Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34, NIV)

A basic rule of Bible interpretation (exegesis): A verse cannot mean NOW what it could never have meant THEN. So what did this group of committed disciples and potential followers hear as Jesus called them to "take up the cross"? Some common contemporary takes on crossbearing include: