Matthew 16:21-26
‘Jesus began to show to His Disciples how He must…be killed and be raised again the third day…. For whoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whoever will lose his life for My sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world — and lose his own soul?!’ Matthew 16:21-26.
Calvin commented: “Christ reminds His Disciples of what He must suffer…. It was necessary to inform them…. Christ must commence His reign not with gaudy display…, but with…death….
“He presently heals the wound — by saying that on the third day, He will rise again from the dead!… There is nothing to be seen in the cross, but the weakness of the flesh — till we come to His resurrection, in which the power of the Spirit shines brightly…. All Ministers of the Word who desire that their preaching may be profitable, ought to be exceedingly careful that the glory of His resurrection should always be exhibited by them, in connection with the ignominy of His death!…
“Peter views it as absurd that the Son of God, Who was to be the Redeemer…, should be crucified by the Elders — and that He Who was the Author of life, should be condemned to die. He therefore endeavours to restrain Christ from exposing Himself to death….
“Christ saw that Peter had a dread of the cross, and that all the rest were affected in the same way. He enters into a general discourse about bearing the cross…. ‘If any man would be My Disciple, let him follow Me by…taking up his cross!’…. None can be reckoned to be the disciples of Christ, unless they are true imitators of Him…willing to pursue the same course….
“The patience of the saints…consists in bearing willingly the cross which has been laid on them. Luke adds the word ‘daily’ — ‘let him take up his cross daily’ — which is very emphatic…. Christ’s meaning is that there will be no end to our warfare, till we leave the world….
“‘For he that would save his life, shall lose it!’ It is a most appropriate consolation, that they who willingly suffer death for the sake of Christ — do actually obtain life…. He reminds men who are desirous of the present life — that the only advantage which they reap, is to lose life. There is a contrast intended here, between temporal and eternal death….
“‘For what does it profit a man (if he shall gain the whole world — and lose his own soul)?’… Christ reminds them that the soul of man was not created merely to enjoy the world for a few days, but to obtain at length its immortality in Heaven. What carelessness and what brutal stupidity is this, that men are so strongly attached to the world and so much occupied with its affairs as not to consider why they were born?… God gave them an immortal soul, in order that when the course of the earthly life is finished — they might live eternally in Heaven!”
Reader, deny yourself, then! Take up your cross, and follow Jesus!
