Mat 16:24-28 | TNotes | STEP | 16:24 give ... take ... follow: These three imperatives use different images to speak of the same radical commitment of confessing one’s sinfulness before God in humility, surrendering one’s personal ambition to God, and living according to his will (see also 5:20 ; 10:34-39 ; 18:1-5 ; 20:20-28 ). • Take up your cross is a metaphor for devotion (see Luke 9:23 ) rather than a call to martyrdom, although martyrdom is an ever-present possibility for Jesus’ disciples (Matt 5:10-12 ; 10:21 ). • In Matthew, follow is used both literally (9:19 ; 26:58 ) and metaphorically. Metaphorically, it indicates interest in a teacher (4:25 ; 8:1 , 10 ; 12:15 ; 14:13 ; 19:2 ; 20:29 ; 21:9 ) or personal allegiance to Jesus involving a call, a commitment, and great ongoing costs (4:20 , 22 ; 8:19 , 22-23 ; 9:9 ; 10:38 ; 16:24 ; 19:21 , 27 ).

16:24 ^a give ... take ... follow: These three imperatives use different images to speak of the same radical commitment of confessing one’s sinfulness before God in humility, surrendering one’s personal ambition to God, and living according to his will (see also 5:20 ^b; 10:34-39 ^c; 18:1-5 ^d; 20:20-28 ^e).

• Take up your cross is a metaphor for devotion (see Luke 9:23 ^f) rather than a call to martyrdom, although martyrdom is an ever-present possibility for Jesus’ disciples (Matt 5:10-12 ^g; 10:21 ^h).

• In Matthew, follow is used both literally (9:19 ⁱ; 26:58 ^j) and metaphorically. Metaphorically, it indicates interest in a teacher (4:25 ^k; 8:1 ^l, 10 ^m; 12:15 ⁿ; 14:13 ^o; 19:2 ^p; 20:29 ^q; 21:9 ^r) or personal allegiance to Jesus involving a call, a commitment, and great ongoing costs (4:20 ^s, 22 ^t; 8:19 ^u, 22-23 ^v; 9:9 ^w; 10:38 ^x; 16:24 ^y; 19:21 ^z, 27 ^aa).
16:25 ^ab Jesus’ disciples must relinquish control of their lives, even to the point of being willing to suffer and die for Christ. Jesus promised that those who follow him with such radical abandon, though they may suffer now, will be vindicated at the final judgment (see 1 Pet 2:23 ^ac).
16:26 ^ad your own soul? “Soul” and “life” (16:25 ^ae) both translate the same Greek term (psuchē) and refer to the essence of a person—the self.
16:27 ^af The exhortation to deny oneself and follow Jesus is rooted in the fact that Jesus will return to judge all people according to their deeds (see 19:28 ^ag; 24:29-31 ^ah; 25:31 ^ai; Ps 62:12 ^aj; Prov 24:12 ^ak).
16:28 ^al This saying has been taken to refer either to (1) the transfiguration that follows (17:1-13 ^am); (2) the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (27:50-53 ^an; 28:1-10 ^ao); (3) Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47 ^ap); (4) the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Matt 24:1-31 ^aq); (5) the second coming of Christ in the future (24:29-31 ^ar); or (6) an unfolding revelation of God’s Kingdom in various ways, including the evangelism of the world. In the fourth view, coming would mean “coming in judgment” upon sinful Israel.

• The expression Son of Man (16:27-28 ^as) forms an inclusio (bracketing expression) with 16:13 ^at, unifying 16:13-28 ^au around the theme of the identity of the Son of Man. He is the Messiah who would suffer and then be exalted by God and return as Judge.