Theophylact Bulgarian. Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 16:24. Then Jesus said to His disciples: if anyone wants to follow Me, deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Me,
Then. When? When he denounced Peter. Wanting to show that Peter, keeping Him from suffering, sinned, says: You are holding Me back, but I tell you that not only that I will not suffer is harmful to you; but you also cannot be saved if you yourself do not die, like everyone else: man or woman, poor or rich. “If anyone wants to” - these words the Lord said to show that virtue is a matter of free choice, not compulsion. But Jesus is not followed by the one who only confesses Him as the Son of God, but also goes through all the horrors and endures them. “Deny yourself,” he said, meaning complete renunciation with the pretext “from”. For example, even if he has nothing to do with the body, he despises himself, as we used to say: such and such a person refuses such and such, instead of - he has neither friend nor acquaintance. So, everyone should have no love for the body in order to take up the cross, that is, choose death and diligently seek death, and a shameful death. For such was the death of the cross among the ancients. But he says, “and follow Me,” for many robbers and thieves are crucified on the cross, but those are not My disciples. So, let him follow, that is, let him show every other virtue. The one who was dissolute yesterday, and today has become abstinent, rejects himself. Such was Paul, who rejected himself according to the word: 'And it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.' He chooses the cross, dying and crucifying himself to the world.
Matthew 16:25. For whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it;
Exhorts us to martyrdom. He who denies the Lord acquires a soul for the present, that is, he saves, but he destroys it for the future. He who suffers for his sake will destroy the soul for Christ's sake; but he will find her in incorruption and eternal life.
Matthew 16:26. What good is it to a person if he gains the whole world, but damages his soul? or what ransom will a man give for his soul?
Matthew 16:27. for the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his deeds.
Suppose he says that you have acquired the whole world, but what is the use of the body prospering if the soul is in a bad condition? This is similar to the fact that the mistress of the house wears torn rags, and the maid wears shiny clothes. For even in the future life no one can give a ransom for his soul. Here you can give tears, groans, alms, there is no. There will come the incorruptible Judge, for He He judges everyone according to their deeds, but also terrible, since He walks in His glory and with the angels, and not humbled.
Matthew 16:28. Truly I say to you: there are some of those standing here who will not taste death, as they will already see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.
He said that the Son of Man would come in His glory, and so that they would believe, he says that some of those standing here will see, as far as possible for them, the glory of the second coming in transfiguration. At the same time, it shows in what glory those who suffer for Him will be. As His flesh shone then, so by analogy will the righteous be enlightened at that time. He understands here Peter, James and John, whom He took to the mountain and showed them His Kingdom, that is, the coming state when He comes and the righteous will be enlightened. Therefore, he says: some of those standing here will not die until they see Me transformed. Pay attention that those who stand in goodness and steadfastness see the brightest transfiguration of Jesus and continually prosper in faith and commandments.
