need create no
difficulty. Whoeverpurchases ease by dishonesty, or comfort by neglectof
duty, or popularity by concessionofprinciple-preferring self where truth,
honour, love, purity, or reverence demands self-negation, self-abandonment-
that man loses his soul, loses his life, by saving it.
IV. But though the man who saves his soulis sure to lose it, the converse does
not necessarilyfollow. Here an important proviso comes in-“for My sake.”
There are many ways of losing the soul; but only one way of losing it so as to
save. The profligate libertine squanders his means, and neglects his health,
and flings himself away;but he does it selfishly, and to him the promise does
not apply.

V. Loss for Christ’s sake is gain. This does not merely apply to sacrificesmade
consciouslyand directly in the cause of Christianity. If Christ be (as we
believe) the very and eternal Word of God; the very expressionof the Father’s
truth, righteousness,purity, love; then the sacrifice ofself to any one of these
things is a saving of the soul by losing it; then the martyr to truth, to holiness,
to purity, to love, may claim his portion along with the martyr to religion, for
he has thrown himself away, has lost his soul for Christ’s sake.
VI. The same contrastand the same alternative may exist within the sphere of
religion itself. It is possible to be anxious about saving the soul, to be
extremely religious in a certain sense, but yet to risk the losing of it in the very
desire of saving it. The soul must brace itself by vigorous exercise-spendand
be spent. The true method of salvationis a great venture of self, a
forgetfulness of self, a going out of self. Lose your soul in energy; spend
yourself in alleviating some misery, instructing some ignorance, or reforming
some vice. Fling your soul away, that, after many days, you may recoverit
again, purified, strengthened, renewed, living once more. (BishopJ. B. Light
foot.)
Temporal gaineternal loss
It hath costmany a man his life, when his house has been on fire, to attempt
through covetousness to save some of his stuff; venturing among the flames to
preserve this, he has perished himself. Many more have losttheir souls, by
attempting to carry some of their own stuff-their own self-righteousness-with
them to heaven. O sirs! come out, come out; leave what is your ownin the fire;
flee to Christ naked! (Gurnall.)

Life lost in the effort to save it
It is reported, in connectionwith a railway accidentthat happened a few years
ago, that the only personwho lost his life was a gentlemanwho jumped out of
the train with a view to save it; all the other passengerswho kept their seats
were preserved.
Temporal loss eternalgain
God can infinitely more than counterbalance alltemporal lossesby the larger
and richer outpouring of His Spirit on the soul. He may demand our worldly
wealth; but if He increase our spiritual riches, are we not therein great
gainers? CanHe not, by the consolationsofHis Spirit, raise us far above all
temporal distresses;and, by opening up a prospectbeyond the grave, make us
to glory in all tribulations (Romans 5:3-5). It was thus that St. Paul took, as he
strongly phrases it, pleasure in infirmities, and persecutions, and distresses,
for Christ’s sake.It was thus that, in ancientdays, they took cheerfully the
spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better and an
enduring substance. Even so may we expect it to be with us in this world. If
our afflictions abound, even so shall also our consolations abound by Christ.
And the consciousness, the comfortable reflection, that with a single eye we
have sought God’s glory, will make every pain a pleasure, every loss a gain.
(R. B. Nichol.)
Losses andgains connectedwith religion.

I. The things of this life men may obtain by rejecting the religion of Christ.
They may obtain a considerable portion of earthly riches;the sensual
gratifications of life; the distinctions of worldly honour and praise.
II. In what respectthese advantages shallbe lost to them. They shall often be
interrupted in their enjoyment of them. Sometimes they are overtakenwith
overwhelming calamities. Theymust all necessarilybe forfeited at death. They
produce the most appalling consequencesin the eternal world.
III. What we may be calledto sacrifice in becoming the disciples of jests.
Christ calledHis disciples to lose all will and choice with respectto this
world’s good. We may be called to lose the approbation of friends; to endure
the frowns of the world; lose life itself.
IV. In what respects we shallfind againthe things we sacrifice. In the midst of
these sacrifices-we have what is better than life; we are attaining a greater
assimilationto the life of Christ; all our sacrificesterminate at death; we shall
be superabundantly rewardedat the last day. (J. Burns, D. D.)
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography

Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Matthew 16:25". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/matthew-16.html. 1905-
1909. New York.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
For whosoevershallsave his life shall lose it: and whosoevershalllose his life
for my sake shallfind it.
What emperor or generaleverannounced a proposition like that? These
words forcibly imply, even demand, an understanding that Christ is God.
Only God could make goodon such a promise. Origensaid:
If anyone, as being a lover of life, and thinking that the present life is good,
tends carefully his own life with a view to living in the flesh, ... this man ... will
lose it, placing it outside of the borders of blessedness.[9]
The total dedicationof the total man to God's total purpose, though it might
(and sometimes does)result in death, nevertheless leads to eternal life. This is
not merely saving one's life but gaining eternal life at the same time.
ENDNOTE:
[9] Ibid., p. 464.
Copyright Statement

James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/matthew-16.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
For whosoeverwill save his life,.... Whoeveris desirous of preserving himself
from troubles, reproaches, persecutions, anddeath; and takes sucha method
to do it, as by forsaking Christ, denying his Gospel, and dropping his
professionof it; and by so doing, curries favour with men, in order to procure
to himself worldly emoluments, honour, peace, pleasure, and life,
shall lose it; he will expose himself to the wrath of God, to everlasting
punishment, the destruction of souland body in hell, which is the second
death, and will be his portion:
and whosoeverwilllose his life for my sake:that is, is willing to forego all the
pleasures and comforts of life, and be subject to poverty and distress, and to
lay down life itself, for the sake ofChrist and the Gospel, rather than deny
him, and part with truth,

shall find it; in the other world, to great advantage;he shall enjoy an
immortal and eternal life, free from all uneasiness and affliction, and full of
endless joys and pleasures.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "The New JohnGill Exposition
of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/matthew-16.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
my sake shallt find it.
(t) Shall gain himself: And this is his meaning, they that deny Christ to save
themselves, not only not gainthat which they look for, but also lose the thing
they would have kept, that is, themselves, whichis the greatestloss ofall: but
as for them that doubt not to die for Christ, it goes wellwith them otherwise.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Matthew 16:25". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/matthew-16.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For whosoeverwill save — is minded to save, orbent on saving.
his life shall lose it, and whosoeverwill lose his life for my sake shallfind it —
(See on Matthew 10:38, Matthew 10:39). “A suffering and dying Messiah
liketh you ill; but what if His servants shall meet the same fate? They may
not; but who follows Me must be prepared for the worst.”
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Matthew 16:25". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/matthew-16.html.
1871-8.

People's New Testament
Whosoeverwill save his life shall lose it. He who refuses to deny himself, and
makes saving and ministering to his presentlife his chief object, shall lose his
life eternally.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/matthew-
16.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Save his life (την πσυχην αυτου σωσαι — tēn psuchēn autou sōsai).
Paradoxicalplay on word “life” or “soul,” using it in two senses. So about
“saving” and “losing” (απολεσει — apolesei).
Copyright Statement

The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "Robertson's Word
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/matthew-16.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
my sake shallfind it.
Whosoeverwill save his life — At the expense of his conscience:whosoever, in
the very highest instance, that of life itself, will not renounce himself, shall be
lost eternally. But can any man hope he should be able thus to renounce
himself, if he cannotdo it in the smallestinstances? And whosoeverwill lose
his life shall find it - What he loses onearth he shall find in heaven. Matthew
10:39;Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 12:25.
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography

Wesley, John. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "JohnWesley's
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/matthew-16.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
For whosoeverwould save his life shall lose it1: and whosoevershalllose his
life for my sake shallfind it.
For whosoeverwould save his life shall lose it, etc. See .
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Matthew 16:25".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/matthew-16.html.
Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
25.Forhe that would save his life shall lose it. It is a most appropriate
consolation, thatthey who willingly suffer death for the sake ofChrist (467)
do actually obtain life; for Mark expressly states this as the motive to believers
in dying — for my sake, andfor the sake of the Gospel — and in the words of

Matthew the same thing must be understood. It frequently happens that
irreligious men are prompted by ambition or despairto despise life; and to
such persons it will be no advantage that they are courageous in meeting
death. The threatening, which is contrastedwith the promise, has also a
powerful tendency to shake off carnalsloth, when he reminds men who are
desirous of the present life, that the only advantage which they reap is, tolose
life. There is a contrastintended here betweentemporal and eternal death, as
we have explained under Matthew 10:39, where the reader will find the rest of
this subject. (468)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "Calvin's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/matthew-
16.html. 1840-57.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
LIFE SAVED AND LOST
‘Whosoeverwill save his life shall lose it: and whosoeverwill lose his life for
My sake shallfind it.’
Matthew 16:25

In the parallel passageofSt. Mark 8:35, there is a slight addition: ‘for My
sake and the Gospel’s’;and both there and in St. Luke 9:24, for ‘find it,’ the
closing words are ‘save it.’ The same statementoccurs in Matthew 10:39, and
is abbreviated in St. Luke 14:26 into the short phrase: ‘hate … yea, and his
own life also.’
I. Service not salvation.—The topic before us is not the saving or losing of the
soul, but the life reckonedas gainedor lost, according as it is yielded up to the
Master’s service, orwithheld from Him and kept for selfish ends. A life ‘lost,’
as the world names it, is really saved, gainedand kept; whilst the life spent for
worldly advantages, earthlyprofit, and selfishends counts but as pure loss,
and is worth nothing in His sight.
II. Christ as example.—OurLord’s use of the idea of losing and keeping the
life, in St. John 7:24-25, applies it to Himself and His own conduct, and once
more makes Him the example for disciples to follow.
III. The yielded life.—The condition for consecrationand discipleship, which
calls for a practical surrender of the whole life, and a willingness to let it be
lost to all personalends for Christ’s sake, forms in fact the summary and
climax of everything. The whole being is put under contribution and nothing
is left unclaimed by Christ.
—The Rev. Hubert Brooke.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Matthew 16:25". Church Pulpit
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/matthew-
16.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
25 For whosoeverwillsave his life shall lose it: and whosoeverwill lose his life
for my sake shallfind it.
Ver. 25. For whosoeverwill save his life] That is parsimonious of it, when
Christ calls him to be prodigal of it. Man is naturally a "life loving creature."
{a} What man is he that desireth life? I do, and I, and I, as Augustine brings
men in, making ready answer. Quis vitam non vult? Life is sweet, we say, and
every creature makes much of it, from the highestangel to the lowestworm,
as that Father observeth. But life in God’s displeasure is worse than death, as
death in his true favour is true life, said Bradford to Gardiner; for such a
death lays hold upon eternal life, as St Paul hath it, 1 Timothy 6:19, or (as
other copies read it) upon life indeed ( της οντως ζωης). For, aeterna vita vera
vita, saith Augustine. "None to that," as David said of Goliath’s sword. "None
but Christ, none but Christ," as that martyr cried in the flames. This love of
Christ made them sacrifice their dearestlives to his name, yea, profess, as
John Ardely did to Bonnet, That if every hair of his head were a man, he
would suffer death in them all for his sweetChrist’s sake. Mywife and my
children are so dearly beloved unto me, that they cannot be bought from me
for all the riches and possessions ofthe Duke of Bavaria;but for the love of
my Lord God I will willingly forsake them, said George Carpenter, who was
burnt at Munchen in Bavaria.

{a} ζωονφιλοζωον. Aesopin Fab.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/matthew-
16.html. 1865-1868.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
Observe here, 1. That the love of this temporal life, is a great temptation to
men to deny Christ, and renounce his holy religion.
2. That the surest way to attain eternal life, is cheerfully to lay down a mortal
life, when the glory of Christ and his service callethus thereunto.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". ExpositoryNotes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/matthew-16.html. 1700-
1703.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Matthew 16:25. θέλῃ— σῶσαι, shall wish—to save)It is not said, “shall save,
ψυχὴν, soul) The soul is the man in his animal and human capacity.— σῶσαι,
to save)sc. naturally.— ἀπολέσει, shall lose)sc. spiritually, or even
corporeally.— ἀπολέσῃ, will lose)sc. naturally, having castawayall
egoism(768)by self-abnegation. It is not said, shall wish to lose.— ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ,
for My sake)This is the objectof self-abnegation:but many from other causes
lose their lives, sc. for their own sake, orthat of the world.— εὑρήσει, shall
find) In St Mark and St Luke σώσει, it is shall save, shallsave sc. spiritually,
or even corporeally. The world is full of danger. The soul that is savedis
something that has been found.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". Johann
Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/matthew-16.html. 1897.

Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
We met with these words in Matthew 10:39. See Poole on "Matthew 10:39".
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Matthew 16:25". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/matthew-16.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Whosoeverwill save his life-lose his life; whosoevershallsave his temporal life
by renouncing the Saviour, shall lose his eternallife; and whosoevershalllose
his temporal life by following the Saviour, shall secure his eternal life.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "FamilyBible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/matthew-
16.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
25. Save his life… lose. See note on Matthew 10:39. The present paragraph,
indeed, is in generala reiteration of the substance of that chapter — apostolic
suffering, in view of a future reward, in order that Christ’s kingdom may be
establishedin the earth.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "Whedon's Commentary
on the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/matthew-
16.html. 1874-1909.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
“Forwhoeverwould save his life will lose it, and whoeverwill lose his life for
my sake willfind it.”

On the other hand, He pointed out, in spite of that, there was really only one
choice to make, for the alternative was not really a choice at all. Not to
respond would be equally fatal. For the one who shunned this dying to self
and such a possibility of martyrdom, and thereby sought to save His life for
himself, would unquestionably finally lose true life altogether. He would lose
his soul. This was the challenge of the last days.
But the one who did, for Christ’s sake, actuallylose his life by giving it up to
Christ to be solelylived for His purposes, and indeed to die for Him if
necessary, would in fact then save it. For he could then be sure that he would
have life that was life indeed and that in the final day he would be raisedwith
Him (see John 6:39-40;John 6:44). We may rightly spiritualise it in applying
it to ourselves, but in the violent world of those days it was a genuine option
and the mention of the cross had an ominous significance.
The choice He offeredwas certainly not an easyone for anyone, and especially
not for the well-to-do and the influential. By openly following Jesus they might
easilycut themselves off from the spheres of influence and powerand be
degradedand set aside by those in authority. No one knew where his choice
would lead him. He might be committing political suicide. He might be
ostracisedby his friends. And it might even lead to death. It was a choice with
which those who thought to follow Christ then would constantly be faced, and
in some places still are. But as Jesus wantedeachto recognise,the alternative
was in the end to lose everything. So while to opt for Christ carried with it the
possibility of suffering, persecution, and death, although then with the
guarantee of eternallife, to opt againstHim was to opt for final destruction.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "PeterPett's Commentaryon
the Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/matthew-
16.html. 2013.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Matthew 16:25. For whosoeverwouldsave his life, etc. Comp, the same
thought in chap. Matthew 10:39. Whoevermakes the lower life the supreme
motive shall lose the higher life, and whoever, making Christ supreme, shall
lose even life for His sake shallfind it in the highest, truest sense. The contrast
throughout the passage is not betweenbody and soul, but earthly life in all
forms with true heavenly life here and hereafter. Life, worldly, selfish, fleshly,
is opposedto life eternal, Christian and spiritual. ‘The fear of death subjects
to the bondage of death (Hebrews 2:15); while readiness to suffer a holy death
for Christ’s sake opens up before us true life.’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "Schaff's Popular
Commentary on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/matthew-16.html. 1879-
90.

The Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 16:25. ide Matthew 10:39. The Caesareacrisis was the most
appropriate occasionfor the first promulgation of this greatethicalprinciple.
It was Christ’s first contribution towards unfolding the significance ofHis
suffering, setting it forth as the result of a fidelity to righteousness incumbent
on all.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/matthew-16.html. 1897-
1910.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Whosoeverwill save his life. Lit. his soul. In the style of the Scriptures, the
word soul is sometimes put for the life of the body, sometimes for the whole
man. (Witham) --- Whosoeveracts againstduty and conscience to save the life
of his body, shall lose eternallife; and whoevermakes the sacrifice ofhis life,
or the comforts and conveniences oflife for conscience sake, shallbe rewarded
with life eternal.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Matthew 16:25". "George
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/matthew-16.html. 1859.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
will save = be willing (Subj.) to save, as above.
his life. Greek. psuche his soul. Should be "soul" here, if "soul" in Matthew
16:26;or, "life" in Matthew 16:26, if "life" here.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Matthew 16:25". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".

https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/matthew-16.html. 1909-
1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
my sake shallfind it.
For whosoeverwill save, [ thelee (G2309)soosai(G4982) - 'is minded to save,'
or bent on saving], his life shall lose it: and whosoeverwilllose his life for my
sake shallfind it. See the notes at Matthew 10:38-39. 'A suffering and dying
Messiahlikethyou ill; but what if His servants shall meet the same fate? They
may not; but who follows Me must be prepared for the worst.'
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Matthew 16:25". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
- Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/matthew-
16.html. 1871-8.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Whosoeverwillsave his life, . . . whosoeverwilllose his life. . . .—There is
a subtle distinction betweenthe two clauses in the Greek which the English
fails to represent. “Whoso everwilleth—i.e., wishes—to save his life” (the
constructionbeing the same as in Matthew 16:24)in the first clause,
“Whosoevershalllose his life” in the second. It is as though it was felt that no
man could wish to lose his life for the sake of losing it, though he might be
ready, if calledon, to surrender it. The word rendered “life” is the same as
“the soul” of the next verse. Forthe most part, it means the former rather
than the latter with its modern associations, and is never used as a simple
equivalent for the spirit of man as the heir of immortality. Strictly speaking, it
is the animating principle of the natural as distinguished from the spiritual
life. Man, in the fuller trichotomy of the New Testament, consistsof“body,
soul, and spirit” (1 Thessalonians5:23), the soul being the connecting-link
betweenthe other two. The truth is, of course, put in the form of a paradox,
and hence, with a contrastbetweenthe two aspects ofthe soul, or psyche. To
be bent on saving it in its relation to the body, is to lose it in its relation to the
higher life of spirit; to be content to part with it in its loweraspect, is to gain it
back againin the higher.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
GREG ALLEN
"Come Along - and Don't ForgetYour Cross!"
Matthew 16:24-27
Theme: Those who wish to follow Jesus must follow Him by way of the cross.

(Delivered Sunday, July 8, 2007 atBethany Bible Church. Unless otherwise
noted, all Scripture references are takenfrom The Holy Bible, New King
James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
We've been studying togetherfrom a very important portion of Matthew's
Gospel—a truly pivotal point in the story of our Savior's earthly ministry.
Peterhad just made that important confessionaboutJesus—"Youare the
Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16); and Jesus had just
affirmed that confessionas authoritative; saying that it was a word of truth
given to Peter from the heavenly Father Himself. And it's then that we read
this shocking piece ofnews from that very same Christ, the Son of the living
God:
From that time Jesus beganto show to His disciples that He must go to
Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and be raisedthe third day (Matthew 16:21).
The cross was a divine necessity. As Jesus Himself said, He "must" go to the
cross. It was the Father's set purpose for Him; because it was there that the
Son of God would lay down His life on behalf of sinners, and die for their sins.
The disciples struggledto graspthis. Petereven found the idea so repulsive
that he dared to pull the Savior aside to rebuke Him for His words. But Jesus
made it clearthat He would not be turned awayfrom the Father's purpose.
He would setHimself to mind the things of God—and not the things of men
(v. 23).
And it's in this remarkable context that we come to our passage this morning.
Immediately after Jesus had assertedthat it was the Father's purpose for Him
to go to the cross and lay down His life for His friends—and that He Himself
was absolutelydetermined to go forward and fulfill the Father's purpose for

Him—He then turns to His disciples and calls them to do as He was now going
to do for them. If they wanted to follow Him, they also would need to go the
way of the cross.
Then Jesus saidto His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoeverdesires to
save his life will lose it, but whoeverloses his life for My sake will find it. For
what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will
come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each
according to his works" (Matthew 16:20-27).
* * * * * * * * * *
I had a chance, not long ago, to visit with an unbelieving friend. We sipped
coffee together, and talkedfor a while about the Christian faith. One of the
things that I love about my friend is that he is very honestand open with me.
And so, in the course ofour conversation, I askedhim about what it was that
was keeping him from turning his life over to Christ and trusting Him fully as
Savior and Lord.
He talked with me about some of the doubts and intellectual questions he had
about the Christian faith; and I tried my best to answerthem. And near the
end of the conversation, Ibelieve we gotto the bottom-line on the matter. He
told me plainly that the ultimate reasonhe didn't want to give his life to Christ
is because he knew where following Christ would lead him in life; and he quite
frankly didn't want to go there. He knew the demands that Christ would
make of him; and he didn't want to give up the things in life that Christ would
require him to surrender.
Though I appreciatedby my friend's honesty, I was saddenedhis choice. And
I'm still praying for him. But one thing that strikes me about my friend is that

he recognizes something that very few people—evensome professing
Christians—seemto recognize. He recognizesthat there is a tremendous cost
involved in following Jesus. Myfriend recognizes thatJesus demands nothing
less than a total commitment from those who choose to follow Him; and that
whoeverfollows Him must be prepared to give Him everything that they are
and have.
This shouldn't come as a surprise. Jesus taughtthis clearly. Luke, in his
Gospelaccount, tells us,
Now greatmultitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If
anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannotbe My
disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross andcome after Me cannot be
My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down
first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has
laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king,
going to make war againstanotherking, does not sit down first and consider
whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes againsthim with
twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a greatway off, he sends a
delegationand asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoeverofyou does not
forsake allthat he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:25-33).
Think of that! Jesus didn't just say that, unless we forsake allthat we have, we
would find it 'hard' or 'difficult' to be His disciple. He lays it on the line:
Unless we forsake allthat we have, we "cannot" be His disciple. He said so
three times in that passage alone;that unless the commitment is total, we
“cannot” be His disciple.
It seems to me that Jesus oftensaid this to weed-outmany of His "would-be"
followers. Manybegan to follow Him. But then, in the midst of their following,

He would turn to them and remind them of what "following" Him would
really require of them. And as a result, many of them left Him and followed
Him no further. They had counted the costand decided that they didn't want
to pay it.
I believe Jesus does the same thing to many of us today—evento those of us in
church, and who already claim to be His followers. We may sincerelybelieve
that we are following Jesus, and believe that we have done so for most of our
lives. And suddenly, there comes a crisis moment when Jesus turns to us and
says what He says in this morning's passage. Suddenly, we come face to face—
in a fresh way—with the realcostof following Jesus. Suddenly, we have to
make a decision:Will we genuinely count the costand continue to follow
Him? Or will we stop dead in our tracks, cling to our own life as the most
precious thing to us, and decide that we will follow Him no further?
I'm not sure but that there may even be severaltimes in our lives in which the
Lord finds it necessaryto confronts us with the costof following Him. Because
He loves us so much, and is so jealous for our complete devotion, I suspect
that He is willing to do this again and again in our lives; until He fully weans
us of the vain things of this world, and truly has full possessionof our hearts.
* * * * * * * * * *
In this morning's passage, ourSavioronce again confronts us with the costof
being His disciple. Jesus reminds us that those who wish to follow Him must
follow Him by way of the cross. And I suggestthat we welcome this reminder.
I suggestthat we remember that it comes from Someone who loves us so much
that He willingly laid down His life for us, and who desires, above all else, our
eternal joy with Him in glory. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to use this reminder
to move us to the place in following Jesus that He wants us to be.

First, let's pay particular attention to . . .
1. THE COMMITTMENTJESUS DEMANDSOF THOSE WHO DESIRE
TO COME AFTER HIM (v. 24).
In our passage, Jesus turned to His twelve disciples and spoke. ButHis words
were clearly meant for a largeraudience than just the twelve alone. He gives
an invitation that is wide-opento all of humanity. He says, "If anyone desires
to come after Me . . ."
We often have discussions in our church family about the doctrine of
election—thatGod sovereignlychooses beforehandthose whom He would
redeem. I believe in that doctrine. I believe that we must acceptit, because it's
clearly taught in the Bible. But I often maintain that it's only half the story;
and here, in Jesus'introductory words, is the other half. If anyone—whoever
they may be—genuinely desires to come after Jesus, they're welcomedto do
so. Both doctrines are true. Jesus Himself has affirmed both in just one verse.
He said, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who
comes to Me I will by no means castout" (John 6:37). No one has to fret or
worry about whether or not they are one of 'the elect'before they come to
Jesus. If they want to come to Him, they are welcomedto come and follow. He
invites all to come; and He rejects no one who accepts the invitation.
But take very carefulnote of that important word "if" that we find at the
beginning of that wonderful invitation. It highlights the essentialconditionof
"coming after" Him. "If anyone desires to come after Me," He says, then let
that personfulfill the three crucial requirements that Jesus demands of all
who would come after Him: ". . . [L]et him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me."
* * * * * * * * * *

First, Jesus tells us that we must deny ourselves.
Jesus isn't simply speaking here of a minor little actof denying ourselves
something that we want—like a bowl of ice-creamafterdinner. Nor is He
speaking ofthe more extreme forms of self-denialthat we see in many of the
religions of the world. Many have denied themselves many things, and
thought that they were being very spiritual in the process. And yet, they were
actually focusing in on themselves the whole time. Jesus isn't merely speaking
of “denying” ourselves something. He is speaking of nothing less than a full
denial and renunciation of our very "selves".
And in the original language, the word that is used is a very strong one. It
means to “deny utterly”; to completely“renounce” and “disown” our natural
focus toward “self” entirely. It's the same word that Jesus usedof Peter when
He said, “Assuredly, I sayto you that this night, before the roostercrows, you
will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:34).
Now;Jesus here calls us to do something that is antithetical to everything we
are told by the culture and by our own fallen inclinations. Everything in us
and around us is gearedtowardgratifying and glorifying the principle of
“self”. We're told that we can't really love anyone else until we love ourselves
first. We're encouragedto be our own “cause”. Eventhe conceptof
“spirituality”, in our day, has come to refer to the process offully realizing
and actualizing the “self”. And yet, Jesus calls us to do the very opposite that
all of societyand all our inner compulsions are telling us to do.
Jesus tells us—as a first stepin His call—to dethrone “self”. We must lay
aside our “agenda”,and the pursuit of our “rights”, and the satisfactionand
accomplishmentof our "ambitions" as the chief object of our life.

In short, unless we decidedly step out of the 'driver's seat'of our own lives,
and allow Jesus to sit there in His proper place, then we cannoteven begin to
truly follow Him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Second, Jesus tells us that we must take up our cross.
Sadly, many people—and even many Bible teachers—havemisunderstood
what Jesus means by “taking up the cross”. Manyhave interpreted this to
mean taking up that particular thing in our lives that particularly burdens
us—the “cross”we must “bear”. Forsome, this may be an illness that plagues
us in life; and that's “the cross we must bear”. For others, it's a person who is
driving us nuts at the time—our boss, or our mother-in-law, or a noisy
neighbor; and that's “the cross we must bear”. You get the idea.
Well; the fact is that we wouldn't have any such “crossesto bear” if the first
thing Jesus demands was true of us—that we had utterly and completely
denied “self”. Thatpretty much takes care of everything else that might
burden us. But that isn't what Jesus is talking about anyway. What Jesus is
speaking ofis something that everyone who lived in that day, and under the
rule of the cruel Romanempire, would have probably seenmore than once in
life—that is, a condemned criminal being forced, as an act of public
humiliation, to carry the instrument of his own death up the street and to the
place of his execution.
To "take up the cross” puts practicalaction to the idea of "denying the 'self'".
It means to embrace a complete readiness—atalltimes and in all situations—
to considerthat we have no more rights than a condemned man would have
on his way to execution. It would mean that we deny ourselves even to the
point of death—just as Jesus did for us. It would mean that we consider, as

Paul has said, “the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”
(Galatians 5:15). It would mean that we testify, as Paul was able to testify of
himself, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in
the Sonof God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
* * * * * * * * * *
And finally, He says that we must follow Him. This means that we must
imitate Him. We must go where He goes, and actas He acts, and walk as He
walked. It means that we must obey His commands, and keepfaithful to His
instructions. It means that we must setHim apart as Lord.
When I think of this, I often have a picture in my mind of Jesus walking along
a path—with me walking along behind Him. Sometimes, as I follow behind
Him, I might getdetracted—looking aroundat the scenery, or thinking about
my ownconcerns and wishes. And then, when I eventually look up, I find that
we had come to a fork in the road—and that I'm on one path, and Jesus is on
another.
At such times, I look down the path that I'm on and see that the wayis smooth
and comfortable. There are flowergardens and shady trees along the way.
But when I look aheadand see that the path that Jesus is on, I see that the
road is a hard one. The way He has chosenis rough and narrow; and I can't
see what's ahead. And then, I see Jesus stopping and waiting for me on the
other path—calling out to me, and saying, “Greg;I'm on this path. Come.
Follow Me.” And it's then that I must make the decisionto leave the path I'm
on, cross overto the path He's on, and follow Him.
That is what I believe it means, in a practical sense, to follow Jesus. And if I
may, I believe that there's a definite order of events involved in the things that

Jesus says. We cannot follow Him, unless we have takenup the cross—the
instrument of our own death. And we cannot take up that dreadful cross,
unless we have absolutely and completely denied “self”. Unless we have denied
ourselves, and have takenup the cross, we will only be kidding ourselves if we
think we're really following Jesus!
* * * * * * * * * *
So you see;Jesus doesn'tdemand “much” from His followers. He demands
“all”. The levelof commitment He demands is total. It's goodto know this
before we begin to follow; isn't it?
Jesus goeson to explain the implications of what He has just said. This leads
us to . . .
2. THE REQUIREMENTSTHAT THIS LEVEL OF COMMITMENT
PLACES ON US (vv. 25-27).
First, we see that the level of commitment Jesus asksofus requires that we
relinquish our hold on our life. He says, “Forwhoeverdesires to save his life
will loose it, but whoeverloses his life for My sake willfind it” (v. 25).
When I was a little boy, I was told in elementary schoolhow they used to catch
wild monkeys for the zoo. I really don't remember what it was supposedto
teachme; but whateverthe reasonfor it, the story stuck in my mind.
You see;the animal catcherwould put a peanut inside a soda-popbottle, and
leave it out in the open. Then, he would hide in the bushes and wait.
Eventually, a monkey would sneak up, reach his paw into the bottle, and grab
the peanut. Then, the animal catcherwould stroll out of the bush and getthe

monkey; because once it had its greedy little paw around the peanut, it would
make a fist that was too big to pass through the neck of the heavy pop bottle.
The animal catcherwould easilypick up the monkey—bottle and all—and
haul it to the cage. The monkeycouldn't get away;because no matter what, it
was too greedy to let go of the peanut.
In our passagethis morning, Jesus is telling us that “life” is not something
that we can "save" by holding on to it. If we want to come after Him, then we
can't cling to “life” during this short stay on earth—as if it were the only thing
that there really is, and as if it were were true happiness and fulfillment was
found. If we refuse to let go of our hold on this short, temporal life, and say
“no” to Jesus'callto deny “self”, take up the cross, andfollow Him; then we
will prove to have made a very foolish decision. The life that we think we will
have “saved” will prove to be only a momentary “vapor”. And in the process,
we will have lost that real, vital, principle of life that we were meant by our
Creatorto experience in an eternal relationship with Himself.
But by contrast, if we let go of this temporal life for Christ's sake—ifwe
"lose" it for His sake—thenourlife will be kept in His safe-keeping;and will
eventually be ours for all eternally. As the apostle Johntells us, “And this is
the testimony; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He
who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Sonof God does not have
life” (1 John 5:11-12).
* * * * * * * * * *
Second, the level of commitment that Jesus asks ofus requires that we value
our souls above this world. He asks, “Forwhatprofit is it to a man if he gains
the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange
for his soul?”(v. 26).

Jesus, here, speaksofthe immeasurable value of the soul. The people of this
world value someone in terms of what he or she has externally—that is, in
terms of income, or possessions, orreputation, or looks. The attitude of this
world is that the more someone has, the more someone is. Yet, Jesus says that
"one's life does not consistin the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke
12:15).
Jesus told a parable that illustrates this. He said,
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within
himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'So
he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there
I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will sayto my soul, “Soul, you
have many goods laid up for many years;take your ease;eat, drink and be
merry.”' But God said to him, 'Fool!This night your soul will be required of
you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' So is he who
lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towardGod” (Luke 12:16-21).
The rich man in Jesus'parable sought to protect and preserve life only during
this short time on earth. Advancing his earthly life was his only agenda. He
sought to save what, as it turns out, he could never keep. He built his empire
on that which was scheduledfor demolition. And in the process,he lost that
which was of infinitely greatervalue—his own soul. And what, then, will a
man give in exchange for his own soul?
How tragic, then, to lose our souls in the pursuit of that which will not last!
How horrible to stand in the judgment and see that you gainedthe perishing
world—and lost everything of eternalvalue in the process!How much better
to lose this whole world and follow Jesus instead!
* * * * * * * * * *

And finally, we see that the level of commitment Jesus asksofus requires that
we invest ourselves totally in His return. He says, "Forthe Son of Man will
come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each
according to his works" (v. 27).
The apostle Paullived his life on earth in the confident expectationof the day
of Christ's return. He was even willing to lay down his life for Christ because
of his hope in that day. Just before he was executedfor his Savior, Paul wrote,
I have fought the goodfight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, whichthe Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all
who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
And what's more, he encouragedhis fellow-believers to also put all their hopes
in that day. He wrote,
If then you were raisedwith Christ, seek those things which are above, where
Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Setyour mind on things above, not
on things on the earth. Foryou died, and your life is hidden with Christ in
God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appearwith Him
in glory (Col. 3:1-4).
If you truly have your hope in the day of Christ's return, and in your
resurrectionunto glory in His presence, then you will be willing to invest
yourself fully in following Him now—no matter what the cost. You will count
it your greatestjoy to stand before Him on that greatday and hear Him say,
"Welldone, goodand faithful servant!"
Jesus is telling us that, because thatday is certain, following Jesus with total
commitment is the wisestinvestment anyone could ever make.

* * * * * * * * * *
It costs us everything to follow Jesus. But I hasten to add that it's a price we
can safelypay. He demands everything from us; but He never takes from us
without also promising to give us infinitely more than He takes in return! He
makes a promise to us—a promise that He intends for us to genuinely believe
in, and trust Him fully to keep—that"everyone who has left houses or
brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My
name’s sake, shallreceive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life" (Matthew
19:29).
Let's respond to Jesus'invitation, then, by asking the Spirit of Godto reveal
to us what may be standing in the way of our fully following Him. Let's allow
the Spirit to remove the things from us that keepus from a whole-hearted
devotion to Christ.
Let's allow Him to teach us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow
Him.
Misseda message?Check the Archives!
Copyright © 2007 BethanyBible Church, All Rights Reserved
WILLIAM BARCLAY
THE GREAT CHALLENGE (Matthew 16:24-26)

16:24-26 ThenJesus saidto his disciples:"If anyone wishes to come after me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and let him follow me. For
whoeverwishes to keephis life safe, will lose it; and whoeverloses his life for
my sake, willfind it. Forwhat shall a man be profited if he shall gain the
whole world at the penalty of the price of his life? Or what will a man give in
exchange for his life?"
Here we have one of the dominant and ever-recurring themes of Jesus'
teaching. These are things which Jesus saidto men againand again(Matthew
10:37-39;Mark 8:34-37;Luke 9:23-27;Luke 14:25-27;Luke 17:33;John
12:25). Again and again he confronted them with the challenge of the
Christian life. There are three things which a man must be prepared to do, if
he is to live the Christian life.
(i) He must deny himself. Ordinarily we use the word self-denial in a
restrictedsense. We use it to mean giving up something. For instance, a week
of self-denial may be a week whenwe do without certain pleasures or luxuries
in order to contribute to some goodcause. Butthat is only a very small part of
what Jesus meant by self-denial. To deny oneselfmeans in every moment of
life to sayno to self and yes to God. To deny oneselfmeans once, finally and
for all to dethrone self and to enthrone God. To deny oneselfmeans to
obliterate self as the dominant principle of life, and to make God the ruling
principle, more, the ruling passion, oflife. The life of constantself-denial is the
life of constantassentto God.
(ii) He must take up his cross. Thatis to say, he must take up the burden of
sacrifice. The Christian life is the life of sacrificialservice. The Christian may
have to abandon personal ambition to serve Christ; it may be that he will
discoverthat the place where he can render the greatestservice to Jesus
Christ is somewhere where the reward will be small and the prestige non-

existent. He will certainly have to sacrifice time and leisure and pleasure in
order to serve God through the service of his fellow-men.
To put it quite simply, the comfort of the fireside, the pleasure of a visit to a
place of entertainment, may well have to be sacrificedfor the duties of the
eldership, the calls of the youth club, the visit to the home of some sad or
lonely soul. He may well have to sacrifice certainthings he could well afford to
possessin order to give more away. The Christian life is the sacrificiallife.
Luke, with a flash of sheerinsight, adds one word to this command of Jesus:
"Let him take up his cross daily." The really important thing is not the great
moments of sacrifice, but a life lived in the constanthourly awarenessofthe
demands of Godand the need of others. The Christian life is a life which is
always concernedwith others more than it is concernedwith itself.
(iii) He must follow Jesus Christ. That is to say, he must render to Jesus
Christ a perfectobedience. When we were young we used to play a game
called"Follow my Leader." Everything the leader did, howeverdifficult, and,
in the case ofthe game, howeverridiculous, we had to copy. The Christian life
is a constantfollowing of our leader, a constantobedience in thought and
word and actionto Jesus Christ. The Christian walks in the footsteps of
Christ, wherever he may lead.
LOSING AND FINDING LIFE (Matthew 16:24-26 continued)
There is all the difference in the world betweenexisting and living. To exist is
simply to have the lungs breathing and the heart beating; to live is to be alive
in a world where everything is worth while, where there is peace in the soul,

joy in the heart, and a thrill in every moment. Jesus here gives us the recipe
for life as distinct from existence.
(i) The man who plays for safetyloses life. Matthew was writing somewhere
betweenA.D. 80 and 90. He was therefore writing in some of the bitterest days
of persecution. He was saying: "The time may well come when you cansave
your life by abandoning your faith; but if you do, so far from saving life, in
the realsense of the term you are losing life." The man who is faithful may die
but he dies to live; the man who abandons his faith for safetymay live, but he
lives to die.
In our day and generationit is not likely to be a question of martyrdom, but it
still remains a factthat, if we meet life in the constantsearchfor safety,
security, ease andcomfort, if every decisionis taken from worldly-wise and
prudential motives, we are losing all that makes life worth while. Life becomes
a soft and flabby thing, when it might have been an adventure. Life becomes a
selfishthing, when it might have been radiant with service. Life becomes an
earthbound thing when it might have been reaching for the stars. Someone
once wrote a bitter epitaph on a man: "He was born a man and died a
grocer." Any trade or professionmight be substituted for the word grocer.
The man who plays for safety ceasesto be a man, for man is made in the
image of God.
(ii) The man who risks all--and maybe looks as if he had lost all--for Christ,
finds life. It is the simple lessonofhistory that it has always beenthe
adventurous souls, bidding farewellto security and safety, who wrote their
names on history and greatly helped the world of men. Unless there had been
those prepared to take risks, many a medical cure would not exist. Unless
there had been those prepared to take risks, many of the machines which
make life easierwould never have been invented. Unless there were mothers

prepared to take risks, no child would ever be born. It is the man who is
prepared "to bet his life that there is a God" who in the end finds life.
(iii) Then Jesus speakswith warning: "Suppose a man plays for safety;
suppose he gains the whole world; then suppose that he finds that life is not
worth living, what can he give to getlife back again?" And the grim truth is
that he cannot getlife back again. In every decisionof life we are doing
something to ourselves;we are making ourselves a certainkind of person;we
are building up steadily and inevitably a certain kind of character;we are
making ourselves able to do certainthings and quite unable to do others. It is
perfectly possible for a man to gain all the things he sethis heart upon, and
then to awakenone morning to find that he has missedthe most important
things of all.
The world stands for material things as opposedto God; and of all material
things there are three things to be said. (a) No one can take them with him at
the end; he can take only himself; and if he degradedhimself in order to get
them, his regret will be bitter. (b) They cannot help a man in the shattering
days of life. Material things will never mend a broken heart or cheera lonely
soul. (c) If by any chance a man gainedhis material possessionsin a way that
is dishonourable, there will come a day when conscience willspeak, and he
will know hell on this side of the grave.
The world is full of voices crying out that he is a fool who sells reallife for
material things.
(iv) Finally Jesus asks:"Whatwill a man give in exchange for his soul?" The
Greek is, "What antallagma (Greek #465)willa man give for his soul?"
Antallagma (Greek #465)is an interesting word. In the book of Ecclesiasticus
we read: "There is no antallagma (Greek #465)fora faithful friend," and,

"There is no antallagma (Greek #465)for a disciplined soul" (Ecc 6:15; Ecc
26:14). It means that there is no price which will buy a faithful friend or a
disciplined soul. So then this final saying of Jesus canmean two things.
(a) It canmean: Once a man has losthis reallife, because ofhis desire for
security and for material things, there is no price that he can pay to get it back
again. He has done something to himself which cannot ever be fully
obliterated.
(b) It canmean: A man owes himself and everything else to Jesus Christ; and
there is nothing that a man can give to Christ in place of his life. It is quite
possible for a man to try to give his money to Christ and to withhold his life. It
is still more possible for a man to give lip-service to Christ and to withhold his
life. Many a persongives his weeklyfreewilloffering to the Church, but does
not attend; obviously that does not satisfy the demands of church
membership. The only possible gift to the Church is ourselves;and the only
possible gift to Christ is our whole life. There is no substitute for it. Nothing
less will do.
BRIAN BELL
JESUS’FINAL ANSWER...DENYSELF (24-28)
A. Slide21a Jesustold them of His cross, now He will tell them of theirs.
B. Deny himself - or denies the self. Is your self at the center? or your Jesus
the Centerof
your life? See, it’s not about you denying stuff/ things it’s about you denying
you.

1. Slide21b,c It’s to dethrone self & to enthrone God.
2. It’s living a life where Jesus is the heart, the core, the centerof your
thinking
and actions.
3. By far this aspectof the Christian walk is the hardest for all believers.
a) Slide21dEvery thought/decisionwe make naturally gets sifted through our
self-filter.
We are constantly asking ourselves, How will I benefit from this? What’s in it
for
me? How will it effectme?
b) We need to crucify are self, our flesh to the cross. So that, though it be
alive, it
cannot perform that which it would love to do.
6
C. Slide21e And it’s about doing it daily. Being deliberate, willful, &
intentional. It’s the
surrender of one’s life every day.
1. Greatyou surrendered on the day of your salvation, but how about daily?
D. Slide22 Take up his cross - in this sense your cross and my cross is the
same. That is, we
choose daily to surrender our wills, ways, emotions and all that we are to the
Lord Jesus.
1. It’s us choosing today(and tomorrow) to follow Him whatever that requires
of us.
a) That’s not always painful. That’s not always the worstthing that can
happen.

b) That becomes a way of life. Again, not denying the self of things, but
putting Jesus
at the heart, core, center, of all your decisions, and walking in that every
single
day. That’s what it is to take at the cross.
E. Slide23 Follow Me - (RWP)present tense Keep following me.
1. See, afteryou confess Him properly(16:16) U must come after Him
intentionally.
a) So, denying the old self, choosing daily the Father’s will (taking up your
cross
doesn’t only speak to the suffering on it, but doing the Fathers will), and
keeping
close to Jesus (follow Me), we will find our true selves.
F. (25) Finding it/life - There is a major difference betweenexisting & living.
1. To exist is...simply to have the lungs breathing & the heart beating.
2. To live is...to live in a world where everything is worthwhile, where there is
peace in the soul, joy in the heart, & a thrill in every moment.
a) If we meet life w/the constantsearchfor safety, security, ease & comfort, if
every
decisionis takenfrom worldly wise & prudential motives, we are loosing all
that
makes life worth while.
G. Who are you? Why in the world are you here? Where are you going?
1. Life IS going somewhere...do you know where? You are either denying
yourself or

living for self.
Matthew 16:24-17:9: “Jesus Teaches ThatA FollowerMustTake Up His
Cross And Be Willing To Lose His Life / Jesus Is Transfigured”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. Here in these next few verses we see that Jesus is repeating some of
His previous teachings and doing so perhaps with a little bit of a different
purpose
1.1.1. A personmust take up his cross in order to follow Jesus
1.1.2. Whoeverwishes to save his life shall lose it and visa versa

1.2. Jesus teachesthere will be no profit to gain the whole world and lose
your own soul
1.3. Jesus teachesaboutHis SecondComing saying that He is going to
return to earth one day in the glory of His Father and with His angels and
recompense everyman according to his deeds
2. VS 16:24-25 - “24 ThenJesus said to His disciples, “If anyone
wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow Me. 25 “Forwhoeverwishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever
loses his life for My sake shallfind it” – Jesus againreiterates the costof
following Him and how that it involves death to self and sacrifice
2.1. In Matt. 10:38-39, we readJesus preaching very similar words, for in
those verses He said that whoeverdid not take up his cross and follow Him, he
was not worthy of Him. So, here He is mostly repeating that sermon, as He
probably repeatedall or parts of many of His sermons from the past
2.2. Here in these verses, Jesus seemsmore to be giving requirements for
following Him. He says that in anyone wants to ‘come after me’, which means
‘to be His follower’, he must

2.2.1. denyhimself
2.2.1.1.The disciple of Christ must come to the place in his life that just as
Jesus grappledin the Garden of Gethsemane, so he also commits himself to
do, ‘not his own will, but that of the Father’
2.2.1.2.The realcenterof the life of sin in a person’s life is ‘self’, and ‘self-
centeredness’, itis the doing whatever you want in order to please yourself
2.2.2. take up his cross
2.2.2.1.Jesus saysthat His followermust not just be willing to carry his cross,
but because ofhis love for Jesus, have the inward initiative and desire to take
it up
2.2.2.2.The crosswas the most cruel and painful of ways to die in Rome, and
the government used that form of torturous death to punish only the worstof
offenders, and thus also to use the cross’s horrible torture as an example to
the people to dissuade them from committing crimes. Therefore, Jesusused
this metaphor to help a potential disciple to realize that if he was to follow
Jesus he must completelyabandon his own will and claims upon his life,
committing himself 100%to the Lord’s leading and care
2.2.2.3.Anelderly pastor once gave my pastor some sound advice. He told him
to never take the cross awayfrom people, for we must all die to selfand we
must all labor diligently for the Lord

2.2.3. follow me
2.2.3.1.Adisciple of Jesus is calledto be a seekerofthe Lord, and to spend
time with the Lord. For as I have said before, to ‘follow’ Jesus means:
2.2.3.1.1.to seekto emulate His conduct and example in all things
2.2.3.1.2.to learnand study His teachings
2.2.3.1.3.to be ‘with’ Him
2.2.3.1.4.to seekHis leading in all things
2.3. Jesus tells His disciples the paradox concerning losing and saving
ones life:
2.3.1. the one who saves his life shall lose it
2.3.1.1.Ifa person tries to hold on to his self-life and live according to how he
wants to do things in his life, he will end up spending eternity in hell, and thus
he shall ‘lose’ his life
2.3.2. the one who loses his life for Jesus shallfind it

2.3.2.1.Ifa person surrenders his life to Jesus and His will and plans for him,
then he will find out what true life really is, for he shall inherit ‘eternallife’,
that quality of life that is full to the utmost, and that quantity of life that shall
last for all eternity in heaven
3. VS 16:26 - “26 “Forwhat will a man be profited, if he gains the
whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his
soul?”” - Jesus tells His disciples that even if a man should gain all of the
riches and power that this earth could ever offer, yet as a result of doing so he
loses his soulfor eternity, he will not profit from it
3.1. When you think about it, there would be an awefullot of riches upon
this earth if they were to all be placedin one spot, and yet obtaining all of
these riches would not be worth the price of spending an eternity in hell
3.2. Likewise, a person who was setup to rule over the whole earth would
wield an aweful lot of power and prestige, and he could have whateverhe
wanted on this earth, yet if to gainthe full powerover all of the earth would
not be worth the price of spending an eternity in hell
3.3. Jesus asks the rhetoricalquestion, ‘What will a man give in exchange
for his soul?’ For there is nothing that we can give to the Lord that would
allow us to have salvation, exceptfor our very own lives…

JOHN BROADUS
Matthew 16:24. Then would not make us sure that it followedimmediately
(compare on Matthew 3:13), but Mark leaves no doubt: 'And he calledunto
him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them,' etc. This also shows
that the notable saying which follows was addressed, notto the disciples only,
but to a greatthrong; so Luke 9:23, R. V., 'he said unto all.' He has come
awayfrom the place at which he had been praying alone, (Luke 9:18) and now
a crowdis near; but as to persons or locality we have no information. If any
man. Notonly is Jesus himself determined to go forward in a path which leads
to suffering and death, undeterred by Peter's remonstrance, and not only
must his twelve disciples be willing to follow in such a path, but this holds true
of any and every one who wishes to be his followerat all. Will (or wishes to)
come after me. 'Will come' is ambiguous, and at the present day almost
certain to be misunderstood; 'would come'gives a slight colournot present in
the original(compare on Matthew 15:32). As he designs to go forward like a
man bearing his cross to the place of crucifixion, so any one who wishes to
come along behind him must do likewise. There is hero no substantial
difference between'come after' and 'follow.'The familiar use of the phrases
deny himself and 'take up his cross,'the frequent application of them to petty
actions and sufferings, has gradually enfeebledtheir meaning in our
conception, and it requires an effort to return to their original force. The
phrases (a) to deny a statement, and (b) to deny a request (both classical),
have an obvious meaning; (c) to deny a person (a sense found only in New
Testament), is to deny that we have the relations to him which others are
supposing, or which circumstances might seemto indicate, (Matthew 10:22,
Matthew 26:34) or else to deny that one is what he claims to be, and hence to
rejecthim; (Acts 3:14, Acts 7:35) and there are various other shades of
meaning. In some of these uses the Greek has the simple verb, as here in
Luke; others have it compounded with a preposition, as here in Matthew and
Mark, giving a slightly increasedforce. (d) To deny an objector practice is to
refuse, reject, or renounce it; as 'denying impiety and worldly desires.'(Titus
2:12, Rev. Ver., compare 2 Timothy 3:5) (e) To deny himself, a phrase not
found in classicalGreek, but characteristic ofChristianity, might seemto

connectitself in meaning with (b); as a man denies a beggar, so he denies
himself; i.e., refuses to grant him own requests (Chrys., Mey.) This is the
sense, but much weakened, in which the expressionis now widely used. But
does it not, as here used by our Lord, rather connectitself with (c), meaning
that a man renounces himself? As the Jews denied the Messiah, (Acts 8:14) so
his followerdenies self, will not have selffor his ruler or his aim. He
determines not to live according to his owninclinations, but to do and bear
whatevermay be necessaryin the course he has undertaken. He must resolve
to live not for pleasure, but usefulness;not for inclination, but duty; not for
self, but for God.
(Compare Romans 14:7-9, Romans 15:2 f.) Tyndale, Cram, Gen., translate
'forsake himself.' And take up his cross. The Jews had long been familiar with
the punishment of crucifixion, which was used in Egypt and all WesternAsia,
and from an early time in Italy. More than a hundred years before our Lord's
ministry, King Alexander Janneus crucified eight hundred rebels at
Jerusalem, while he was feasting in public (Josephus "Ant.," 13, 14, 8), and
even under Antiochus Epiphanes, many Jews were crucified. (Matthew 13:5-
6) For a revolt which followedthe death of Herod the Great, the proconsul
Varus crucified two thousand Jews. And yet a JewishRabbi of to-day has said
that the saying here ascribedto Jesus is an anachronism, for the disciples
could not have understood an allusion to cross-bearing till after his
crucifixion. It was commonto make the condemnedperson carry to the place
of execution the cross on which he was to suffer (compare on Matthew 27:32);
and so the disciples would readily understand the Master's allusion. He was
going forward, like one marching to crucifixion, appointed to suffering and
death; and any one who wishedto come after him must prepare himself for
the same experience. The disciples and the multitude would not necessarily
infer from this that he was to be crucified. It was not till a few days before its
occurrence that he foretold the precise mode of his death. (Matthew 20:19)
They would understand that he was like a person going to be crucified, and
they also must be ready for suffering and death. Chrys: "He saith also how far
one ought to renounce oneself, that is, unto death, and that a reproachful
death." Jerome:"And follow their teachermorientium animo." Jesus used

Jesus was paradoxical

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