He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.

“Because these commands seemed burdensome, He proceeds to shew their great use and benefit, saying, He that findeth his life shall lose it. As much as to say, Not only do these things that I have inculcated do no harm, but they are of great advantage to a man; and the contrary thereof shall do him great hurt—and this is His manner every where. He uses those things which men’s affections are set upon as a means of bringing them to their duty. Thus: Why are you loath to contemn your life? Because you love it? For that very reason contemn it, and you will do it the highest service.”

“The life in this place is not to be understood as the substance, (the soul,) but as this present state of being; and the sense is, He who findeth his life, i. e. this present life, he who so loves this light, its joys and pleasures, as to desire that he may always find them; he shall lose that which he wishes always to keep, and prepare his soul for eternal damnation.”

“"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 receiveth you, receiveth me,.... This is said to comfort the disciples, lest they should conclude from this account of the sorrows, afflictions, and persecutions they were to meet with, that there would be none that would receive them and their message; Christ therefore suggests, that there would be some that would embrace the Gospel preached by them, and receive them kindly into their houses, and entertain them in a very hospitable manner: and, for the encouragement of such persons, who would risk their own goods and lives by so doing, he lets them know, that receiving of his disciples, was interpreted by him, a receiving of himself; and what they did to them, would be taken as kindly, as if done to him personally; and, in like manner, would it be understood and accepted by his Father: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. To which agrees, what the Jews say (p) of the angel, in Exo 23:22 "If thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I shall speak": who observe, that it is not written, "that he shall speak", but "that I shall speak"; intimating, that , "if ye receive him, it is all one as if you received me": and the whole of this accords with a common saying among (q) them, , "that a man's messenger is as himself". The Jew (r), therefore, has no reason to reproach Christ and his followers as he does, as if it was the sense of these words of Christ, and which the Christians give of them, that Christ and his twelve apostles were but one person. (p) Shemot Rabba Parash. 32. fol. 135. 3. (q) T. Bab. Baracot, fol. 34. 2. Kiddushin, fol. 41. 2. 42. 1. & 43. 1. Bava Metzia, fol. 96. 1. (r) R. Isaac Chizzuk Emuna, par 2. sect. 14. p. 404.”

“He that findeth, &c. Behold the great losses that befall such as love their souls above measure; and on the contrary, the advantages that follow from hating them as they ought. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxvi.) — That is, he that findeth in this life pleasures and comforts, and places his affections upon them, will certainly soon lose them. For Isaias says, (Chap. xl, ver. 6,) All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of the field. The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen. So man’s glory seems to flourish and appears great, but falls away and dies before it has come to its full bloom; for what duration is there in the flesh? and what stability in the pleasures of this world? To-day you may behold a young man, strong, beautiful, healthy, admired, and flourishing in virtue; and to-morrow you will find him quite changed, oppressed with either sin, labour, want, or sickness. (St. Ambrose) — But if he continues moderately happy as to temporal concerns till death, and places his affections on them, he hath found life here, but shall lose it in the next world. But he that shall, for the sake of Christ, deprive himself of the pleasures of this life, shall receive the reward of a hundred fold in the next. (Haydock)”

“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it--another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord so often reiterates (Mat 16:25; Luk 17:33; Joh 12:25). The pith of such paradoxical maxims depends on the double sense attached to the word "life"--a lower and a higher, the natural and the spiritual, the temporal and eternal. An entire sacrifice of the lower, with all its relationships and interests--or, a willingness to make it which is the same thing--is indispensable to the preservation of the higher life; and he who cannot bring himself to surrender the one for the sake of the other shall eventually lose both.”