Mat 10:39, 16:25-26 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 39. He that findeth his life , &c.] i.e. He who, for the sake of his temporal interest , abandons his spiritual concerns , shall lose his soul; and he who, in order to avoid martyrdom , abjures the pure religion of Christ, shall lose his soul , and perhaps his life too. He that findeth his life shall lose it , was literally fulfilled in Archbishop Cranmer . He confessed Christ against the devil, and his eldest son, the pope. He was ordered to be burnt; to save his life he recanted, and was, notwithstanding, burnt . Whatever a man sacrifices to God is never lost , for he finds it again in God. There is a fine piece on this subject in Juvenal , Sat. viii. l. 80, which deserves to be recorded here. ----------- ambiguae si quando citabere testis Incertaeque rei, Phalaris liect imperet ut sis Falsus, et admoto dictet perjuria tauro, Summum crede nefas ANIMAM praeferre PUDORI Et propter VITAM VIVENDI perdere causas. ---------- If ever call'd To give thy witness in a doubtful case, Though Phalaris himself should bid thee lie , On pain of torture in his flaming bull, Disdain to barter innocence for life ; To which life owes its lustre and its worth . Wakefield .

‏ Matthew 10:39

Verse 39. He that findeth his life, &c.] i.e. He who, for the sake of his temporal interest, abandons his spiritual concerns, shall lose his soul; and he who, in order to avoid martyrdom, abjures the pure religion of Christ, shall lose his soul, and perhaps his life too. He that findeth his life shall lose it, was literally fulfilled in Archbishop Cranmer. He confessed Christ against the devil, and his eldest son, the pope. He was ordered to be burnt; to save his life he recanted, and was, notwithstanding, burnt. Whatever a man sacrifices to God is never lost, for he finds it again in God.

There is a fine piece on this subject in Juvenal, Sat. viii. l. 80, which deserves to be recorded here.

----------- ambiguae si quando citabere testis

Incertaeque rei, Phalaris liect imperet ut sis

Falsus, et admoto dictet perjuria tauro,

Summum crede nefas ANIMAM praeferre PUDORI

Et propter VITAM VIVENDI perdere causas.

---------- If ever call'd

To give thy witness in a doubtful case,

Though Phalaris himself should bid thee lie,

On pain of torture in his flaming bull,

Disdain to barter innocence for life;

To which life owes its lustre and its worth.

Wakefield.

‏ Matthew 16:25-26

Verse 25. For whosoever will save his life] That is, shall wish to save his life-at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it-the very evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. See then how necessary it is to renounce one's self! But whatsoever a man loses in this world, for his steady attachment to Christ and his cause, he shall have amply made up to him in the eternal world.

Verse 26. Lose his own soul] Or, lose his life, τηνψυχην αυτου. On what authority many have translated the word ψυχη, in the 25th verse, life, and in this verse, soul, I know not, but am certain it means life in both places. If a man should gain the whole world, its riches, honours, and pleasures, and lose his life, what would all these profit him, seeing they can only be enjoyed during life? But if the words be applied to the soul, they show the difficulty-the necessity-and importance of salvation. The world, the devil, and a man's own heart are opposed to his salvation; therefore it is difficult. The soul was made for God, and can never be united to him, nor be happy, till saved from sin: therefore it is necessary. He who is saved from his sin, and united to God, possesses the utmost felicity that the human soul can enjoy, either in this or the coming world: therefore, this salvation is important. See also Clarke's note on "Lu 9:25".