Luke 13:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

NIV: Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

NASB: And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.'

CSB: Note this: Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last."

NLT: And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then. '

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

NKJV: And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

Jesus finishes His explanation that neither prestige nor ancestry nor ability are necessary for salvation. All that matters is repentance and faith in Christ. Because of that, the time to reconcile with God is limited. Many Jews will not spend eternity with God while many Gentiles will (Luke 13:1–9, 22–29).

The concept of the last becoming first and first becoming last appears in a few different ways. Here, Jesus is talking about how Gentiles from all over the earth will live in the kingdom of God for eternity while many Jews will not. The Jews were the "first" in that they are meant to be God's people, physical heirs of Abraham to whom God gave His covenant (Luke 13:28).

The reason God chose the Jews was to show the Gentiles who God is and what He expects (Exodus 19:6; Joshua 22:5; Jeremiah 13:11). In Old Testament terms, they disqualify themselves from remaining in the kingdom through disobedience (Amos 3:2). When the Jewish leadership crucifies Jesus instead of worshiping Him, they prove themselves ineligible to spread God's message of salvation.

Jesus uses a parable to explain this. "Workers of evil" will not be allowed in the kingdom even if they are physically descended from Abraham. Identification with Jesus and repentance from sins leads to an invitation to stay with God for eternity (Luke 13:5, 25–29). As Paul will later write, "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:29).

In the church age where identification with Jesus brings salvation, the Gentiles—the last to know God—will be first to accept Christ. But "first" and "last" affirm that Jews as a nation still have hope. Romans 11 explains that the Jews will accept Jesus as their Messiah and will do so naturally. The salvation of Gentiles reconciles the world to God, but it will also make the Jews jealous so they will want to return to Him.

Jesus uses this phrase in a similar way in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:16). The other way in which Jesus uses this proverb is when He tells His disciples to live and work in humility, service, and sacrifice, trusting that God will reward them (Matthew 19:30; Mark 9:35; 10:31).

Luke 13:22–30 records another of Jesus' teachings about the kingdom and salvation. In the previous pericope, He explained that the kingdom of God is close, easily accessible, and inevitable (Luke 13:18–21). Here, He explains that, although close, the way into the kingdom is very narrow. Many will think they have entered when they haven't. In the final story of this group, Jesus will mourn the Jews who should know to pass through the narrow door but refuse. Matthew includes similar lessons in several distinct teachings (Matthew 7:13–14, 22–23; 8:11–12; 19:30; 20:16; 25:10–12, 41).

Jesus uses real-world examples to show that tragedy and death can come to anyone, even the righteous. No one should delay in reconciling to God; time is running out. Jesus heals a woman in the synagogue, on the Sabbath, triggering an angry response. Jesus scolds the synagogue leader, then preaches about the inevitable spread of the gospel around the entire world. However, He also notes that most people will reject this message, including the people of Israel.

Luke 9:51—19:27 is sometimes called "Jesus' Travelogue to Jerusalem." The segment describes how Jesus prepared the disciples for their future as He approached His own death and resurrection. Interspersed are a few altercations with religious leaders. There are calls for the crowd to repent of their sins and reconcile with God before it's too late. In Luke 13, two stories in particular reveal Jesus' heart. In one, He heals a long-suffering woman on the Sabbath; healing is a type of rest. In the last, He mourns the fact that, for now, the Jews as a nation will reject their Messiah.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.