Matthew 10:37-39

Matthew 10:37-39

[37] He that loveth  father  or  mother  more than  not  worthy  and  he that loveth  son  or  daughter  more than  not  worthy  [38] And  he  that taketh  not  his  cross,  and  followeth  after  not  worthy  [39] He that findeth  his  life  shall lose  it:  and  he that loseth  his  life  sake  shall find  it. 

What does Matthew 10:37-39 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jesus taught that people must love one another, but they must love Him more. This is a remarkable claim that shows how important Jesus" viewed the supreme allegiance of His disciples. Taking one"s cross does not mean tolerating some unpleasant situation in one"s life for Jesus" sake. It means dying to self, namely, putting Jesus first. In this sense every disciple bears the same cross. Jesus" reference to crucifixion, His first in Matthew , would have helped His disciples realize that their calling would involve pain and shame.
Those who find (i.e, preserve) their lives now will forfeit them later. Conversely the disciple who loses his or her life (Gr. psyche) by martyrdom or by self-denial now will find (preserve) it in the next stage of his or her existence. This is true in a twofold sense. The person who lives for the present loses the real purpose of life. [1] He or she also loses the reward for faithful living.
"There is an absolutism in the call to Jesus and the kingdom that can seem unattractive, if not unendurable. But this is only half the story, for the rewards are beyond calculation." [2]
This entire section ( Matthew 10:26-39) contrasts the present with the future. For the12Apostles their present ministry, self-denial, and consequent persecution involved identifying themselves publicly as Jesus" disciples. It involved calling on the Jews to repent for the kingdom was at hand because the King had arrived. For modern disciples our present ministry, self-denial, and consequent persecution involve identifying ourselves publicly as Jesus" disciples. They also involve urging people to believe in Him. In both groups those who are faithful to their calling will receive God"s commendation when we stand before Him. Old Testament saints will stand before God when He judges Israel at Jesus" second coming ( Daniel 12:1-2). Modern Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ ( 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). Those who are unfaithful will not receive some of the commendation, joy, and reward that could have been theirs had they remained faithful.
This discourse (ch10) covers the whole period during which disciples of Jesus will minister, from Jesus" day until the establishment of the messianic kingdom. It begins with the duty of the12Apostles but then broadens to include all subsequent disciples before the establishment of the kingdom. The scope of the Mission Discourse and the Sermon on the Mount are the same, the interim between Jesus" first and second advents.