Passion Foretold. Peter Rebuked.

  24 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; ^a and {^c but} whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, ^b and the gospel's ^c the same shall ^a find it. ^c save it. [Jesus here plays upon the two meanings of the word life, one being of temporal and the other of eternal duration. For comment on a similar expression, see Section 61.

  ^b 36 For what doth it profit a man, {^c is a man ^a shall a man be profited,} if he shall gain {^b to gain} the whole world, ^c and lose or forfeit his own self? (^a his life? or

{^b 37 For} ^a what shall {^b should} a man give in exchange for his life?

[Peter and the rest of the apostles had been thinking about a worldly Messianic kingdom, with its profits and rewards. Jesus shows the worthlessness even of the whole world in comparison with the rewards of the true kingdom. It is the comparison and the life which is internal, and which endures. External losses may be repaired, but a lost life can never be regained, for with what shall a man buy it back?]

{^b 37 For} ^a what shall {^b should} a man give in exchange for his life?

  38 For whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words [comp. Luke 12:9 ; 2 Timothy 1:8 2 Timothy 1:12 ; 2:12 ] in this adulterous and sinful generation [see Section 49], the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him ^c when he cometh in his own glory, and the glory of the {^b his} ^c Father, and of {^b with} the holy angels. [Peter had just been ashamed of the words in which Christ pictured himself as undergoing his humiliation. Jesus warns him and all others of the dangers of such shame.]

  ^a 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he shall render unto every man according to his deed. [The Father's glory, the angels, and the rendering of universal judgment form a threefold indication that Jesus here speaks of his final coming to judge the world.]

  ^b 1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you,   ^c 27 But I tell you of a truth, ^a There are some of them that stand here, who shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. ^c till they see the kingdom of God. ^b come with power. [The mention of his final coming suggested one nearer at hand which was to be accomplished during the life of most of those present, since none but Jesus himself and Judas were to die previous to that time. The kingdom was to come and likewise the King. The former coming was literal, the latter spiritual. Those who refer this expression to the transfiguration certainly err, for no visible kingdom was established at that time. The expression refers to the kingdom which was organized and set in motion on the Pentecost which followed the resurrection of Jesus. It was set up with power, because three thousand souls were converted the first day, and many other gospel triumphs speedily followed.]