With the Father and the elect angels, but without any of the sons of men. Scott says the same.
25.— [He that loveth his life, etc.'] There are few of our Lord's say- ings more frequently recorded by the Holy Ghost than this pair of paradoxes. The repetition shows its great importance. It will be found in Matt. x. 39 ; xvi. 25 : Mark viii. 35 ; Luke ix. 24 ; xvii. 33 ; as well as here.
The meaning is plain : " He that loves his life, or thinks more of the life that now is than that which is to come, shall lose that which is the best part of his life, his soul. He that hateth his life, or cares little for it compared to the life to come, shall pre- serve to eternal glory that which is the best part of his life, to wit, his soul/'
One object of our Lord in saying these words was evidently to prevent His disciples looking for good things in this life, if they followed Him. They must give up their Jewish ideas about temporal rewards and honours in Messiah's service. They must understand that His kingdom was entirely spiritual, and that if they were His disciples they must be content to lose much in this life, in order to gain the glory of the life to come. So far from promising them temporal rewards, He would have them distinctly know that they must give up much and sacrifice much, if they wanted to be saved.
The other object our Lord had in view in saying these words was to teach all Christians in every age, that like Him they must make up their minds to sacrifice much, and to die to the world, in the hope of a harvest of glory in a world to come. Through death we must seek life. Eternal life must be the great end a Christian looks to. To attain it he must be willing to give up everything.
The practical condemnation which this verse passes on the life lived by many should never be overlooked. How few hate their lives here ! How many love them, and care for nothing but how to make them comfortable and happy ! The eternal loss or the eternal gain are often entirely forgotten.
Augustine gives a wise caution : " Take heed lest there steal upon thee a will to make away with thyself, while thou takest in the sense that it is a duty to hate thine own life in this world. Hence certain malignant and perverse men give themselves to the flames, choke themselves in the water, dash themselves in pieces, aud so perish. Christ taught not this. Not by himself, but by another, must that man be put to death who would follow in Christ's footsteps."
The word "hate " here must be taken comparatively. It is a Hebraism, like " Jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated." " Your appointed feasts my soul hateth." (Rom. ix. 13; Isai. i. 1*0
Scott thinks this verse was meant to teach the Greeks and all
340 expositorf thoughts.
the disciples to arm themselves with a mind like their Master's if they wanted to follow Him.
26. — [If any man serve me... folio 10 me. ] This verse seems spoken for the benefit and information of the Greeks who sought to see Jesus, and of all who desired to become His disciples. If any man desires to serve Christ, and be a Christian, he mast be con- tent to follow His Master, walk in His footsteps, share His lot, do as He did, and partake of His Master's inheritance in this world. He must not look for good things here, — for crowns, kingdoms, riches, honours, wealth, and dignity. Like His Mas ter, he must be content with a cross. He must, in a woud "take up his cross and follow Me." (Matt. xvi. 24.) As St. Paul says, "we are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." (Rom. viii. 17.)
[And where lam, there.. .my servant be.~] This is the first thing that Christ promises to those who follow Him. They shall be with Christ wherever He is, in paradise, and in His glorious kingdom. He and His servant shall not be parted. Whatever the Master has, the servant shall have also.
It is a comfortable thought, that however little we know of the life to come and the state after death, we do know that we shall be " with Christ, which is far better." (Phil. i. 23.)
[If any man serve me. ..my Father honour.~\ This is the second thing which Jesus promises to His disciples. The Father shall give, to those who love Christ, such honour as eye hath not seen nor ear heard. Honour from the men of this world they may not have. Honour from the Father shall make amends for all.
It is impossible not to see throughout this verse that our Lord's intention is to discourage the carnal and earthly expecta- tion of His Jewish followers, and yet to encourage them by showing what they might confidently look for. They must fol- low in His steps if they were his true servauts, and in so follow- ing they would find a cross, and not a crown, whatever they might be thinking, at that moment, while the hosannas of an excited crowd were sounding in their ears. But though they had a cross, they should not miss a reward finally, which would make amends for all. They would be with Christ in glory. They would be honoured by God the Father.
The words, "Him will my Father honour," of course admit of being applied to this life in a certain sense : " Them that honour Me I will honour." (1 Sam. ii. 30/ But it is much more agreeable to the context, I think, to apply them to the honour which shall be given in another world.
The clearest conception we can form of heaven is that which is here stated. It is being with Christ, and receiving honour from God. Heaven is generally described by negatives. This
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is, however, an exceptional positive. It is being "with Christ." (Compare John xiv. 3; xvii. 24; 1 Thess. iv. 17.)
Let us note how wisely and mercifully our Lord always damped and checked the unscriptural expectations of His disciples. Never on any occasion do we find Him keeping back the cross, or bribing men to follow Him, as Mahomet did, by promising temporal comfort and happiness.