Smoodock's Blog

It is difficult for us, today, to fully appreciate Peter’s question, or better, to understand his worldview. Keep in mind that they did not have the Holy Spirit. Yet, they did leave everything to follow Jesus. Why? Their worldview embraced a physical Kingdom. After all, David’s kingdom was literal and physical. Why wouldn’t his greater Son, the Messiah rule from Jerusalem, just as David did? Much of what Jesus taught, although it was **accepted** and believed by Jesus’ disciples, it wasn’t understood. We must not condemn or belittle the Apostles, because of their lack of understanding. We have the Holy Spirit, but they did not. How can we expect them to embrace our worldview, when they followed Jesus on the other side of Pentecost? That would be like judging the blind for their lack of sight, or the deaf for not hearing what was told them.

Peter was trying to understand why the righteous rich, whom God rewarded for their righteousness, wouldn’t be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven by reason of their righteousness, and, remember, this Kingdom was a physical kingdom, according to their worldview. So, who can be saved (G4982), vis-à-vis delivered and protected from their enemies (Matthew 19:25), if folks who’ve been rewarded for their righteousness cannot enter? Peter then retorted, “Look, we have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27).

Try to understand Peter’s question in the context in which it was asked. His worldview was that of physical kingdom, which the Messiah would set up and deliver his people from their enemies, vis-à-vis Rome, who oppressed them. He could no more understand a spiritual kingdom than any of us could describe a color that is not based upon yellow, blue or red or a combination of any two or all three. Just because Peter and the other disciples believe Jesus is the Messiah, does not mean they know what kind of Messiah Jesus is. They’re trying to fit Jesus into their worldview of a physical kingdom, but nothing seems to fit. Nevertheless, they believe Jesus anyway (John 6:67-69; cp. 10:38; Matthew 11:4-5). The fact is, Peter is speaking from the point of view any non-believer today might have, when he is asked to accept Jesus as his personal Savior! “Okay, if I embrace Christ, what’s in it for me?”

If a person is unable to understand spiritual matters, how should one’s response be? Jesus simply spoke the spiritual truth, even though his disciples understood him according to their worldview of a physical kingdom. He told them, because they were faithful in following him in that evil generation, they would sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). Are there 12 literal thrones, and are the Apostles sitting on them today, or will they sit upon them sometime in the future? No! Such a thing did not, has not, nor will it ever occur. Jesus was speaking of spiritual Israel (Hebrews 12:22), and Paul contrasts the earthly Jerusalem with that which he calls heavenly (Galatians 4:26).

The Gospel narratives are the words of Jesus’ disciples. All the world is judged by what they’ve written, because they invite the world to believe their testimony, and believe Jesus and accept him as their Savior/Messiah. The 12 thrones represent their authority, and their authority is expressed in their witness to Jesus’ words and deeds. They who believe will be saved, while they who do not will be judged (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16). Moreover, there is nothing that has been given up for the sake of Christ and the Gospel, that shall not be adequately rewarded, and given eternal life as well (Matthew 19:29). Nevertheless, there are many who are well received by men in this world, vis-à-vis authorities who are well received under this physical worldview. However, many of them will find themselves last or in less authoritative positions, according to the judgment of the Kingdom of God, and there are many, whom the world gives no account and are considered unworthy in their works under the present, physical, worldview. Yet, many of these who are rejected by the world, will be first, or in greater positions of authority in the estimation of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:30).[1]

[1] This last idea is expounded upon next in Jesus parable: Laborers in the Vinyard (Matthew 20:1-16).