And Peter began to say unto him: Behold, we have left all things and have followed thee.
ηρξατο ο πετρος λεγειν αυτω ιδου ημεις αφηκαμεν παντα και ηκολουθησαμεν σοι
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Although Peter gave up a small amount for the sake of Christ, he still refers to this small sacrifice as ‘all things.’ This shows that even a minor sacrifice carries the weight of commitment, and thus, one who relinquishes even a little is deserving of blessing.
Some individuals have entirely relinquished everything for the sake of the kingdom of God, exemplified by the Apostles, who boldly declared to their Lord: ‘We have forsaken all things, and in Your footsteps we will go’ (Mark 10:28). In recognition of this extraordinary commitment, they were granted the remarkable promise of sitting on twenty-four thrones as judges of God's people. Furthermore, to those who follow their example in the complete relinquishment of worldly ties, it is especially assured that they will receive a hundredfold in return, even in this present age, as a foretaste of the eternal rewards that await for all they have sacrificed for Christ and His Gospel.
The confusion was resolved by this revelation. Yet, those who listened to the Lord were left with another inquiry: What will the outcome be? Consider a wealthy individual who would need to shrink like a camel trying to navigate a narrow gate, or like a thread that is pulled through the eye of a needle—what will this lead to, what purpose does it serve? St. Peter poses a question on behalf of all: 'For instance, have we abandoned everything to follow You?' The reasoning behind this inquiry is not explicitly revealed in the passage. It remains unclear what St. Peter intended to convey and what he hoped to discover. Nevertheless, the Lord's response indicates that he was contemplating the inquiry: ‘What is in store for us and for those who will follow our example?’ (see Matthew 19:27).
The Lord replies that anyone who sacrifices anything for His sake and for the sake of the Kingdom will receive in this life, a hundredfold, and in the age to come, eternal life. Some interpret the origins of this question differently: The Apostles believed they had fulfilled all that was required to follow the Lord. St. Peter addressed the Lord with the thought: We have completed all that we needed to - or perhaps posed the question: Have we truly done all? Others suggest this question arises from the fact that while the Lord instructed the young man to ‘Sell,’ the Apostles did not do so, but retained their possessions; thus, they sought to understand how this would be perceived, and if it bore significance. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the Lord's response is not limited to the Apostles, but is intended for all believers. Indeed, the Lord recognized that this question was relevant to everyone, not just the Apostles, and therefore provided an answer meant for all.
After the young man left, the Lord addressed the disciples, highlighting the difficulty a wealthy individual faces in entering the kingdom of heaven. By "wealth," He referred not just to financial assets and property, but to anything humans cherish as their own, excluding God. The disciples took His statement quite literally and questioned, "If earthly attachments hinder entry to the kingdom of God, who then can be saved?" The Lord replied that what is beyond human capability is within God's power. While a person may struggle to release their grip on worldly matters on their own, they can accomplish this through divine grace. Each disciple reflected on their own situation.
They recognized that they had already made significant sacrifices for the Lord, having left their families, homes, and possessions. Nonetheless, they also sensed within themselves a lack of the purity and detachment that the Lord demanded. What should they anticipate? Would their fate mirror that of the young man?
After the Lord brought peace to His disciples by revealing the possibility of salvation for sinful humanity through divine assistance, the apostles contemplated the rich young man's interaction with the Lord, specifically regarding His call to surrender all and follow Him. Reflecting on what the Lord had conveyed, they turned their thoughts inward and Peter voiced, “Behold, we have forsaken everything and followed You; what then will be our reward?” In Peter's inquiry, there lies not merely a yearning for a reward—of which the apostles were already assured after the Lord had provided them comfort by demonstrating the grace of God as the pathway to salvation—but a true desire to understand the nature of that reward for their sacrifices in following Jesus.
It is essential to recognize that Peter's assertion about himself and the other apostles forsaking all is grounded in reality. Furthermore, their wish for a reward was not driven by selfishness, nor was it the sole motivation of their spirits towards the Lord; instead, it was deeply intertwined with their love for Him and their faith in Him as the Messiah, which motivated their decision to leave everything behind and follow Him. Therefore, although the Lord urges His disciples later in His response to avoid the pursuit of virtuous rewards (Matt. 30; Mark 31), He initially acknowledges Peter’s rightful declaration. The entirety of the Lord's response, as presented in Matthew, consists of three segments: He first promises a reward to the twelve apostles (28), then to all His disciples (29), and finally He encourages those who, based on their timing of conversion, are among the first in the Kingdom (19:30-20:1-16). Mark presents the latter two sections of this response, while Luke shares only the second part.
When the Apostles initially inquired about the likelihood of salvation for others, their thoughts inevitably turned to their own circumstances. Peter, who represented their desires and views, expressed this by saying, “Behold, we have left everything and followed you; what shall it be for us?”
Just as there are few wealthy individuals who do not feel a deep bond with their riches, the disciples reacted with shock upon hearing this and exclaimed, "Who then can be saved?" Like their fellow Jews, they believed wealth was a unique favor from God, yet they secretly clung to the hope of the Messiah's kingdom on earth, where they anticipated a prominent role. This led them to wonder about their own fate. Peter then remarked, "Behold, we have left everything to follow You; what will happen to us?" In response, Christ provided them with reassurance and unveiled to them the splendid future that awaited them.
“Truly I say unto you,” He stated, “that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His Glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.”
We have left behind everything: the underlying inquiry is, “What will our reward be for these sacrifices?” (Matthew 19:27).
The call from the Savior to the affluent young man to relinquish everything and follow Him in pursuit of the highest spiritual attainment was realized by His most devoted disciples. Compelled to engage in apostolic ministry, they abandoned their meager possessions, humble dwellings, jobs, and familial ties—indeed, all that could hinder their chosen journey of salvation. Their love for Christ was profound, as were the sacrifices they willingly made. Seizing the moment, the apostle Peter sought to understand from the Master what reward awaited them for their profound renunciation: “We have forsaken all things, and come after Thee: what shall we have?”
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS