Matthew 16: 24-28 Big Picture

Matthew 16: 24-28

Big picture

Self-denial is not a fashionable thing to preach today. People wish to think that they can 'have it all' and try to relegate their spiritual life to the weekends. But committing one's self wholly to Christ is a seven day a week, not a Sunday activity. It is a constant pastime of setting an example for others -- friends, family, and strangers -- and is not merely about rhetoric or occasional church attendance. In Matthew 16: 24-26 Christ says that one's spiritual life and attention to God must come before all else -- the demands of secular life cannot be subsumed to religious demands. Christ means we cannot put aside our morality when we are engaged in daily decision-making. God's Kingdom can be here on earth, provided we act as if He is always present in every moment of our earthly lives. When Jesus preached his version of Judaism he was speaking to a population that was struggling to find the right way to live: should spirituality be something merely rooted in a national faith, and associated with a narrow range of activities designated as sacred, or was it required of the believer to infuse spirituality into every facet of life? Jesus, of course argues the latter, which is what made his belief system so radical. Jesus argued that the interior life of the believer is more important than the exterior trappings of faith. Everyday life must be infused with thoughts of spirituality and humility. In his "Sermon on the Mount" above all else Jesus stressed that the poor, meek and the despised would inherit the Kingdom of God through their inner spiritual wealth

Section 2: Meaning in context

In the immediately preceding passage, Jesus is reproached by the Pharisees for not washing his hands before he eats, as this is in violation of the strict doctrine of Mosaic Law.

In all of the Gospels, Jesus is shown flouting some of the minor conventions of Mosaic Law, although he holds fast in his adherence to the Ten Commandments. Jesus teaches that following laws and protocols is no substitution for having a righteous heart. Material goods and glory, even the spiritual glories of fulfilling doctrine in a technical fashion, or giving ostentatious donations to a religious organization are not as important as inner, spiritual light. One must place the world its proper context, and put aside the petty, mundane concerns of the world to live in Christ.

Section 3: Personal reflection