And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me.

“Or; They that are Christ’s have crucified the body with its vices and lusts. (Gal. 5:24.) And he is unworthy of Christ who does not take up His cross, in which we suffer with Him, die with Him, are buried and rise again with Him, and follow his Lord, purposing to live in newness of spirit in this sacrament of the faith.”

“Then that those to whom the love of God is preferred should not be offended thereat, He leads them to a higher doctrine. Nothing is nearer to a man than his soul, and yet He enjoins that this should not only be hated, but that a man should be ready to deliver it up to death, and blood; not to death only, but to a violent and most disgraceful death, namely, the death of the cross; therefore it follows, And whoso taketh not up his cross and followeth me, is not worthy of me. He had as yet said nothing to them respecting his own sufferings, but instructs them in the meanwhile in these things, that they may the more readily receive His words concerning His passion.”

“(Hom. in Ev. xxxii. 3.) The cross is so called from 1torment; and there are two ways in which we bear the Lord’s cross; either when we afflict the flesh by abstinence; or when in compassion for our neighbour we make his afflictions our own. But it should be known that there are some who make a shew of abstinence not for God, but for ostentation; and some there are who shew compassion to their neighbour, not spiritually but carnally, not that they may encourage him in virtue, but rather countenancing him in faults. These indeed seem to bear their cross, but do not follow the Lord; therefore He adds, And followeth me”

“"And he who does not take up his cross." Thus it has been said, "he who loves father," etc.; nay, I say more: he who loves himself more than me is not worthy of me. For nothing can fill the whole affection except God. And therefore Deuteronomy 6:5: "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength." Hence he says, "he who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." He means that whoever is not prepared even to suffer death for the sake of the truth, and that death most of all, namely the death of the cross, is not worthy of me; nay, he ought even to glory in the cross, as is found in Galatians, the last chapter, 14: "But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of the Lord." And in this he foretells his own death, and the manner of his death; 1 Peter 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps." Again, it is expounded otherwise: for he takes up the cross who afflicts the flesh, as is found in Galatians 5:24: "They who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences," etc. Again, the cross is borne in the heart, when one is grieved for sin, as the Apostle said, 2 Corinthians 11:29: "Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" Again, this does not suffice, unless one follows the Lord. Hence also, "and follows me." If you fast, if you have compassion for your neighbor, but not for my sake, you are not worthy of me. For it is a great thing to follow the Lord, as is found in Ecclesiasticus 23:38: "It is a great glory to follow the Lord." But they might say, what shall we get from this? Therefore he shows the penalty of the disobedient; hence he says, "he who finds his soul shall lose it." Soul is taken for life. When someone is in danger of losing his money, he is accustomed to say, "I have lost my money"; and if he is freed from the danger, he says he has found his money. Similarly, if someone is in danger of the body, and is freed by some occasion, he says he has found his life. Whoever, therefore, finds his life, and has been in danger for my sake, and denies me in order to find his life, is not worthy of me. And "he who shall have lost his soul," that is, his life — that is, if he shall have exposed himself to death for my sake — "shall find it"; Proverbs 8:35: "He who shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord." "He who receives you, receives me." Here he sets down the remedy. You say that we should act thus. Whence shall we be able to live? Give us some indulgence. Just as the Pope gives to legates the power of granting indulgence, so the Lord gives a reward to those who receive them. And he sets down three things, of which two pertain to the lesser ones. He says therefore, "He who receives you, receives me" — because they will have God, since you are my members, since a member is of the member. Hence, "receives me." But they might say: you are poor; it is no great thing to receive a poor man, or even you. Nay, "he who receives me, receives him who sent me," because, as is found in John 5:23, "he who honors the Son, honors also my Father." It is a great thing to have God as a guest, as it was reckoned to Abraham for praise, as is found in Hebrews 13:2. Again, another thing will follow, namely the reward of a prophet. Hence, "he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet." There are two excellent things in a prophet. Namely, prophecy — Joel 2:28: "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy"; likewise the gift of justice — 1 Corinthians 1:30: "But of him you are, who is made unto us wisdom and justice." "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet." It can be understood thus: he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, that is, because he is a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. Or otherwise: you say that we should receive apostles; but there will come some false prophets, or false apostles. Therefore he says: I do not insist upon the truth, but upon the name. For whoever receives in the name of a prophet shall have a reward. And what reward? The same which you would have if you received a true prophet. Hence he says, "the reward of a prophet," that is, which he would have for a prophet. Again, it makes no difference who that one is, whether one or another. For he who receives a prophet receives the reward of a prophet, because the prophet is thereby made more ready to exercise his work; because not only those who do, receive a reward, but also those who consent to those who do, as is found in Romans 1, at the end. Hence, if you cooperate toward the good, from that good you receive a reward; if you minister the supports of life, you receive a reward; because otherwise he would not be able to fulfill his office. And the same holds for what follows: "he who receives a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive the reward of a just man." But someone might say: if Peter, or Elijah, were to come, I would gladly receive him; therefore he adds, "and whoever shall give a drink to one of these little ones," that is, of the faithful, as is found below in chapter 25:40: "Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me," etc.; as if to say: I care not whether they are great or small. Someone might say: I am poor, I have nothing to give; therefore he adds, "a cup of cold water": he does not say "of hot water," on account of the lack of wood, lest he be able to excuse himself thus; hence he means to say: whatever least thing one shall have done, he will have his reward. And he confirms this, saying, "Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward"; Isaiah 40:10: "Behold, the Lord shall come"; and it follows: "and his reward is with him, and his work before him."”

“He that findeth his life shall lose it,.... That man that seeks to preserve his life, and the temporal enjoyments of it, by a sinful compliance with his friends and the world, and by a denial of Christ, or non-confession of him; if he is not, by the providence of God, deprived of the good things of life, and dies a shameful death, both which are sometimes the case of such persons; yet he is sure to lose the happy and eternal life of his soul and body, in the world to come: so that the present finding of life, or the possession of it, on such sinful terms, will in the issue prove an infinite and irreparable loss unto him. On the other hand, Christ observes, he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it. That man that is willing to forego the present advantages of life, to suffer reproach and persecution, and lay down his life cheerfully for the sake of Christ and his Gospel, for the profession of his name, rather than drop, deny, conceal, or neglect any truth and ordinance of his, shall find his soul possessed of eternal life, as soon as separated from his body; and shall find his corporal life again, in the resurrection morn, to great advantage; and shall live with Christ in soul and body, in the utmost happiness, to all eternity.”

“He that, &c. There are two kinds of crosses which our Saviour here commands us to take up: one corporal, and the other spiritual. By the former, he commands us to restrain the unruly appetites of the touch, taste, sight, &c. By the other, which is far more worthy our notice, he teaches us to govern the affections of the mind, and restrain all its irregular motions, by humility, tranquillity, modesty, peace, &c. Precious indeed in the sight of God, and glorious is that cross, which governs and brings under proper rule the lawless passions of the mind. (St. Augustine)”

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me--a saying which our Lord once and again emphatically reiterates (Mat 16:24; Luk 9:23; Luk 14:27). We have become so accustomed to this expression--"taking up one's cross"--in the sense of "being prepared for trials in general for Christ's sake," that we are apt to lose sight of its primary and proper sense here--"a preparedness to go forth even to crucifixion," as when our Lord had to bear His own cross on His way to Calvary--a saying the more remarkable as our Lord had not as yet given a hint that He would die this death, nor was crucifixion a Jewish mode of capital punishment.”