Matthew 16:24

ἀράτω τὸν σταυρόν, ‘take up his cross,’ St Luke adds καθʼ ἡμέραν. The expression, ch. Matthew 10:38, differs slightly, ὃς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, where see note. ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν implies death; this explains the γὰρ (Matthew 16:15), let Christ’s follower lose on the cross the lower life, as the Master lost His, crucify also his earthly affections, of which the ψυχὴ was the seat (ψυχή … ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου, Luke 12:19), and he shall win the higher spiritual life here and hereafter. Another thought of the Cross is slavery—it was especially a slave’s death (‘cives Romani servilem in modum cruciati et necati,’ Cic. in Verrem I. 5); ‘you must be slaves not kings;’ cp. ch. Matthew 20:25-28 and Philippians 2:8, ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτόν, γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ.

For the thought of the Christian’s crucifixion with Christ cp. among many other passages Galatians 2:20, Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι.