Mark 8:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Conversely, those who cherish their souls but are unwilling to sacrifice them for Christ and the Gospel due to an attachment to the fleeting pleasures of this world will harm their souls by denying them genuine life, resulting in their eternal condemnation. In lamentation for such individuals and to underscore the gravity of their predicament, the compassionate Lord inquires: ‘What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?’ (Matthew 16:26). His glory will not accompany him into the grave nor will any of the honors or pleasures esteemed in this age, which he chose over a salvific sacrifice of self for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. What could he possibly find among the temporal things that would serve as a ransom for a reasonable soul, which is of far greater worth than the entirety of the world? Hence, even if a man were to gain the whole world, it would profit him nothing if he harmed his soul in the process; how much more dreadful would it be if he who can only acquire a fraction of this world, were to wound his soul for the sake of that small portion, instead of choosing to bear the Cross both in its representation and in its deeper understanding, following the Giver of life! The Cross signifies the denial of self and embodies the essence of that Image. We have already discussed the meaning and mystery of this Image; indeed, it was Paul who articulated it brilliantly, proclaiming the Cross and emphasizing the need to know nothing except Christ, particularly the Crucified One. What does he declare? - ‘The Cross represents the crucifixion of the flesh along with its passions and desires’ (cf. Galatians 5:24). Do you think he is solely referring to the carnal pleasures and impure desires? Why then does he write to the Corinthians, ‘For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not carnal?’ (1 Cor. 3:3). Thus, anyone who craves glory or stubbornly insists on their own will to gain victory in competition is indeed acting carnally and walking according to the flesh. This is why discord arises, as echoed by James the Just who states: ‘What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Is it not your desires that wage war within you? You covet but do not possess; you kill and envy but cannot obtain; you fight and make war’ (James 4:1-2). Therefore, to crucify the flesh along with its passions and desires means that a person ought to become unresponsive to anything that is displeasing to God; if the body insists on its own whims, everyone should strive to elevate it to the heights of the Cross. What do I mean by this? - While on earth, the Lord not only lived a life of humility but also preached it, declaring, ‘None of you can be my disciple unless he renounces all his possessions’ (Luke 14:33).

The Lord stated, if anyone does not despise his own life, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26).

The esteemed Barsonophius elucidates these words: 'How does one deny oneself? It is achieved solely by abandoning natural desires and following the Lord. Thus the Lord refers to the natural, and not to the unnatural; for if one only renounces the unnatural, he has not truly forsaken anything that is his own for God's sake, as the unnatural does not pertain to him. However, one who has forsaken what is natural will echo the lament of the Apostle Peter: “We have left everything, and we follow You; what then will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27-29) and will receive the reassuring voice of the Lord along with the promise of eternal life (Matthew 19:27, 29).

What did Peter abandon, given his lack of wealth, and what did he take pride in, if not the relinquishment of his natural cravings? For unless a person dies to the cares of the flesh and lives by the Spirit, he cannot attain resurrection in the soul. Just as a dead person has no natural desires, so too does one who is spiritually dead to the flesh possess none. If you are indeed dead to the flesh, how can any natural impulses thrive within you? If you have not yet attained a mature spiritual mindset and still possess a childish understanding, then humbly submit to your teacher—allow him to correct you with kindness (Ps. 140:5) and refrain from acting without guidance (Sire. 32:21), even if your actions appear to have merit; for the light of demons will eventually transform into darkness (Reply 59). The same can be said for the deceptive light of fallen human nature. Pursuing this light and nurturing it within oneself leads to profound darkness in the soul, completely distancing it from Christ. Whoever is estranged from Christianity is estranged from God: anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father (1 John 2:23) and is without faith.

Additionally, Scripture refers to us as souls: According to the Evangelist John, "He who loves his soul will lose it, and he who hates his soul in this world will save it for eternal life" (John 12:25). The Lord, who stated, “Let him deny himself,” refers to the soul when mentioning 'self.' He elaborates on why individuals pursuing salvation must deny their soul. He asserts that anyone who aims to save their soul—essentially, anyone wishing to preserve their own life—will ultimately lose it. However, one who lays down their life—not out of vanity or misguided dreams but out of love for Jesus Christ and for the sake of the Gospel message—will find eternal life. This principle is illustrated through the history of Christian persecution. Those who sacrificed their lives rather than reject Jesus Christ and the truth of the Gospel truly saved themselves, being honored as saints and counted among the glorious Martyrs. In contrast, those who chose to preserve their lives by renouncing Christ and the Gospel effectively brought about their own destruction, rendering themselves unworthy of the kingdom of heaven and being categorized among the wicked apostates. Recognizing the difficulty of overcoming the sinful desires of the spirit and the challenge of surrendering one's life, the Lord provides encouragement for this daunting endeavor by asking: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but to lose his soul?"

The Gospel of Mark reveals that multitudes followed Him there, often keeping a respectful distance but drawn near at times to hear the good teachings that flowed from His mouth. Both the crowd and the disciples continued to wrestle with the same misconceptions that had prompted Peter's impulsive remarks. In response, Christ imparted a vital lesson, explaining that the essence of every higher calling and the significance of life's truths, which manifest as the most honorable service to God and provide a noble example for humanity, resides in the principle of self-denial. On this occasion, He proclaimed those few words that profoundly resonated with the conscience of humankind, elevating their thoughts from earthly concerns to spiritual truths: "What good is it to a man if he gains the whole world, but harms his own soul? Or what ransom will a man give for his soul?" (Mk. 8:36-37). He then restated that He would soon face trial.