Luke 13:30

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(30) And, behold, there are last . . .—See Note on Matthew 19:30. In point of time, it may be noticed, this is the first utterance of the great law that God’s judgment reverses man’s. When it was uttered in reference to the young ruler, it was but a fresh application of the wider law. Here the application is primarily national. Israel had been the first of nations, but it should become, in its outward fortunes, the last, and the heathen who had been “without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12) should gain the high pre-eminence of being the heirs of the kingdom. The individual application of the words grows naturally, however, out of the national.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:23-30 Our Saviour came to guide men's consciences, not to gratify their curiosity. Ask not, How many shall be saved? But, Shall I be one of them? Not, What shall become of such and such? But, What shall I do, and what will become of me? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. This is directed to each of us; it is, Strive ye. All that will be saved, must enter in at the strait gate, must undergo a change of the whole man. Those that would enter in, must strive to enter. Here are awakening considerations, to enforce this exhortation. Oh that we may be all awakened by them! They answer the question, Are there few that shall be saved? But let none despond either as to themselves or others, for there are last who shall be first, and first who shall be last. If we reach heaven, we shall meet many there whom we little thought to meet, and miss many whom we expected to find.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 8:11-12.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28, 29. (See Mt 8:11, 12). Also see on [1663]Mt 13:42.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This is a sentence which our Saviour often made use of, and not always to the same purpose. See Poole on "Matthew 19:30". See Poole on "Matthew 20:16". See Poole on "Mark 10:31". As to the sense of them here, it is plain. Our Saviour here foretells the conversion of the Gentiles; but yet I do not take the Gentiles to be all who are intended under the notion of the last, but divers others also. Men who, both in their opinion of themselves, and in reality with respect to privilege, are the first, whether in respect of gifts, or office, or the means of grace, or profession, will many of them be the last, that is, furthest off from the kingdom of God; and many who are the last, upon these accounts will in the day of judgment be first, that is, appear so, as having more of the favour of God, and be so, taken to heaven, when the others shall be cast to hell, Matthew 11:20-24.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And behold, there are last which shall be first,.... The Gentiles, the most mean and abject, afar from God, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, called last of all; these shall be first, and sit down among patriarchs and prophets, men of the first rank here on earth, in the kingdom of heaven, and enjoy the same glory and happiness with them:

and there are first which shall be last: the Jews, who were first the visible professing people of God, to whom the oracles of God, and outward privileges and ordinances were given; who had the Messiah first sent to them, and the Gospel first preached among them; these shall be last, be rejected and despised, and shut out of the kingdom of heaven, they thought themselves heirs of, and expected to enjoy; see Matthew 19:30.

Geneva Study Bible

And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 13:30. Comp. on Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16.

εἰσίν] (before the establishment of the kingdom; ἔσονται) after it, in the kingdom.

ἔσχατοι] i.e. those who have not become believers till very late (as such, born heathens, Luke 13:29);

ἔσονται πρῶτοι] Members of the first rank in the kingdom of Messiah. The originality of this maxim, uttered in several forms and in various connections, is to be claimed exclusively for no particular place.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 13:30. The same remark applies to this saying. As it stands here it refers to Jews as the first who become last, and to Gentiles as the last who become first, and the distinction between first and last is not one of degree, but absolute = within and without.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

30. And, behold] The phrase sometimes implies ‘strange as you may think it.’ It occurs 23 times in St Matthew , 16 in St Luke; but not in St Mark.

there are last which shall be first] Our Lord used this proverbial expression more than once. Matthew 19:30. It had, besides its universal truthfulness, a special bearing on His own time. “The publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you,” Matthew 21:31. “The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness,” Romans 9:30.

“There above (on earth)

How many hold themselves for mighty kings,

Who here like swine shall wallow in the mire,

Leaving behind them horrible dispraise.”

Dante, Inferno.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 13:30. Ἰδοὺ εἰσὶν—καί εἰσι, behold, there are—and there are) The present with emphasis, in antithesis to the future: Luke 13:29; Luke 13:24.—εἰσὶν ἔσχατοι, there are last) This has reference to Luke 13:28-29. The absence of the article makes the whole assertion in the sentence indefinite, and denotes that there is to be an interchange in the relative positions of some, though not of all, of the first and of the last, not that there is to be an account taken of both in the mass without discrimination: For those coming from the four quarters of the world shall recline at the banquet with the fathers and the prophets, not the latter with them (the former). See Matthew 8:11.—εἰσὶ πρῶτοι, there are first) This is to be referred to Luke 13:24, et seqq.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 30. - And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. This expression, which apparently was more than once used by the Lord, in this place clearly has an historical reference, and sadly predicts the rejection of Israel, not only in this present world.

"There above (on earth)
How many hold themselves for mighty kings,
Who here like swine shall wallow in the mire,
Leaving behind them horrible dispraise!"

(Dante, 'Inferno.') Luke 13:30