Matthew (Written)

Saturday, 14 February 2026

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Matthew 16:28

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube, (Click Here to listen), or Rumble  (Click Here to listen). 

To read the CG translation of Matthew 16, scrolling with music, on YouTube (Click Here to listen), or on Rumble (Click Here to listen).

An extra bonus from Daniel Higgins at “Bible in Ten” podcast. His input on links between Nehemiah and Matthew 16. (Click here to listen).

“Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here who not they should taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that the Son of Man is about to come in His kingdom, and then He will give each according to his practice. He next says, “Amen! I say to you that they are some of those having stood here.”

The Greek verb is a perfect participle. As can be seen, the NKJV fails to properly elucidate this, saying, “some standing here.” In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find a translation that accurately translates the verb. Instead, they rely on a present tense or present participle rendering.

But Jesus’ words indicate a completed action, the results of which are still present or relevant, “having stood here.” The same perfect participle is found in the same context in Mark 9:1. Combined with the words, “some…here,” this limits the scope of what is said to those present. Of those referred to, Jesus next says they are those “who not they should taste death.”

A new word is seen, geuomai, to taste. It is used figuratively here to indicate experiencing. It is aorist subjunctive, viewing the whole as a single completed event. In other words, these will not experience death, “until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

The meaning of this is widely debated. Is this referring to the transfiguration? Does this speak of the resurrection? Is it the beginning of the church at Pentecost? Is it the destruction of the temple in AD70? Is it referring to the millennial kingdom? And so on. Each of these has its supporters. For example, some believe that Jesus’ words in John 21:22 mean that John is still alive and he will be one of the two witnesses.

One of several problems with that is that the two witnesses will be killed before the Son of Man returns. Further, Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:28 are plural, indicating more than one person. One of many problems with the destruction of the temple view is that Jesus didn’t return in AD70. If He did, other words of Jesus would be a complete failure, such as Matthew 24:27.

There is no record of such an event, something that would not be lacking. That is an unbiblical attempt by preterists to dismiss any future prophecy, including the restoration of national Israel as a literal, historical event.

The problem with the Pentecost view is that it was the Holy Spirit, not Jesus, who came upon the people in Acts 2. To conflate the meaning of one with the other is stretching the text like a rubber band, which will eventually snap. As for the resurrection view, as Jesus was not in a glorified state at the resurrection, that also seems to be a stretch of the intent.

The account that is noted next at the beginning of Matthew 17 follows in the same manner in all three synoptic gospels, which is a strong hint that tells us that the transfiguration is what Jesus is referring to. It is a kingdom foretaste for the benefit of the disciples. As it is recorded in the word, it is thus provided as a benefit for all.

This glorified state was then viewed by John when he received the book of Revelation, including Jesus’ return in Revelation 19. For a fuller and more complete explanation of the details of Matthew 16, please continue reading the life application section of this commentary.

Life application: Chapter 16 of Matthew is a passage that petitions the Jews of the end times to consider who Jesus is based on their own history, comparing it to how He is portrayed in Scripture.

In verse 1, Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and Sadducees, who asked for a sign from heaven. As in Chapter 15, these types of men represent the same thinking and paradigm as the rabbis of Israel today. Jesus told them that they could read the signs in the sky, but they could not discern the signs of the times.

With the coming of the end times, the Jews of Israel would naturally be expected to understand the situation they are in, but they will be clueless about the matter. In verse 4, Jesus said that the generation was wicked and adulterous, something akin to what Peter calls the Jews who rejected Jesus in Acts 2:40. Jesus continued that no sign would be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

As explained, the sign of the prophet Jonah is the destruction of the temple, it being a year for a day based on Jonah’s proclamation, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

In the end times, the Jews will have to look to their Scriptures, understand that their temple was destroyed and they were exiled for rejecting Jesus, internalize this truth, and then have faith in Him based on that.

As an explanation of the doctrine of faith in the Messiah, in verse 5, the disciples went across the Sea of Galilee. As such, they crossed the Jordan because the Jordan runs through the sea. Being on the other (east) side signifies those who have not come through Christ to be saved. Jesus told them in verse 6 to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. They thought He was talking about bread. But He corrected them by recapping the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand.

These miracles, anticipating the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, testify to His being the Messiah. What He was warning them about was the doctrine of those false teachers, not about bread. Their doctrine is to be equated with the false doctrine of the rabbis and other law teachers of the end times who have returned to law observance, temple worship, etc. It is a warning that the end times Jews are not to follow those Satan-led examples.

Faith in Jesus, as represented by the feeding of the masses, is what brings restoration with God.

In verse 13, it is noted that Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea is derived from Caesar. The idea of being a Caesar is the deification of the individual. He is attributed a god-like status. Philippi is from Philip, a lover of horses. But in Scripture, a horse is metaphorically used as a source of military pride –

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7

Abarim rightly defines Philippi with the lengthy paraphrase, They Who Lean On Their Military Complex. It is exactly the source of pride that Israel of today is heading towards. Their military superiority is their source of pride and is exalted to god-like status. This will only increase after the battle of Gog/Magog.

It is in this prefigured end-times state that Jesus asks them who He is. The various answers are answers you could expect from Jews. Jesus was a prophet (or false prophet) or whatever. However, Simon Peter proclaims Him the Christ. What was Jesus’ response? “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah.”

The same name that was acknowledged as the sign in verse 4 is now noted by Jesus. He is Simon (Hearer) Son of Jonah. In other words, he represents the Jews who have understood (heard) the sign of Jonah. To be a son signifies identity. The end times Jews who acknowledge Jesus as the Christ are “sons of Jonah,” because they have made the connection by understanding the sign. In essence, “We missed Him when He came, but we know now who He is.”

It is on this proclamation that Jesus will build His out-calling of those in the end times. They will receive the keys to the kingdom of the heavens, entering into the millennial reign of Christ. In verse 21, Jesus spoke of His destiny to suffer and die. Peter’s words of admonishment stirred Jesus to turn His back on him, call him Satan, and tell him he was not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.

It is a warning to the end times Jews that they are to accept a crucified Savior as the role of the Messiah. Israel looked, and still looks, for a conquering Messiah, but His role as the crucified Messiah is what God highlights in Him more than all else.

From there, Jesus told the disciples the words about denying themselves and losing their souls (meaning their lives) in order to save their souls. It is exactly what is seen in Revelation –

“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9, 10

&

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” Revelation 15:2

In verse 27, it said, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father’s glory with His messengers.” This is exactingly described in Revelation 19:11 –

“And I saw the heaven having been opened. And you behold! Horse, white! And the ‘sitting upon it’ being called ‘Faithful and True,’ and in righteousness He judges, and He battles” (CG).

Jesus is coming in His Father’s glory. In Matthew 24, it notes that in the end times, He will send out His angels (Greek: messengers) to gather His elect.

The final verse of the chapter then said, “Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Again, this is exactly what occurs in Revelation. Some of the end times Jews will make it through the entire tribulation, not seeing death until they behold Jesus coming in His kingdom.

These things are gleaned from Matthew 16, forming a picture of what is coming in the future for Israel.

Lord God, how precious it is to know that You will not reject Israel, even when the whole world is imploding, You will be with them and carry them as a people through the tribulation and into the time promised to them so long ago. Thank You for Your covenant faithfulness, even to those of us who fail You constantly. Amen.

Matthew 16 (CG)

¹And having approached, the Pharisees and Sadducees, testing, they queried Him to show them a sign from heaven. ²And answering, He said to them, “Evening having come, you say, ‘Good weather!’, for the heaven, it is red, ³and early, ‘This day… inclemency!’, for glowering, the heaven, it reddens. Hypocrites! Indeed, you know to discern the face of the heaven, and the seasons’ signs, not you can. ⁴Generation – evil and adulteress – it seeks a sign, and a sign – not it will be given it – if not the sign of Jonah the prophet.” And having left them, He departed.

⁵And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread. ⁶And Jesus, He said to them, “You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

⁷And they deliberated in themselves, saying, “Because not we took bread!” ⁸And Jesus, having known, said to them, “Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed? Because you took no bread? ⁹You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took? ¹⁰Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand, and how many hampers you took? ¹¹How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹²Then they comprehended that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread, but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees.

¹³And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, “Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?”

¹⁴And they said, “These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵He says to them, “And you, whom you say Me to be?”

¹⁶And answering, Simon Peter, he said, “You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living.”

¹⁷And Jesus, answering, He said to him, “Blessed you are, Simon, Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood not it revealed to you, but My Father, the ‘in the heavens’.” ¹⁸And I also, I say to you that you, you are Peter, and upon this – the Rock – I will build My out-calling, and Hades’ gates, not they will overpower her. ¹⁹And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens. And whatever, if you may bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bound’ in the heavens. And whatever, if you may loosen upon the earth, it will be ‘having been loosed’ in the heavens.” ²⁰Then He enjoined His disciples that they should say to none that He, He is Jesus the Christ.

²¹From then He began, Jesus, to show His disciples that it necessitates Him to depart to Jerusalem and to suffer many from the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be roused.

²²And Peter, having clutched Him, he began to admonish Him, saying, “Propitious, to You, Lord! No, not it will be, this to You!”

²³And, having turned, He said to Peter, “You withdraw behind Me, Satan! Snare, you are, to Me. For you think not these of God but these of men.”

²⁴The Jesus, He said to His disciples, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me. ²⁵For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it. ²⁶For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father’s glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice. ²⁸Amen! I say to you, that they are some of those having stood here who not they will taste death until if they should see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Friday, 13 February 2026

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father’s glory with His messengers. And then He will give each according to his practice” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus asked what profit it would be for a man to gain the world but lose his soul. He also questioned what a man could give for his soul. Jesus next says, “For the Son of Man is about to come in His Father’s glory.”

What is Jesus talking about here? Ellicott says, “The fact that the Son of Man is about to come to execute judgment, clothes its abstract statement with an awful certainty.” The Pulpit Commentary says, “the final judgment would put things in their true light.” Gill says, “either a second time to judgment at the last day … or in his power, to take vengeance on the Jewish nation.”

These thoughts of judgment essentially sum up the overall thought of what scholars say the verse is referring to. It is true that Jesus is coming in judgment. However, His words place “about” in the emphatic position. Word for word, it reads “About for the Son the Man to come.”

With the emphasis on “about…to come,” it is a stretch to tie this into the final judgment. The chapter began with the Pharisees and Sadducees testing Him, asking for a sign from heaven. The contents of the chapter focus on faith in God’s plans as the overarching theme.

Jesus is speaking to and about Israel under the law. As this is so, the “about…to come” is likely referring to Israel’s judgment for rejecting Jesus. Understanding that this was the sign of Jonah Israel was to expect, as detailed in Matthew 16:4, it seems to be the logical explanation.

However, all three synoptic gospels mention this general idea of Jesus’ coming (Matthew 16:27, Mark 9:1, and Luke 9:27). After each, the transfiguration is mentioned. The transfiguration is something only seen by Peter and John. They were told to tell no one what they saw until the Son of Man was raised (Matthew 17:9, Mark 9:9). They complied with this as noted in Luke 9:36.

Jesus is ultimately referring to the judgment of Israel in AD 70, but His words at this time are immediately referring to the transfiguration. This continues to be seen in His next words, “with His messengers.”

When Jesus is transfigured, who is He with? Though getting ahead in the narrative, He is with Moses and Elijah. Jesus is not referring to angels. He is referring to those who received His word and passed it to the people of Israel.

Moses and Aaron are called messengers of the covenant in Acts 7:53 and Hebrews 2:2 (yes, those verses are referring to Moses and Aaron – see the corresponding Superior Word commentaries). John the Baptist is called a messenger in Malachi 3. Jesus equates him to Elijah in Matthew 11:14, and he is prophesied to come as the Lord’s representative in Malachi 4:5.

These are the messengers Jesus is referring to now. Moses represents the law, while Elijah represents the prophets of the law. They will appear with Jesus at the transfiguration. Only then are the next words stated by Jesus. “And then He will give each according to his practice.”

A new word is seen here, praxis, a practice (Sure sounds like the Klingon planet’s moon). HELPS Word Studies says, “a function, implying sustained activity and/or responsibility.”

Almost all translations make this thought a continuation of what has already been said in this verse. However, it is likely a separate sentence beginning with “And then.” There will be the transfiguration, something Peter will refer to in 2 Peter 1:18 as a witness to the truth of God in Christ.

With the testimony of these apostles, the nation of Israel can accept or reject their word. In their rejection of it, judgment will come. And it did come, just as Jesus said concerning the sign of Jonah. The temple was destroyed forty years later.

The judgment of Israel came upon each “according to his practice.” Was their practice faith in Jesus or continued trust in the law which He fulfilled? This is what Jesus is speaking about.

Life application: God’s messengers are both earthly and heavenly. The context of the passage determines which is being referred to. The law was not received by angels from heaven. It was received by men who then passed it to the people of Israel.

Angels did not come to earth and sleep with human women in Genesis 6. Rather, the ungodly line of Cain intermingled with the godly line of Seth. Over-sensationalizing the word leads to confusion of thought and a misunderstanding of what God is doing in the redemptive narrative as it has unfolded throughout the ages.

If someone is constantly referring to such sensational things, it would be best to avoid their instruction on them. If that is all they speak about, they should be rejected entirely. The Bible’s focus is on man’s restoration and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Keep this in focus, and you will do well.

O God, give us wisdom to rightly discern what Your word is telling us. There are many things that are hard to understand, and there are a lot of teachings that contradict each other. We can easily get lost in a sea of disagreement. So, Lord, lead us to the proper evaluation of what is being said so that we will be rightly trained. Amen.

Thursday, 12 February 2026

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For what it benefits a man if he may gain the whole world and he may lose his soul? Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul?” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the importance of following Him, saying, “For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it.” In explanation of that, He continues, saying, “For what it benefits a man.”

He is asking what advantage is gained in the proposition He will set forth. If one were to deal with his soul in a supposed trade-up or barter for better, what advantage would result “if he may gain the whole world?”

Here is a new word, kerdainó, to gain. HELPS Word Studies says, “an ancient mercantile term for exchanging (trading) one good for another; (figuratively) to exchange (trade out) what is mediocre (‘good’) for the better, i.e. ‘trading up.’”

So, the thought is that this person has a soul, and he trades it for what seems a better deal. It is the old “sell your soul to the devil” idea, where one gets to be a rock star with lots of money, girls, cars, and ten big houses. In the case of this person, he trades his soul, supposedly up, for the whole world. And yet, Jesus says, “and he may lose his soul?”

It is a second new word, zémioó, to injure. In this case, it is to suffer loss. So the person gets the whole world, something once offered to Jesus by the devil in Matthew 4:8 & 9. Despite gaining the world, he isn’t eternal. His soul will be required of him at some point.

When that time comes, he is judged and unceremoniously chucked into the Lake of Fire. Was possessing the world worth it? Only a fool, and the world is filled with them, thinks so. Jesus continues, saying, “Or what will he give, man, equivalent his soul?”

A third new word is seen, antallagma, an equivalent or ransom. The word is only found in this context here and in Mark 8:37. What can a man give for the ransom of His soul, securing safety from eternal damnation? The question is answered in Psalm 49 –

“Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
⁶ Those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him—
⁸ For the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
⁹ That he should continue to live eternally,
And not see the Pit.” Psalm 49:5-9

The answer is that no payment can be obtained, apart from Jesus Christ (as noted in the previous two verses), to reconcile finite fallen man with the infinitely pure and holy Creator. The separation exists, and apart from God’s intervention in Christ, man stands condemned. It is what Jesus expressly says in John 3:18 –

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Life application: Paul alludes to exactly what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 16 –

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸ Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹ if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11

Paul was given a choice. He chose wisely. Each of us is given a choice. Will we follow Jesus, accepting His ransom payment for our souls, or will we cling to this life, attempt to possess everything, and in doing so, lose it all? To attempt to gain in a world of loss is not a smart decision. But to supposedly “lose” now for a life of eternal gain is infinitely beneficial. Choose wisely.

Lord God, we often put way too much hope in things that are unprofitable. It is hard to shake off the desire for the things of this world. Help us to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:25

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it. And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus said, “If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me.” He now continues the sentiment, saying something similar to Matthew 10:39, “For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it.”

As in Matthew 10, the words seem paradoxical. The psuché, soul, was introduced in Matthew 2:20. It is derived from psucho, breath. The meaning is based on the context, and it can mean the breath of one’s life, the seat of affection, the self, a human person, or an individual. The word corresponds to the Hebrew word nephesh.

Jesus is referring to the soul in two ways. The first is the physical humanity of the person. We want to live. It is natural. Animals will respond when their lives are threatened. People are the same. But death is inevitable for all things. Despite this fact, people continue to challenge death, seeking ways to evade it.

However, if a person spends all of his time focused on himself, he will wind up losing the soul he possesses. In this case, it refers to the part of humans that will continue on after death. It is the part that will someday face God for judgment. Jesus next says, “And whoever, if he may lose his soul because of Me, he will find it.”

Jesus mentioned a person taking up his cross and following Him. A cross is an instrument of death. To take up one’s cross means that death may be ahead for that person. However, for the person who follows this path, it means that he will find life through Christ. This is the main subject that has been discussed, meaning, “Who is Jesus?”

Peter rightly answered that Jesus is the Messiah. Therefore, a part of the role of being the Messiah is granting life to His people. But it must transcend this earthly life if the people are bearing a cross while following Him. Referring to the thought in Matthew 10 is needed –

“The ‘having found his soul,’ he will lose it, and the ‘having lost his soul’ because of Me, he will find it.” Matthew 10:39

With that remembered, the structure of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16 can be evaluated –

*If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself,
+and he took his cross, ^and he follows Me.

*For whoever, if he may desire to save his soul, he will lose it.
+And whoever, if he may lose his soul ^because of Me, he will find it.

Jesus directly equates coming after Him to that person saving his soul. He also equates taking his cross with losing his soul (meaning the earthly life he lives). But in following Him with his cross, the person will find his soul (meaning his eternal life). The similarity to Matthew 10 is more readily apparent when the structure is rightly understood.

To find one’s soul refers to self-preservation in this life, something that will not obtain eternal life. However, to lose one’s soul, and act of pursuing God in Christ, will obtain the desired outcome.

Of course, these things must be taken in the context of Jesus’ audience and what it means to be Jesus the Christ. He will go to His cross in Jerusalem. There on the cross, He will die. Pursuing Jesus will no longer mean what it meant. Rather, to look to the cross of Christ in faith is what the epistles proclaim leads to life, meaning eternal life.

With the boxes aligned and in considering all things in their proper dispensation, the matter of what Jesus is referring to is clear and without contradiction.

Life application: Peter admonished Jesus inappropriately. But because he did, we have the words of Jesus’ response to him, along with His continued words to the others, to more fully instruct us on what His mission was.

Remember, these men heard Jesus’ words. They saw His miracles. They walked with Jesus and learned from Him. And yet, when He was crucified, they lost hope, having completely misunderstood what He came to do.

His mission was not to redeem Israel for their glorification among the nations. His mission was to redeem them from sin so that they could be glorified in the presence of God. Sin is the problem. It is a problem that was not and will not be corrected through animal sacrifices.

Those things only pointed to what Jesus would do. Israel still has not learned this lesson. The apostles and disciples did, but only after His work was complete. Israel is going to go back to temple worship and animal sacrifices.

This is not glorifying of God. Coming to Jesus is. With that in mind, and because Israel has the knowledge of the truth, even though they rejected it, what does that mean for them? Hebrews explains it –

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:26-29

Until Israel is willing to come to Jesus, they will not save their soul. The words of Jesus are to individuals, but they also are a truth presented to Israel to hear and understand.

Lord God, thank You that we have Jesus to free us from sin’s consequences. We pray for the nation of Israel today. They know what Christians believe, but they have rejected that message. May many eyes be opened as they continue to reject the only hope of salvation available to humanity. Amen.

Tuesday, 10 February 2026

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Then, Jesus, He said to His disciples, ‘If any, he desires to come after Me, let him disown himself, and he took his cross, and he follows Me’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus turned and said to Peter to get behind Him because Peter was an offense to Him. Peter was being mindful of the things of men rather than God. Matthew next records, “Then, Jesus, He said to His disciples.”

Mark and Luke add more detail. Mark says, “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also.” Luke apparently confirms this, saying, “Then He said to them all.” There is no contradiction. Matthew is focusing on the disciples. What Jesus says is, “If any, he desires to come after Me.”

Many translations say, “If any man will come after me…” Unless you are using the word to mean “desire,” which it doesn’t always mean, the thought is insufficient. The word theló signifies a determined intent, such as want, desire, etc. To say, “If any man will,” might include those who do, but don’t desire to do so.

Jesus is referring to those who voluntarily follow in His footsteps. Of them, He continues, “let him disown himself.”

It is a new word, aparneomai, to deny utterly or disown. It is an intensification of arneomai, to deny. There is a sense of an utter refusal to identify with the original source involved. In essence, “I once followed this path. It was my general walk of life. However, I am now following Jesus’ path and utterly reject the one I once followed.”

There is a break from the old to take up the new. In this new path, He next says, “and he took his cross, and he follows Me.”

Notice how Jesus doesn’t say, “And he takes up My cross and follows Me.” This is similar to Matthew 10:38 –

“And who not, he receives his cross, and he follows after Me, not he is worthy of Me” (CG).

In both instances, Jesus instructs His hearers to receive their cross, not His. This, then, is the beginning and fundamental error of ten thousand commentaries and sermons over the years. Does what Jesus just said square with these words –

“The allusion is, to Christ’s bearing his own cross, and Simeon’s carrying it after him, which afterwards came to pass.” John Gill, et. al.

It is true that Jesus has alluded to His suffering and death, but that is future. He is not asking them to pick up His cross at all. They have a cross to bear in following Him at this time. Whatever burden He bears, they should be willing to follow Him. They have no idea that He will die on a cross, and when it happened, they were utterly dejected and confused. In fact –

“Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?’
¹⁹ And He said to them, ‘What things?’
So they said to Him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.’” Luke 24:18-21

These disciples, indicative of all of them, failed to understand anything at all about Jesus’ cross. When Jesus tells them to pick up their cross, He is telling them that whatever burdens they have on His path, even if it results in death, is a path they must choose. This is why Jesus rebuked Peter over His appeal concerning the things He would suffer.

In the new dispensation, the dispensation of grace, which began after Jesus’ completed work, we are not instructed to take up our cross at all. That is failed sermon speak. What does Paul say? In Galatians 6, the answer is seen –

“For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” Galatians 6:13-15

Jesus was on a trek to fulfill the law and die in fulfillment of it. Those who followed Him were to see this, understand that this was what had to take place (as He explicitly told them), and to take up their own cross, following Him.

With Jesus’ work complete, we now accept peace with God through His cross.

Life application: The dispensational model is correct. God is working in certain ways at certain times to reveal and complete His plan of redemption. The problem is that even dispensationalist teachers and preachers fail to keep the boxes straight.

We do not have a cross to bear in the sense that people speak of when they evaluate Matthew 16:24. Rather, we have a cross to accept, revel in, and boast about, meaning the cross of Jesus Christ. Pay attention to what Jesus says in the context in which He says it.

Consider the full scope of what He is referring to, including the stunned reaction of those who saw Christ crucified and thought, “We had a failed hope.” Then consider the victory of what really transpired. Jesus Christ did redeem Israel. He also redeemed all of Adam’s fallen seed who are willing to come to Him through His cross.

We don’t have to give up this life to obtain it, except in the sense that we are converted to a new life in Christ positionally. We can continue as plumbers, executives, store clerks, or whatever other profession we find ourselves in. We can continue to live in our homes, remain married to our spouses, and so on.

Revel in the new life you have been given, even as you continue to live out your current life in the presence of God who sent His Son to redeem you unto Himself. Yes, revel in the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lord God Almighty, You are great and greatly to be praised. All glory, honor, and majesty belong to You, forever and ever. Thank You for Jesus Christ and His cross. May that always be our boast. To Your glory, amen.