Matthew 19:23-30, Twelve Thrones

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Comments

Jesus had a great sense of humor regarding the difficulty of a large animal traversing a small hole and equating it with wealth. If entering the kingdom of heaven requires the renunciation of personal rights and possessions, then wealth is a handicap that people likely cannot overcome. Salvation by its very nature and meaning is the work of God and not of man.

Jesus gave his followers, the true Israel, a glimpse into the end times when a disciple’s losses, like Job’s, will be handsomely restored. The first being last and the last being first vividly expressed the turning upside down of the world’s values by Jesus. It may also be a warning to Peter not to imagine that his sacrifice has earned him a greater reward.

Prayers

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(BCP, p. 230)