NOTES for Luk 17:33

Jesus repeats this idea several times in various circumstances to the followers; nevertheless it remains one of the most difficult texts for understanding. The Lord calls pernicious our efforts to protect and save our life to be destructive. However, we are used to believe that it is a matter of the "salvation of the soul" in the gospel. The whole fact is that, when we try to preserve our life (soul and life are almost synonymic in the Christian context), it means that we are occupied with ourselves. While salvation, which Jesus offers to His followers consists of taking care not of oneself. The road of Christ's followers isn't so much a road deepened with self-perfecting for a spiritual perfection, but rather a road where we give ourselves for others. This is exactly what makes the Gospel to be a practical book, and that's why practically nothing is said inside concerning the perfection of oneself. Faith, active love, as the Scripture quotes it is a practice of the Christian life, in a fallen world, which of course is a way of losses and failures, the Cross’ way. The life that man gives to another is really lost and ruins itself as the Lord Jesus says. But still He says that it's the only way we can quicken our soul, and have a genuine life.