←
Explanation for:
Matthew
10
:
39
He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.
11
more explanations
& daily audio-books
spoken by
– enjoy in Theosis App –
Start your
Bible-journey
with explanations
& daily audio-books
only 4$* per month
{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"To prevent them from becoming troubled and distressed, observe how he elaborates his message. When he asserts, “Whoever does not hate father and mother,” he also includes “and their own life.” What, then, do you think of your parents, your siblings, and your spouse? Nothing is closer to an individual than their own life; but if you do not hold it in contempt, you will behave differently than the one who cherishes it. Furthermore, He not only urged a disdain for one's own life but also called for engagement in strife and conflict, urging fearlessness toward death and bloodshed. “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). He did not merely state that one should be prepared for death; rather, He implied readiness for a violent death, and not just any violence. Remarkably, He mentions nothing concerning His own sufferings, which perhaps would offer a greater convenience after such teachings. Is it not astonishing how they maintained their spirits amidst such words, even as they faced overwhelming trials with only rewards in sight? How did they sustain themselves? The authority of His voice was profound, and the devotion of His listeners was immense; thus, when they encountered something far more harrowing and tragic than what esteemed figures like Moses and Jeremiah had faced, they remained compliant without dissent. Do you perceive the danger in valuing one's life excessively and the advantage in dismissing it? Given the weight of Christ’s demands, which compelled them to oppose not just parents but also siblings, defying the natural order and even their own essence, He assures them of the greatest rewards for their sacrifices. He indicates that this will not only be harmless but will yield significant benefits, while the contrary will be detrimental. He consistently employs this method: what is appealing to humanity, He skillfully promotes. Why do you hesitate to despise your own life? Is it out of love for it? Then detest it for that very reason, for in doing so, you will ultimately serve it best, thus showing your true love for it. Consider the immense wisdom present here! His discourse does not merely concern neglecting parents and children but extends to the soul, which is closest to us, making the imperative of the former evident through the necessity of the latter. They come to understand that their care for the soul’s well-being, the one which is nearest, will also be of the utmost benefit to those around them."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"‘Whoever seeks to preserve his life will ultimately lose it.’ How should we interpret this, given that both preservation and loss are attributed to the same life? It is the individual who acknowledges (the Lord) in the face of persecution who sacrifices his life but ultimately discovers it in the presence of the Lord. He states: ‘Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’ Thus, for those who sacrifice their lives for Christ's sake, it follows that they shall find their lives through Christ. God, for whom the life is forfeited, desires to restore it, as His hand can reach out to all, and His power is unmatched, enabling Him to rescue it from any place. His love, which encompasses all humanity, He has made humble and submitted, so that the love of humanity, which reaches out to the Lord of all, may be depicted as surpassing all else. ‘Whoever loves ... Me ... more than his own life’ (cf. Matthew 10:37)."},{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The Lord proceeds further in His teachings and imparting understanding. After instructing us to relinquish all that we hold dear in this world, He states, \\"Whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me\\" (Matt. 10:38). This indicates that those who belong to Christ have put the flesh to death along with its desires and passions. One who does not embrace his cross—the instrument through which we endure suffering, experience death, are buried, and rise again—is deemed unworthy of Christ, even as he seeks to follow the Lord in this sacred journey of faith to attain a renewed existence through the Spirit. \\"He that hath saved his soul shall lose it; and he that hath lost his soul through me shall save it.\\" Through the might of His word and the casting off of former sins, He enables the soul to find life amid death and to forfeit the destined demise of salvation. Therefore, it is essential to embrace death in order to enter into new life, contending against sinful inclinations by means of the Lord's cross, and steadfastly maintaining the freedom of a triumphant confession despite persecution and the disparagements of this world."},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Alexandria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a8ea5c988a4fc073480_Cyrill%20of%20Alexandria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The loss of one's soul is referred to here as a separation from the physical body. Those who seek to preserve their soul by valuing this earthly existence, believing they gain from it, actually experience a fate worse than death, facing eternal condemnation and separation from life."},{"author-name":"Isaiah the Hermit","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d84ba9f49624b317355_Isaiah%20the%20Hermit.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"Consider the actions of the new creation alongside those of the old creation. Whoever cherishes their soul and wishes to preserve it adheres to the deeds of the new creation; however, those who indulge the desires of the flesh in this fleeting life engage in the actions of the old creation and risk losing their soul. Our Lord Jesus Christ, revealing the new creation through His own body, proclaimed: He that loveth his soul shall lose it (John 12:25), and he that loseth his soul for my sake shall find it (Matthew 10:39). He is the Sovereign of all creation and has dismantled the barrier of hostility (Eph. 2:14). He also declared: I came not to bring destruction to the world, but a sword (Mt. 10:34), and once more: I have come to set the world ablaze, and what I desire is already ignited (Lk. 12:49)."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The individual who prioritizes earthly existence believes he is preserving his spirit, yet he ultimately jeopardizes it, condemning it to everlasting torment. In contrast, the one who sacrifices his soul and embraces death—not as a thief or through self-harm, but for the sake of Christ—actually secures his salvation."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The individual who forfeits his soul will ultimately lose it. Conversely, the one who preserves his soul during persecution and remains steadfast in faith will be rewarded in the age to come, avoiding the fate of those who have betrayed their beliefs. Those who sacrifice their lives for my sake will discover true life, and those who have their lives taken from them by those lacking faith will regain it more swiftly, meaning they will secure their souls. He spoke these words to guide them away from their timid attachment to life and to urge them toward the path of martyrdom. Similarly, in another passage, Christ expands upon this idea from a different perspective, as He often does with various topics. *Matthew 16:25.*"},{"author-name":"Gregorios Palamas","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bfc03f555204c307b7e_Gregorios%20Palamas.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":14,"exegesis-text":"When the time of trials arrives, a person, rejecting earthly life and willingly surrendering his spirit for the sake of righteousness, embraces his cross and follows the Lord, thereby gaining eternal life. As Christ states, “He that hath lost his life shall lose it, and he that hath lost his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:39). What does it signify when he says, “He who destroys his soul shall find it?” The human being consists of two aspects: the outer man, referring to the body, and the inner man, known as the soul. Hence, when the outer man submits to death, he effectively relinquishes his soul, which becomes detached from him; however, if he sacrifices it for Christ and the Gospel, he truly will discover it—granting it celestial and everlasting life, and in the general resurrection, it will be restored to him, becoming celestial and eternal as well. \\n\\nYet, this endeavor is profoundly challenging and embodies the work of the perfected—an apostolic mission that requires the crucifixion of the flesh along with its desires and appetites, being prepared to endure the utmost indignity and the most disgraceful death for the sake of the good, and to lay down one's soul for the Gospel. Therefore, what the Lord announces serves as comfort for those who may lack the strength for such an extraordinary act: “He that receiveth you,” referring to the Apostles and their successors. In other words, the Apostles, along with the Church Fathers and teachers of true piety that follow them—“He shall receive me,” He declares, “and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me” (Matthew 10:40)."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"He who prioritizes earthly existence believes he is safeguarding his soul, yet in truth, he is endangering it; the one who preserves his spirit—be it by denying Me in any form for the sake of a fleeting life—will ultimately lose it, forfeiting his soul and eternal life, and will be subjected to everlasting death for abandoning true faith. Conversely, the one who sacrifices his soul and does not cling to his temporary existence for My sake, who endures suffering as a faithful soldier in the cause of martyrdom, will find salvation, securing his soul for the life that is to come. 'Why do you hesitate to despise your soul? Is it because of your affection for it? But in that very act of hating it, you will benefit it the most and demonstrate your love.' Great was the might of the One who spoke, and profound was the love of those who listened; that is why they remained faithful and did not rebel, even when faced with far greater hardships than those experienced by great figures like Moses and Jeremiah. In this remarkable undertaking, the Lord assures His disciples of the backing of the believers, promising them a substantial reward for this support, indicating that in this instance, He is more concerned with those who offer aid than with those receiving it, conferring upon them the first place of honor."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"He who has saved his soul,\\" etc.: In this verse, the term soul appears twice, each time carrying a distinct meaning, along with the words save and lose, leading to a profound and clever interplay of ideas. Anyone who prioritizes saving their soul for this earthly existence by rejecting Me (Matt. 10:33) in any way will ultimately lose it for the sake of eternal life, facing the deprivation of eternal life and the fate of eternal death (Luke 9:24ff.); conversely, those who surrender their soul for this temporary life through self-denial in order to profess their faith in Christ will secure it for everlasting life or receive the promise of eternal life. A similar instance of a single word having different meanings within one verse can be seen in Matthew 8:22: \\"let the dead bury their own dead.\\""},{"author-name":"Kochomski S.W.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The one who seeks to preserve his soul will ultimately lose it, while the one who sacrifices his soul for the sake of Christ will discover it. In a parallel passage in the Gospel of John, it states, \\"He who hates his soul in this world will save it\\" (John 12:25). Furthermore, it is written that \\"He who hates his soul in this world will keep it for eternal life\\" (John 12:25). A sole focus on the earthly nature of the soul, entangled in worldly desires (1 John 2:16) and sinful indulgences, is expressly condemned. The individual who clings to and cherishes his soul like the affluent man who proclaimed, \\"Your soul has many good things laid up for many years: relax, eat, drink, and be merry\\" (Luke 12:19) will bring ruin upon his soul; its earthly existence will fade away, and what awaits it after death will not be eternal life, but rather a state of eternal decay and death. Conversely, those who, for the sake of Christ and the Gospel (Mark 8:35), are willing to lose their souls in this life—essentially, those who embrace death for Christ or reject the soul in its earthly sense, as such attachment keeps them from the Lord (Philippians 1:23)—will find their souls preserved, rejuvenated (Luke 17:33), securing eternal life for themselves."}]}
Support this project and get full access for only 4$/month
Commentarie text can’t be scrolled on PC at the moment. Please use your phone. We’re working on a fix.
