Why Did Jesus Say To Take Up Their/His Cross Daily And Follow Me?

Understanding the historical and biblical context is the key to understanding the Bible.

Each time Jesus said, "Take up their/his cross daily and follow me," the historical and biblical context was that Jewish BELIEVERS would be killed by Jewish UNBELIEVERS after his ascension (AD 34).

Jesus understood that Jewish people who believed he IS the Christ would be killed by Jewish people who did NOT believe he is the Christ.

The Jewish people who did NOT believe would threaten with death those who DID believe.

Unbelieving Jews would carry out the death threat if a Jewish believer would not deny and denounce Jesus.

Jesus consistently and clearly told his disciples death was certain for Jewish believers (John 15:18-16:2; Matthew 5:10:17; 24:9; Luke 21:12-17).

The Book of Acts provides the historical record of Jewish believers being killed by Jewish unbelievers - starting with Stephen in Acts 6-7.

Eventually, in AD 64, the Roman Empire joined with the unbelieving Jews in killing believers (Revelation 13 - Sea Beast is the Roman Empire, Land Beast is first-century unbelieving Israel).

In AD 64, believers consisted of both Jews and Gentiles.

The Book of Revelation provides the historical account of Jewish and Gentile believers being killed by unbelieving Rome and unbelieving Israel (AD 34-68; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 13).

Jews and Gentiles who did NOT receive the mark of the beast by denying and denouncing Jesus were killed.

In their death, they overcame the Satanically controlled Roman Empire and unbelieving Israel - Revelation 12:10-11.

NOTE: (Satanically controlled Rome and Israel was the kingdom of Iron Mixed With Clay in Daniel 2 and the Sea Beast and Land Beast in Revelation 13. I explain this in my book The Statue, The Stone, and The Kingdom of Grace, and in my books on Revelation - CLICK HERE).

Jesus understood death was the future for believers.

In love and honesty, he wanted people to understand that believing he is the Christ would cost them their lives.

It is for this reason Jesus said, "Take up their/his cross daily and follow me."

The cross was an instrument of death.

First century believers would follow Jesus to their deaths.

Paul said he faced death everyday (1 Corinthians 15:31; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12).

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-24, Paul said he had been...

"...exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones (see Acts 14)."

Eventually, the unbelieving Jews teamed up with the Roman Empire (see Acts 21-28) and beheaded Paul in AD 68.

Paul, along with Stephen and many others, was one of the first-century believers who took up his cross and followed Jesus to death.

All over the world, believers have been and continue to be killed for not denying and denouncing Jesus.

These believers are taking up their cross daily and are following Jesus to their deaths.

May God's grace be with them.

Verses about taking up their/his cross daily: Matthew 10:38; 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23

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