²¹ From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
²² And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you."
²³ But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."
²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
²⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
²⁶ For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
²⁷ For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.

• (vv.21-23) This first prediction of the passion corrects the misunderstanding of Jesus' messiahship as solely one of glory and triumph, but one of suffering and death.
• Any false interpretation of Jesus' messiahship is a temptation from Satan. Peter's attitude was rebuked sharply as a stumbling block in Jesus' way, and purely of human thinking.
• (v.24) The discipleship of the cross connects the fate of the disciples to Jesus' own fate.
• (vv.25-26) Only by self-denial oneself and allowing God do the guiding can freedom and happiness be found.
• (v.27) The idea of judgment according to one's deeds is dear to Matthew's heart, and expressed also in Paul's epistles (Rom 14:12; 1Cor 4:5)

As Jesus' disciples, we all follow his footsteps of denying ourselves, emptying ourselves to receive the Spirit of love, only then can we accept suffering and the death in accordance to the Father's plan.

1. It has been said that the road to the hell is paved with good intentions. Can you name some of your outstanding successes and their driving forces? Are the motivations plainly human thinking?
2. What kind of cross are you carrying? How do you carry it? Is there any way to transform suffering into love, love of God and love of one another?
3. Are you a cross that others have to bear? Why?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community