Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 9:23

"And he said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." — Luke 9:23 (ASV)

Those who want to be Jesus’ disciples can only truly be said to “follow” (GK 199) him when they have implemented a radical decision to “deny” (GK 766) themselves. This verb functions as a polar opposite to the verb “confess” (GK 3933) which has the sense of acknowledging a thing or a person. We should therefore on the one hand “confess” Christ, i.e., acknowledge him and identify ourselves with him, and, on the other hand, not set our desires and our will against the right Christ has to our lives. It does not mean cultivating a weak, nonassertive personality or merely denying ourselves certain pleasures; rather, it means we must live for Christ. The next words about the daily cross explain and intensify this principle. To take up the cross daily is to live each day, not for self, but for Christ.