That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom: and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
ινα εσθιητε και πινητε επι της τραπεζης μου μου εν τη βασιλεια μου και καθισεσθε επι θρονων κρινοντες τας δωδεκα φυλας του ισραηλ
13 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 19 commentaries
What then will Judas also sit there? Observe what the law was which God gave by Jeremiah, If I have promised any good, and thou art counted unworthy of it, I will punish you. (Jerem. 18:10.) Therefore speaking to His disciples He did not make a general promise, but added, Ye who have continued with me in my temptations.
As the Lord had denounced woe to the traitor, so on the other hand to the rest of the disciples He promises blessings, saying, Ye are they which have continued with me, &c.
He said this not as if they would have there bodily food, or as if His kingdom were to be a sensible one. For their life then shall be the life of angels, as He before told the Sadducees. (Mat. 22:30, Luke 20:36) But Paul also says that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink. (Rom. 14:17.)
That is, the unbelievers condemned out of the twelve tribes.
By means of the things of our present life He describes spiritual things. For they exercise a high privilege with earthly kings, who sit at their table as guests. So then by man’s estimation He shews who shall be rewarded by Him with the greatest honours.
The kingdom of God is not of this world, But it is not equality with God, but likeness to Him, unto which man must aspire. For Christ alone is the full image of God, on account of the unity of His Father’s glory expressed in Him. But the righteous man is after the image of God, if for the sake of imitating the likeness of the Divine conversation, He through the knowledge of God despises the world. Therefore also we eat the Body and Blood of Christ, that we may be partakers of eternal life. Whence it follows, That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. For the reward promised to us is not food and drink, but the communication of heavenly grace and life.
But the twelve thrones are not as it were any resting-places for the bodily posture, but because since Christ judges after the Divine likeness by knowledge of the hearts, not by examination of the actions, rewarding virtue, condemning iniquity; so the Apostles are appointed to a spiritual judgment, for the rewarding of faith, the condemnation of unbelief, repelling error with virtue, inflicting vengeance on the sacrilegious.
You shall partake in my feast within my kingdom. This feast represents a divine and celestial banquet. It signifies the everlasting and ineffable blessings prepared for those who cherish God, while the food and drink symbolize the delight found in them. Additionally, you will take your places on thrones to govern the twelve tribes of Israel. This promise was given in the gospel of Matthew, specifically in the forty-first chapter, which states, ‘But Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the future, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” And consider the insights related to this passage.
For not the first effort of patience, but long-continued perseverance, is rewarded with the glory of the heavenly kingdom, for perseverance, (which is called constancy or fortitude of mind,) is, so to say, the pillar and prop of all virtues. The Son of God then conducts those who abide with Him in His temptations to the everlasting kingdom. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. (Rom. 6:5.) Hence it follows, And I give to you a kingdom, &c.
Or the table offered to all saints richly to enjoy is the glory of a heavenly life, wherewith they who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled, resting in the long-desired enjoyment of the true God. (Matt. 5:6.)
This then is the exchange to the right hand of the Most High, (Ps. 118:15.) that those who now in lowliness rejoice to minister to their fellow-servants, shall then at our Lord’s table on high be fed with the banquet of everlasting life, and they who here in temptations abide with the Lord being unjustly judged, shall then come with Him as just judges upon their tempters. Hence it follows, And sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
From the high excellence of this promise Judas is excluded. For before the Lord said this, Judas must be supposed to have gone out. They also are excluded whoever having heard the words of the incomprehensible Sacrament, have gone backwards. (John 6:67.)
The Lord continued, “You have remained by My side through all My trials, staying loyal despite the slanders and persecutions from My adversaries. In gratitude, I grant to you, just as My Father has granted to Me, a kingdom that surpasses your desires, so that you may partake in My feast in My realm and take your seats on thrones, overseeing the twelve tribes of Israel.” This proclamation from the Lord aimed to illustrate as clearly as possible the immense rewards awaiting His disciples. As He made this profound promise, His gaze rested upon Judas, causing His compassionate lips to fall silent.
What we earthbound travelers can discern in this symbolic portrayal of the exalted condition of the Apostles is twofold: the privilege of standing in proximity to the Sovereign of Heaven and sharing in the authority of His judgment. The Apostles experience joy even prior to the final judgment, as through their teachings and writings, they hold a position of judgment over Israel and indeed the entire world. However, the complete splendor of the saints will only be unveiled following Christ’s judgment of the cosmos. Thus, the full depth of the Apostles’ promise of glory will be realized only after the universal judgment. Similarly, the honor bestowed upon the Apostles in the New Jerusalem, as revealed by the seer (Rev.
21:12-14), remains a mystery to us; we may grasp the words of the description, yet the entirety of its significance eludes our understanding. Dear friends, what the Saviour accomplished for the Apostles at the Last Supper epitomizes His whole life and embodies the essence of His earthly mission. Let this astonishing image remain ever before us; it will cast a transformative light on our lives. The Savior’s act of washing His disciples’ feet as a servant will guard us against pride, greed, negligence in serving our neighbors, apathy towards the struggles and needs of our brothers and sisters, and the stinginess that makes it difficult for us to give freely to Christ. Amen.
The anticipation of the imminent revelation of the kingdom reignited the eager aspirations of the disciples, leading to renewed debates among them regarding who held the highest position. The Lord reminded them of His teachings concerning the distinction between His kingdom and all earthly realms. However, to prevent the disciples from succumbing to despair, He reassured them: "since you have been with Me in My trials, I bequeath to you a kingdom, as My Father bequeathed to Me a kingdom." By linking His earlier revelation of the Supper of the 'New Passover' with their longing for thrones, He reiterated His promise to them, assuring them once more. "Let you eat and drink at My meal in My kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel."
In the account presented by Luke, the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding humility were provided in the context of addressing the disciples' quarrel over who was greatest among them. While elucidating His lessons on humility, Christ responded indirectly to their contention about greatness. He assured them that because of their loyal discipleship amid all the trials they faced on His account, He promised them joy in His kingdom, stating, "that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom." He indicated that they would be granted the honored positions in that kingdom, being especially near to
the Lord-King, signifying, "and He shall sit on the throne to judge the twelve tribes of Israel." The Gospel of John elaborates that Christ qualified this promise, emphasizing that only those chosen by God for salvation would partake in its blessings, and that the Scriptures would be fulfilled regarding one of them, despite his selection as a disciple of the Lord. The treachery of Judas would bring distress to the true followers of Christ, but they were reminded that this had been foretold and was thus known to the Lord. To bolster their faith, Jesus contrasted Judas' betrayal by informing them that they would be emissaries in His name, elevating the significance of their ministry by declaring that receiving them equates to receiving Christ and God Himself. Luke captures this idea, reinforcing that they would be blessed not only by knowledge of His teachings but also by living them out. However, He poignantly noted that among them, one was not only unwilling to serve but would soon betray even his teacher and Lord.
If you adhere to my teachings, blessings will follow you. You have remained loyal to me despite the challenges posed by my adversaries; you did not abandon me even when many of my followers turned away. For this faithfulness, I grant you my kingdom, leading you into the Kingdom of Heaven, where you will enjoy the highest honor of being in my presence.
To the apostles who forsook everything to follow Him solely at His invitation, some of whom were guided by John the Baptist during a time when His teachings were not fully revealed and His miraculous works were limited; to these individuals who endeavored to spread the message of Christ throughout the world, a distinct and greater reward awaits: they are destined to share in the splendor of Christ. This is why Jesus proclaimed that at the culmination of the age, when the Son of Man manifests in His heavenly glory, the apostles will partake in this glory with Him. Their exaltation above all humanity will stand as a testament against the twelve tribes of Israel that chose not to believe in Him.
As noted by John Chrysostom, the Apostles will not judge the Jewish people in a judicial sense but rather as witnesses. He likens their role to that of the Queen of the South, who would condemn that generation, and the Ninevites, who will also bear witness against the unbelievers. The Jews shared the same laws and traditions and lived analogous lives to the Apostles. Therefore, when they claim in their defense that they could not accept Christ’s teachings due to legal prohibitions, the Lord will refer them to the Apostles who upheld the same law yet believed. As previously stated, "Therefore they shall be your judges." The thrones signify not mere seats but profound glory and honor.
‘You will eat and drink’ indicates two aspects of this kingdom regarding the Apostles: their blessedness and their honor, suggesting that this kingdom is primarily understood as a kingdom of glory. The blessedness of the Apostles within the Messiah's realm is depicted through the familiar imagery of participating in the divine feast of God’s kingdom; the honor they receive in that kingdom is illustrated by the common metaphor of occupying thrones to judge the people of Israel. The statement ‘let you eat and drink’ does not imply that there will be physical food present, nor does it suggest that His kingdom is of a physical nature, for through His response to the Sadducees, He indicated that the nature of the afterlife is akin to that of angels (Luke 20:36).
Therefore, when one hears the suggestion to ‘Let them eat and drink,’ they should not be swayed but rather understand that this refers to those esteemed by worldly rulers. For those who partake in the king's feast are considered superior to all others. Similarly, the Lord assures that He will elevate the Apostles above all.
In those significant moments when Christ the Redeemer was predicting forthcoming events, His disciples once more addressed the topic of leadership, a matter they had discussed repeatedly (Matthew 18:1; 20:21), and debated among themselves regarding who among them should be deemed the greatest. To alleviate their troubled spirits, the Lord not only reiterated the lesson of humility He had imparted earlier (20:25-27), but also disclosed that true greatness and glory awaited them not in this earthly life, but in the Kingdom of Heaven. While earthly rulers, referred to as benefactors, wield authority over others, you are called to a different standard. Your focus should be on serving one another; let the one who is in need be regarded as a wise person, and the older as a servant.
Who, after all, is greater—the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Yet, I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by Me in My trials, and I grant you a kingdom, just as My Father granted to Me, so that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom and sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel. The Lord conveys the heavenly joy awaiting His faithful disciples through the familiar imagery of the Great Supper (Mt. 22:2; Lk. 13:29; 14:16), while the divine glory associated with participating in His judgment of the world (1 Cor. 6:2) is illustrated by the image of sitting upon twelve thrones (Mt. 19:28) encircling the throne of the Judge— the Son of God (Jn. 5:22).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 22 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS