Luke 13:29

29 You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in - and wondering what happened.

Luke 13:29 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 13:29

And they shall come
From all parts the world, from every nation under the heavens; meaning the Gentiles, and which will be a greater aggravation of the punishment of the Jews, and cause still more rage and madness: these shall

come from the east and from the west;
from the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, ( Isaiah 45:6 ) ( Malachi 1:11 )

and from the north, and from the south;
from the most distant parts of the world inhabited by men; see ( Isaiah 43:5 Isaiah 43:6 ) . God has his chosen ones, and Christ has a people in all parts of the world; and therefore his Gospel must be preached to all nations, for the gathering of them in, which will be done in the latter day; and in the resurrection morn, as these will be raised in the several places where they will have been buried, they will come from thence, and make one body, and will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and will be for ever with him:

and shall sit down in the kingdom of God;
in Christ's kingdom, in the new heavens, and new earth, as persons that sit down at a table, to partake of a feast; see ( Luke 22:30 ) and in the ultimate glory, where they shall have rest, peace, and joy, for evermore. The Ethiopic version renders it, "they shall rejoice in the kingdom of God"; they shall partake of the joys of heaven; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away; and the Persic version, "and they shall take a repose, and sit and rest"; they shall rest from all their labour, and be in perfect ease and peace; (See Gill on Matthew 8:11).

Luke 13:29 In-Context

27 only to be interrupted with his abrupt, 'Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don't know the first thing about me.'

28 "That's when you'll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You'll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God's kingdom.

29 You'll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God's kingdom. And all the time you'll be outside looking in - and wondering what happened.

30 This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.

31 Just then some Pharisees came up and said, "Run for your life! Herod's on the hunt. He's out to kill you!"