Matthew 16:24, a cross did not whisper, it announced, it told everyone passing by that Rome had won and the condemned person had lost every appeal, whatever plans he had, whatever family name he carried, whatever arguments he might still have wanted to make, the road answered them all with wood on his shoulders, that is why the image is so violent to modern comfort. Jesus could have said, let him make sacrifices, he could have said, let him become more disciplined, he could have said, let him accept hardship, all of that would have been true in some sense, but he chose the image of a condemned life moving toward death.
The disciples did not yet understand how Jesus’ own cross would become the place of atonement, scripture unfolds that more fully after the resurrection and through the apostolic witness, but even before they understood all of that, they understood enough to feel the shock. Jesus was telling them that following him would mean the end of self-ownership, that is the image Jesus chooses for discipleship and now Peter’s rebuke is exposed completely, Peter wanted Jesus to avoid the cross, Jesus says his followers must take theirs up, the disciple does not get to choose a cross-less version of the masters road.
The cross must not be romanticized, the New Testament never teaches that suffering is holy, because it hurts, some suffering should be resisted, some suffering comes from evil, some suffering calls for wisdom, justice, protection, repentance or help, Matthew 16:24 is not permission for abuse, manipulation or spiritual control. The cross Jesus names is the cost of belonging to him, when belonging to him puts the old claim of ownership to death, the claim says, my life is mine, the cross answers, you were bought. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, not your own does not mean unloved, it means redeemed, the life you could not rescue has been claimed by the one who gave himself for you.
The next two words keep the command from becoming harsh religion, “follow me,” without those words, self-denial could become empty severity, a person could start measuring holiness by how much joy they can refuse, how much pain they can endure, how invisible they can become, the center would still be the self, just a punished version of it. Jesus gives the command a destination, he does not say, deny yourself and drift into nothing, he says, follow me, a person standing at the edge of surrender needs to know who is on the other side, not a system, not a mood, not a religious performance, a person.
The disciples did not yet understand how Jesus’ own cross would become the place of atonement, scripture unfolds that more fully after the resurrection and through the apostolic witness, but even before they understood all of that, they understood enough to feel the shock. Jesus was telling them that following him would mean the end of self-ownership, that is the image Jesus chooses for discipleship and now Peter’s rebuke is exposed completely, Peter wanted Jesus to avoid the cross, Jesus says his followers must take theirs up, the disciple does not get to choose a cross-less version of the masters road.
The cross must not be romanticized, the New Testament never teaches that suffering is holy, because it hurts, some suffering should be resisted, some suffering comes from evil, some suffering calls for wisdom, justice, protection, repentance or help, Matthew 16:24 is not permission for abuse, manipulation or spiritual control. The cross Jesus names is the cost of belonging to him, when belonging to him puts the old claim of ownership to death, the claim says, my life is mine, the cross answers, you were bought. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, not your own does not mean unloved, it means redeemed, the life you could not rescue has been claimed by the one who gave himself for you.
The next two words keep the command from becoming harsh religion, “follow me,” without those words, self-denial could become empty severity, a person could start measuring holiness by how much joy they can refuse, how much pain they can endure, how invisible they can become, the center would still be the self, just a punished version of it. Jesus gives the command a destination, he does not say, deny yourself and drift into nothing, he says, follow me, a person standing at the edge of surrender needs to know who is on the other side, not a system, not a mood, not a religious performance, a person.
