Luke 13:30

30 And lo! they that were the first, be the last; and they that were the last, be the first. [And lo! they that were first, be the last; and they that were last, be the first.]

Luke 13:30 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 13:30

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 ) ( 20:16 ) .

Luke 13:30 In-Context

28 There shall be weeping and grinding of teeth [There shall be weeping and beating together of teeth], when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God; and you to be put out.
29 And they shall come from the east and the west, and from the north and the south, and shall sit at the meat in the realm of God.
30 And lo! they that were the first, be the last; and they that were the last, be the first. [And lo! they that were first, be the last; and they that were last, be the first.]
31 In that day some of the Pharisees came nigh, and said to him, Go out, and go from hence [In that day some of the Pharisees came nigh, saying to him, Go out, and go hence], for Herod will slay thee.
32 And he said to them, Go ye, and say to that fox, Lo! I cast out fiends, and I make perfectly healings [and I make perfectly healths], to day and to morrow, and the third day I am ended.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.