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Pentecost Season · Proper 17 · Year A

Matthew 16:21-28

Take Up Your Cross

August 30, 2026

Christ Carrying the Cross, El Greco
Christ Carrying the Cross, El Greco, c. 1580Metropolitan Museum of Art
El Greco painted this subject repeatedly. Christ does not stagger; he holds the cross almost gently and looks upward, and the burden is carried rather than suffered.If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.El GrecoA Cretan icon painter who trained in Venice and settled in Toledo, where he stretched his figures into something no other century has imitated successfully.Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe largest art museum in the Americas, founded in 1870 by a group of New Yorkers who wanted one and had no collection to start from.Metropolitan Museum of Art
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelMatt. 16:21-28Mt 16:21-28
EpistleRom. 12:9-21Rom 12:9-21
Old TestamentExod. 3:1-15Ex 3:1-15Alt. OTJer. 15:15-21Jer 15:15-21
PsalterPs. 105:1-6, 23-26, 45bPs 105:1-6, 23-26, 45bAlt. PsalmPs. 26:1-8Ps 26:1-8

Overview & Insights

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Jesus foretells his suffering, death, and resurrection, and rebukes Peter for opposing it. He teaches that his followers must deny themselves, take up their cross, and lose their life for his sake in order to find it.

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Commentary

Commentary on Matthew 16:21-28Commentary on Mt 16:21-28 Working Preacher

The Lutheran home commentary on this Year A Gospel by a named seminary scholar.

Matthew 16 - Take Up Your CrossMt 16 - Take Up Your Cross Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse-by-verse evangelical study of the first passion prediction and the cost of discipleship.

Matthew 16:21-28 CommentaryMt 16:21-28 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary on losing one's life to find it.

Matthew 16:21 CommentariesMt 16:21 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the way of the cross.

Matthew 16:21 Verse-by-Verse CommentaryMt 16:21 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight

A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further preaching voice.

Matthew 16 CommentaryMt 16 Commentary Precept Austin

An inductive study page collecting word studies and cross references on the chapter.

Background & Word Study

Matthew 16 (Matthew Henry Complete)Mt 16 (Mt Henry Complete) Bible Study Tools

Matthew Henry's full exposition of the chapter for a classic devotional reading.

Matthew 16:21 InterlinearMt 16:21 Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers, including the word for life or soul.

Gospel of Matthew OverviewGospel of Mt Overview BibleProject

An animated overview of Matthew that frames Jesus' road toward the cross.

The Church Fathers

Matthew 16 (Catena)Mt 16 (Catena) Catena

Patristic comments verse by verse on the cross, self-denial, and the coming kingdom.

Podcast

#919: 14th Sunday after Pentecost (Ord. 22A) – Sept. 3, 2023 Working Preacher (Sermon Brainwave)

Luther Seminary’s homiletics roundtable on this Sunday’s appointed texts, including Matthew 16:21-28.

Art & Music

Art in the Christian Tradition Vanderbilt

A curated index of images for this reading across the history of Christian art.

Study Hub

The Text This Week: Proper 17A Textweek

The Textweek hub aggregating commentary, art, and sermon links across every reading for the day.

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