Interpretation of the Bible / Matthew 10:39

This phrase in Matthew 10:39 may seem contradictory and difficult to understand at first, but it is actually one of Jesus’ most profound teachings on the importance of sacrifice and self-denial in the Christian life.

Historical context

This passage comes in the middle of a sermon in which Jesus was preparing His disciples to preach the gospel to the world, warning them of the dangers and persecutions they would face. In this sermon, Jesus reminds them that they must be willing to lose everything for Him, even their lives if necessary.

Losing life to find it

Jesus emphasizes that life is a gift, not something to be earned. The idea of “finding life” is to find joy, peace, love, and a life that truly has meaning by pointing to Him.

However, this verse indicates that we cannot find that life unless we are willing to give everything to God. It is a stunning paradox that tells us that the more we try to hold on to our lives and control our destiny, the more we despair and lose true meaning and happiness.

Eternal life is a life of self-denial; it is the sacrifice of one’s own ambitions, goals, desires, dreams, and fears and the surrender of them into the hands of God.

Free yourself from selfishness

Jesus’s teaching calls us to free ourselves from the great obstacle of selfishness and the obsession with material things. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that happiness lies in material accumulation, fame, or power, but true eternal life lies in surrendering our whole being to God and trusting Him.

Embracing suffering

Jesus also gives us profound teaching on suffering and persecution. We all experience suffering, whether it is due to our own actions or circumstances beyond our control. But Jesus says that even when we suffer for His sake and for the sake of the gospel, we can be sure that God is with us and will reward us in ways we cannot even imagine.