Mark 8:34

32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He ^arebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not¹ mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ^a“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

35 For ^awhoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

38 ^aFor whoever ^bis ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does Mark 8:34 Mean?

Christ must say these things because human nature drives people toward self-centered, assertive, competitive concentration to achieve desires. All possess this drive, though it varies in strength and methods. The self must be denied due to human nature's pride and covetousness. This involves a general approach to life by crucifying self-centered impulses, subordinating the ego's preoccupation with I, me, and mine, and its demands for assertion, comfort, and prestige. It means denying the self to embrace Christ's cause. Being ashamed to live this way equates to being ashamed of Christ Himself.

Mark 8:34-38

Why does Christ have to say things like this? Because human nature is driven by the impulse that the only way to the things a person deeply desires is through self-centered, assertive, competitive concentration on getting what it wants. We all have this drive; however, individuals differ in the strength of human nature in them and the methods they employ to achieve their goals. Jesus says the self must be denied because human nature is driven by pride and covetousness.

Of course, the Bible is not urging us to court martyrdom. It is speaking of a general approach to life, of crucifying the self-centered impulses of human nature. This means subordinating a clamoring ego with its preoccupation with "I," "me," and "mine"; its concern for self-assertion; and its insistence on comfort and prestige. It is denying the self for the sake of embracing Christ's cause. To be ashamed to live this way of life is equivalent to being ashamed of Christ Himself.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Elements of Motivation (Part Six): Eternal Life

Mark 8:31-34

Jesus teaches self-denial to His disciples not only with His words but also by His actions. Notice that His call to self-denial comes immediately after predicting His own sacrificial death. He is the supreme model of the self-denial to which He calls others. He even denies Himself any urge to avenge Himself or to threaten His persecutors for what they had done to Him. In Jesus' example, we see that, by committing ourselves to God who judges rightly, we deny ourselves the temptation of worldly lusts.

Martin G. Collins
Overcoming (Part 5): Self-Denial

Related Topics: Self Control | Self Denial | Self Sacrifice | Yielding to God | Yielding to God's Will

**Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Mark 8:34:**

John 12:20-26

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