Discovery BoxMatthew 16:21-25 
Context16:21 From that time on 1 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem 2 and suffer 3 many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, 4 and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 16:22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: 5 “God forbid, 6 Lord! This must not happen to you!” 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” 7 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, 8 he must deny 9 himself, take up his cross, 10 and follow me. 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life 11 will lose it, 12 but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
1 tn Grk “From then.”
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
3 sn The necessity that the Son of Man suffer is the particular point that needed emphasis since for many 1st century Jews the Messiah was a glorious and powerful figure, not a suffering one.
4 tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
5 tn Grk “began to rebuke him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
6 tn Grk “Merciful to you.” A highly elliptical expression: “May God be merciful to you in sparing you from having to undergo [some experience]” (L&N 88.78). A contemporary English equivalent is “God forbid!”
7 tn Grk “people.”
8 tn Grk “to come after me.”
9 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.
10 sn To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.
11 tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 25-26).
12 sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.
