Man has very little understanding about that aspect of his being which is eternal and invisible. It was part of the knowledge of which he was robbed by Adam's fall. Chief amongst those things about the soul which man is ignorant of, is its value. The words of Christ are aimed directly at this ignorance. He is basically saying that man should deny himself all things which in any way jeopardise the soul's eternal wellbeing. The word "for" at the start of our text indicates the commencement of a statement which justifies something that has just been said. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it," verse 35. The salvation of the soul is more important than life itself!