Mark 8:34

And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

And {G2532} when he had called {G4341} the people {G3793} unto him with {G4862} his {G846} disciples {G3101} also, he said {G2036} unto them {G846}, Whosoever {G3748} will {G2309} come {G2064} after {G3694} me {G3450}, let him deny {G533} himself {G1438}, and {G2532} take up {G142} his {G846} cross {G4716}, and {G2532} follow {G190} me {G3427}.

Then Yeshua called the crowd and his talmidim to him and told them, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say `No' to himself, take up his execution stake, and keep following me.

Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Commentary

Context

In Mark 8:34, Jesus issues a profound and challenging call to His followers. This declaration immediately follows Peter's confession of Jesus as the Christ (Mark 8:29) and Jesus's first explicit prediction of His own suffering, death, and resurrection (Mark 8:31). Jesus calls not only His disciples but also "the people" (the crowd) to hear this crucial teaching, emphasizing its universal relevance for anyone desiring to follow Him. The imagery of taking up a cross would have been starkly clear to His audience, signifying a condemned person carrying their instrument of execution to their death.

Key Themes

  • The Cost of Discipleship: Jesus makes it clear that following Him is not a path of ease or personal gain, but one that demands profound sacrifice and commitment.
  • Radical Self-Denial: To "deny himself" means to utterly repudiate one's own desires, ambitions, and will, placing God's will and purpose above all else. This is a fundamental reorientation of life.
  • Embracing Suffering: "Take up his cross" is a powerful metaphor for a willingness to endure hardship, shame, persecution, and even death for Christ's sake, aligning oneself with His suffering. It implies a daily, deliberate choice to die to self.
  • Active Obedience and Imitation: To "follow me" signifies not just belief, but active, continuous obedience to Jesus's teachings and imitation of His life and mission.

Linguistic Insights

  • The phrase "deny himself" comes from the Greek verb aparnēsasthō heauton (ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν), which implies a strong, decisive act of disowning or renouncing oneself. It's a complete rejection of self-centered living.
  • "Take up his cross" (ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ - aratō ton stauron autou) directly refers to the literal act of a criminal carrying their cross to execution. It was a public symbol of ultimate degradation and impending death, not merely a burden or inconvenience. This phrase is about embracing a path that leads to the death of one's own ego and desires.

Practical Application

For believers today, Mark 8:34 remains a foundational call to genuine Christian living. It challenges superficial faith and calls for a life where Christ is supreme. Practically, it means:

  • Prioritizing God's will over personal comfort, ambition, or worldly success.
  • Being willing to stand for truth, even when it is unpopular or costly.
  • Embracing challenges and difficulties as opportunities for spiritual growth and identification with Christ's suffering, as seen in Philippians 3:10.
  • Living a life of humble service and sacrifice, reflecting the example of Jesus Himself. This is a daily commitment, not a one-time decision, echoing the sentiment found in Luke 9:23.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Matthew 10:38

    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

  • Luke 14:26

    If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

  • Luke 14:27

    And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

  • John 10:27

    My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

  • 1 Kings 14:8

    And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and [yet] thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do [that] only [which was] right in mine eyes;

  • Galatians 5:24

    And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

  • Galatians 2:20

    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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