Matthew 19:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet if that nation turns from its wickedness, I will reconsider the harm I intended to do. Eventually, I will speak to this nation and its kingdom to build and plant it. If they commit evil in My sight and do not heed My voice, I will also reconsider the blessings I intended for them (Jeremiah 18:7, 10). He says, I work with the righteous according to the same law. Although I pledge to create them anew, should they prove unworthy, I will not bring it about. This was the fate of the first man. Fear and terror, the Lord declared, should come upon every beast of the earth (Gen. 9:2); yet this did not come to pass because man proved unworthy of such authority. The same applied to Judah. But to ensure that none fall into despair at the threat of punishment or become careless due to the expectation of rewards, he addresses both issues in the manner described: If I threaten you with punishment, do not lose hope; repentance can alter My decree, just as it did for the Ninevites. If I offer you good, do not become complacent; unworthiness will nullify My promise and intensify your punishment. I promise reward only to the deserving. That is why, when addressing His disciples, He placed conditions on His promises; He didn’t merely say, "You," but added, "Those who follow Me," so that it might be clear that Judas, who later proved unworthy, was excluded. Thus, the Lord assured His disciples of a reward in the eternal life to come, saying, You shall sit upon thrones, for they were already of the utmost virtue, seeking spiritual rather than earthly desires. To others, He promises present rewards, stating that anyone who forsakes brother, sister, father, mother, wife, children, or property for My name's sake will receive a hundredfold in this life and will inherit eternal life. To prevent the impression that only the disciples would receive the foremost honors in the life to come, He broadens His promise to encompass the entire world, certifying present blessings and promising future ones. Initially, the Lord, while the disciples were still incomplete, began speaking of immediate rewards. When He called them from the sea, diverting them from their trade and commanding them to leave their boat, He did not mention heaven or thrones but rather present matters, stating, I will make you fishers of men (Matt. 4:19). But once He elevated them to the highest level of perfection, He then spoke of heavenly treasures. What is meant by the phrase: judging the tribes of Israel? The apostles will indeed judge; they are not to act as judges in the usual sense. This mirrors how the Lord spoke of the Queen of the South judging that generation and the Ninevites judging them, in a similar fashion as He relates to the apostles. Therefore, He did not say, "Judging with the whole world," but rather, "The tribes of Israel." The Jews were raised under the same laws, shared common customs, and followed the same way of life as the apostles. Thus, when they defend themselves by saying they could not believe in Christ because the law forbade them from accepting His commands, the Lord will point to the apostles, who shared the same laws yet believed, condemning them, as He has previously said, For this reason, they shall be your judges (Matthew 12:27). You might wonder what is significant about His promises if the apostles are granted the same as the Ninevites and the Queen of the South. He had previously promised them many additional rewards, and He continues to do so. This is not solely their reward. Nonetheless, within this promise is something greater than that given concerning the Ninevites and the Queen of the South. About the latter, the Lord noted simply: the men of Nineveh will rise up and condemn this generation, and the Queen of the South will condemn (Matthew 12:41, 42). However, He speaks of the apostles with greater specificity. How does He put it? When the Son of Man takes His place on His glorious throne, then you also will sit on thrones alongside Him—indicating that they, too, will share in that reign and glory. The apostle states, if we endure, we will also reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12). Thrones do not signify mere seats (for He alone occupies that place of judgment), but rather denote indescribable glory and honor. Therefore, the Lord bestowed this honor upon the apostles and promised eternal life and a hundredfold reward to all others. If all are to receive recompense in both realms, then all the more so the apostles. And thus, it unfolded. Having left their trade and nets, they gained dominion over all of humanity’s possessions, their homes, lands, and even the very lives of believers; many were even willing to die for them, as Paul attests, saying, if it were possible, your very hairs would be given to me (Galatians 4:15). Moreover, by saying, everyone who abandons their wife, the Lord doesn’t imply marriages should be ended without cause; as He stated concerning the soul, whoever loses their life for My sake will find it (Matthew 10:39), He did not mean for us to destroy ourselves, separating soul from body immediately, but rather to prioritize godliness above all else. Here He similarly calls us to leave behind all earthly ties. This also seems to reflect the notion of persecution. At that time, many were drawn into evil, including fathers against their children and wives against their husbands. Therefore, when such demands are made of you, the Lord says, leave both wife and father, aligning with Paul’s words, if an unbeliever departs, let them depart (1 Corinthians 7:15).

However, those who can declare, ‘We have forsaken all things and follow Thee and come to Thee’ (Matthew 19:27) are granted the ability to emulate the Lord and adhere to all His commandments.” The brother asked, “What ability is that?” The elder answered, “Listen to Him who proclaims: ‘I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you’ (Luke 10:19).”

A rock, a net, a paddle, perhaps a small vessel. Did Peter genuinely refer to these trivial items when mentioning “all” that he had abandoned by stating, “behold we have forsaken all things”? Just as the wealthy esteem their valuable possessions, for the impoverished, much and significant items hold little value. Nevertheless, God, who observes the human heart rather than the quantity of belongings, rewards both rich and poor equally. When Peter mentioned “all things,” he also referred to deeper matters concerning human virtue. “Behold we have forsaken all things”: we have relinquished the pressures of adversaries, the trials of life, the allure of physical desires, and the emptiness of worldly pursuits. Thus, enlightened by God, Peter spoke to help us understand through his inquiry and the Lord's response, that every believer in Christ, regardless of wealth or status, whether noble or humble, lord or servant, of any rank, age, or condition, may, if he chooses, declare to Christ: “I have forsaken all things: I have given up my possessions, whether numerous or meager; I have renounced envy, hatred, vengeance; I have turned away from injustice, greed, and desire; I have forsaken gluttony, drunkenness, and the fleshly ways—I have abandoned every sin.” What does the Divine Teacher assure those who surrender all to follow Him?

Since the Lord has instructed the selling of possessions, lest someone in poverty might lament, ‘What if I have nothing to sell, then I cannot attain perfection?’ I pose this question so that you, dear impoverished soul, may understand that your lack does not impede your journey in any way. The apostle raised this inquiry on behalf of all humanity. He understood his own destiny well: having received the keys to the kingdom of heaven, he was assured of inheriting its blessings. Observe how aptly he addresses Christ's requirements. The Lord asked the wealthy individual to donate his possessions to the needy and to follow Him. Thus, the apostle emphasizes these same two actions: to relinquish one's wealth and to pursue Jesus. Blessed Theophylact notes, ‘And Peter forsook many things.’ Human nature typically clings tightly to even the slightest advantage, yet Peter not only relinquished worldly delights and desires but also renounced the love for his parents, gave up relatives, friends, and even his own will. Indeed, nothing is more cherished by a person than their own will.

Peter sought to assure the less fortunate that their lack of material possessions did not impede their spiritual perfection. Thus, he broached this question with Jesus, representing a concern that transcended his personal circumstance. Consequently, the Lord's response (Matthew 19:28-30) applies not only to the apostles but extends to all who follow Him.