Question:
Regarding Matthew 16:24; Jesus said "If any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." What was the significance of the cross prior to Jesus' crucifixion? What would "take up his cross" mean to the disciples before Jesus had taken up His own? Is that applicable to us today?

Answer:
People knew what crucifixion was, but not in the application that Jesus was presenting.

It didn't mean anything to them at the time Jesus spoke these words. Nothing that Jesus said about what was going to happen meant anything to them. It took the Holy Spirit to cause them to understand what Jesus meant. Jesus said in John 13:7, "...what I do you do not know now, but you will know after this." Jesus said the Holy Spirit was going to bring all things to their remembrance that Jesus spoke to them - John 14:26.

Yes, it is applicable to us today. The cross that Jesus was talking about was OUR death - that He died in our place. When Jesus said we are to take up our cross and follow Him, Jesus was talking about taking up our own death on the cross when Jesus died. When Jesus died, we died. Paul said in Galatians 2:20, "I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who love me, and gave Himself for me." Paul said in Colossians 3:2-3, "Set you affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3) for you are dead, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God." The in-depth study of the believer carrying his death on Jesus' cross is found in Romans 6.