Deny Yourself and Take Up Your Cross

Peter had just made his glorious confession, but now he makes his greatest error to date. In rebuking Jesus for His resolve to go to the cross, Peter proves to not yet have a theology of victory through suffering. Jesus doesn't need a bodyguard, and His glory won't be in God sparing Him from death. His mission is to die.

And He calls his disciples to likewise deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. He tells them that the world is not worth one of their souls, because it is passing away and the Son of Man is coming to repay each one according to their deeds. And as a guarantee of His glorious return, Peter, James, and John would not taste death before they saw Him transfigured.