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Commentaries
English
Matthew
  
38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew16:24-25; Luke9:24; John12:25)


This is the first reference to cross that is mentioned by Jesus in His gospel according to Matthew, the evangelist, when he speaks about the separation of the believer from his family. He did not focus in His speeches on His own cross, but spoke about His followers’ first, those whose suffering for their families is made similar to the nails that pierced Jesus’ hands and feet. Our Lord asks us to follow Him at any cost, for the one who divides his heart between men and the Son of God, shall have no room left in him for the Son of God. Christ gave Himself wholly for you; He wants you to give yourself wholly to Him, or He wants nothing of you. The bliss of life is not to live in ease and in harmony with your relatives and friends, but to be, at the same time, a witness of Him that was raised from the dead and poured out the Holy Spirit into His followers. He, who chooses the world, chooses death and destruction, but he who chooses the death of Jesus, chooses eternal life. He who endeavors to satisfy men and Christ at the same time, fails and becomes a hypocrite and dishonest, but he who raises Jesus above money, inheritance, relatives and earthly future, shall know the Son of God in His fullness.
The Law of Moses provides that everyone that turns from the law of their nation shall be separated and stoned. The Roman government did not permit the Jews to put this law into practice, for the danger of death was always hanging threateningly as a sword over the heads of those of Jewish background who believed in Christ. Therefore, Jesus said that having faith in Him is similar to the cross for both require preparedness to death every day.
They, who would follow Christ, must expect their cross and take it up. In taking up the cross, we are allowed to follow Christ’s example and bear it as he did. It is a great encouragement to us, when we meet with the cross, that in bearing it we follow Christ, who has showed us the way. If we follow Him faithfully, He will lead us through all our sufferings, to glory with Him.

Prayer
O Lord Jesus, You are the Son of God. You left your Father to save us. Please teach us to leave our relatives if they hate You, that we may abide only in You. You are our redeemer, protector and You show us the Father. Please free us from our earthly engagements that we may be completely Yours, for Your love is greater than that of men. Bless our friends who left their homes for Your name’s sake. Show them Your word. Give them bread to eat, a room to live in and a job to live by Your grace.
Question
On what occasion does the gospel of Matthew mention Christ’s talking about the cross for the first time?