Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 19:28
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
28. the regeneration ] “The renewal of things,” “the return to a perfect state,” otherwise called “the restitution of all things,” nearly= the Kingdom of God. Cp. ch. Mat 17:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 28. Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, c.] The punctuation which I have observed here, is that which is followed by the most eminent critics: the regeneration is thus referred to the time when Jesus shall sit on the throne of his glory, and not to the time of following him, which is utterly improper.
The regeneration, . Some refer this to the time in which the new heavens and the new earth shall be created, and the soul and body united. The Pythagoreans termed that , when, according to their doctrine of the transmigration or metempsychosis, the soul entered into a new body, and got into a new state of being. Clement, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, calls the restoration of the world, after the deluge, by the same name.
Judging the twelve tribes] From the parallel place, Lu 22:28-30, it is evident that sitting on thrones, and judging the twelve tribes, means simply obtaining eternal salvation, and the distinguishing privileges of the kingdom of glory, by those who continued faithful to Christ in his sufferings and death.
Judging, . Kypke has shown that is to be understood in the sense of governing, presiding, holding the first or most distinguished place. Thus, Ge 49:16, Dan shall JUDGE his people, i.e. shall preside in, or rule over them shall occupy a chief place among the tribes. It is well known that the Judges among the Jews were moderators, captains, chief, or head men. The sense therefore of our Lord’s words appears to be, that these disciples should have those distinguished seats in glory which seem to belong peculiarly to the first confessors and martyrs. See 1Th 4:14; 1Th 4:16, and particularly Re 20:4-6.
The last-quoted passage brings into view the doctrine of the Millennium, when Jesus, after having formed the new heavens and the new earth, shall reign here gloriously among his ancients 365,000 years; for the thousand years referred to above are certainly prophetical years, in which, it is well known, each day stands for a year.
Others, of no mean note, are of opinion that the regeneration means the conversion of men by the preaching of the Gospel – that sitting on twelve thrones signifies the state of eminent dignity to which the apostles should be raised – and that judging the twelve tribes of Israel, means no more than exercising authority in the Church, and dispensing laws to the people of God. But I confess I do not see the propriety of this application of the terms, as the following verse seems to fix the meaning mentioned above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And Jesus said unto them,…. To all the disciples whom Peter represented;
verily I say unto you: the thing being something very considerable, and of great moment, Christ uses the asseveration he sometimes does in such cases:
that ye which have followed me. Christ does not deny that they had forsaken all for his sake, nor does he despise it, because it was but little they left, though he does not repeat it; but only takes notice of their following him, which, including their faith in him, their profession of him, and subjection to him, was a much greater action, and of more importance that the other, and therefore is only mentioned, and which our Lord confirms:
in the regeneration. This clause is so placed, that it may be read in connection with the preceding words, and be understood of the disciples following Christ in the regeneration; meaning, not the grace of regeneration, in which they could not be said, with propriety, to follow Christ; and one of them was never a partaker of it: but the new state of things, in the church of God, which was foretold, and is called the time of reformation, or setting all things right, which began upon the sealing up the law, and the prophets, and the ministry of John the Baptist, and of Christ; who both, when they began to preach, declared, that this time, which they call the kingdom of heaven, was at hand, just ushering in. Now the twelve apostles followed Christ herein: they believed, and professed him to be the Messiah; they received, what the Jews called, his new doctrine, and preached it to others; they submitted to the new ordinance of baptism, and followed Christ, and attended him wherever he went, working miracles, preaching the Gospel, and reforming the minds and manners of men. Now this new dispensation is called the regeneration, and which more manifestly took place after our Lord’s resurrection, and ascension, and the pouring down of the Spirit; wherefore the phrase may be connected with the following words,
when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory in the regeneration; not in the resurrection of the dead, or at the last judgment, but in this new state of things, which now began to appear with another face: for the apostles having a new commission to preach the Gospel to all the world; and being endued with power from on high for such service, in a short time went every where preaching the word, with great success. Gentiles were converted, as well as Jews, and both brought into a Gospel church state; the ceremonies of the old law being abolished, were disused; and the ordinances of baptism, and the Lord’s supper, every where practised; old things passed away, and all things became new: agreeably to this the Syriac version renders the phrase, , “in the new world”; and so the Persic. The Arabic reads it, “in the generation”, or “age to come”; which the Jews so often call the world, or age to come, the kingdom of the Messiah, the Gospel dispensation.
When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, or glorious throne; as he did when he ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God; and was then exalted as a prince, and made, or declared to be Lord and Christ; and was crowned in human nature, with honour, and glory, and angels, principalities, and powers, made subject to him:
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones: for though Judas fell from his apostleship, yet Matthias was chosen in his room, and took his place, and made up the number twelve; a metaphorical phrase, setting forth the honour, dignity, and authority of their office and ministry, by which they should be
judging the twelve tribes of Israel; doctrinally and practically; by charging them with the sin of crucifying Christ, condemning them for their unbelief, and rejection of him, denouncing the wrath of God, and the heaviest judgments that should fall upon them, as a nation, for their sin; and by turning from them to the Gentiles, under which judgment they continue to this day. So the doctors among the Jews are represented as sitting and judging others: of “the potters”, in 1Ch 4:23 they say l,
“these are the disciples of the law, or the lawyers, for whose sake the world is created, “who sit in judgment”, and establish the world; and build, and perfect the ruins of the house of Israel.”
l Targuru in 1 Chron. iv. 23.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In the regeneration ( ). The new birth of the world is to be fulfilled when Jesus sits on his throne of glory. This word was used by the Stoics and the Pythagoreans. It is common also in the mystery religions (Angus, Mystery Religions and Christianity, pp. 95ff.). It is in the papyri also. We must put no fantastic ideas into the mouth of Jesus. But he did look for the final consummation of his kingdom. What is meant by the disciples also sitting on twelve thrones is not clear.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Have followed. “Peter had said together the words we have left, we have followed. Jesus replies to them separately; for the latter was peculiar to the apostles, the former common to them with others” (Bengel).
In the regeneration. The final restitution of all things. To be construed with ye shall sit.
Shall sit [] . Or shall have taken his seat, which brings out more vividly the solemn inauguration of Christ ‘s judgment.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
28. Verily I say to you. That the disciples may not think that they have lost their pains, and repent of having begun the course, Christ warns them that the glory of his kingdom, which at that time was still hidden, was about to be revealed. As if he had said, “There is no reason why that mean condition should discourage you; for I, who am scarcely equal to the lowest, will at length ascend to my throne of majesty. Endure then for a little, till the time arrive for revealing nay glory.” And what does he then promise to them? That they shall be partakers of the same glory.
You also shall sit on twelve thrones By assigning to them thrones, from which they may judge the twelve tribes of Israel, he compares them to assessors, or first councilors and judges, who occupy the highest seats in the royal council. We know that the number of those who were chosen to be apostles was twelve, in order to testify that, by the agency of Christ, God purposed to collect the remnant of his people which was scattered. This was a very high rank, but hitherto was concealed; and therefore Christ holds their wishes in suspense till the latest revelation of his kingdom, when they will fully receive the fruit of their election. And though the kingdom of Christ is, in some respects, manifested by the preaching of the Gospel, there is no doubt that Christ here speaks of the last day.
In the regeneration. Some connect this term with the following clause. In this sense, regeneration would be nothing else than the renovation which shall follow our restoration, when life shall swallow up what is mortal, and when our mean body shall be transformed into the heavenly glory of Christ. But I rather explain regeneration as referring to the first coming of Christ; for then the world began to be renewed, and arose out of the darkness of death into the light of life. And this way of speaking occurs frequently in the Prophets, and is exceedingly adapted to the connection of this passage. For the renovation of the Church, which had been so frequently promised, had raised an expectation of wonderful happiness, as soon as the Messiah should appear; and therefore, in order to guard against that error, Christ distinguishes between the beginning and the completion of his reign.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(28) In the regeneration.In the only other passage in the New Testament in which the word occurs, it is applied to baptism (Tit. 3:5), as the instrument of the regeneration or new birth of the individual believer. Here, however, it clearly has a wider range. There is to be a new birth for mankind as well as for the individual. The sorrows through which the world was to pass were to be as the travail-pangs of that passage into a higher life. (See Note on Mat. 24:8.) Beyond them there lay, in the thoughts of the disciples, and, though after another pattern, in the mind of Christ, the times of the restitution of all things (Act. 3:21), the coming of the victorious Christ in the glory of His kingdom. In that triumph the Twelve were to be sharers. Interpreted as they in their then stage of progress would necessarily interpret them, the words suggested the idea of a kingdom restored to Israel, in which they should be assessors of the divine King, not only or chiefly in the great work of judging every man according to his works, but as judging, in the old sense of the word, the twelve tribes of Israel, redressing wrongs, guiding, governing. As the words that the Son of Man should sit on the throne of His glory recalled the vision of Dan. 7:14, so these assured them that they should be foremost among those of the saints of the Most High, to whom, as in the same vision, had been given glory and dominion (Dan. 7:27). The apocalyptic imagery in which the promise was clothed reappears in the vision of the four-and-twenty elders seated on their thrones in Rev. 4:4, in the sealing of the hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of Israel in Rev. 7:4, and the interpretation of the words here is subject to the same conditions as that of those later visions. What approximations to a literal fulfilment there may be in the far-off future lies behind the veil. They receive at least an adequate fulfilment if we see in them the promise that, in the last triumphant stage of the redeeming work, the Apostles should still be recognised and had in honour, as guiding the faith and conduct of their countrymen; their names should be on the twelve foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14); they should be sharers in the throne and glory of its King. The thought on which St. Paul dwells, that the saints shall judge the world (1Co. 6:2), in like manner refers not only or chiefly to any share which the disciples of Christ shall have in the actual work of the final judgment, but to the assured triumph of the faith, the laws, the principles of action of which they were then the persecuted witnesses. We must not ignore the fact that, in at least one instance, the words, absolute as they were in their form, failed of their fulfilment. The guilt of Judas left one of the thrones vacant. The promise was given subject to the implied conditions of faithfulness and endurance lasting even to the end.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. Ye which have followed In the inauguration of the apostles, in chapter Mat 16:19, the Lord appointed them rulers of the Church after his ascension, under the symbols of the keys and binding and loosing. Here he affirms the same appointment under the image of thrones and judging. The parallel passage in Luk 22:28-30, is explanatory of this, and should be diligently compared. Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration is explained by Ye which have continued with me in my temptations. In my temptations is antithetical with in the regeneration; the temptations denote the scenes of our Lord’s earthly ministry; the regeneration the state of things after his ascension. In the regeneration As this regeneration is a plain antithesis to the temptations, the latter term needs a brief analysis. These temptations, first, were primarily our Lord’s own trials in his humiliation state. Their centre was his own person. But, second, they extended to those who followed him, namely, his disciples and believers. And, third, they characterized that period and state of things as a scene of humiliation and subjection. Antithetically to all this, the regeneration was at and after our Lord’s resurrection. It was primarily centered in our Lord’s own renovated person; for he then put off his servant form and put on his immortality. He ascended on high upon his throne of glory; yet to rule over his Church in heaven and earth. Second, that renovation over-spread and included his followers, especially his twelve apostles. By the Pentecostal Spirit they were endowed with power from on high; they entered on the possession of the kingdom appointed, (Luk 22:29😉 they received and exercised the power of the keys of that kingdom; they ascended their twelve apostolic thrones as the viceroys of the Lord in his glorification. Thirdly, the Church was renewed and regenerated from the old to the new dispensation. The types and shadows had departed, the reign of the kingdom of God with power was begun. Sit in the throne of his glory On the right hand of the Majesty on high. Heb 1:3. In that same throne of glory he shall judge the world. Mat 16:27; Mat 25:31. Sit upon twelve thrones We have already remarked (Mat 10:1) that the number of the apostles was chosen in reference to the twelve tribes of Israel, as a symbolical intimation that Christ was king of Israel, and his apostles were his viceroys over the tribes. After the ascension the sacred number was still preserved, to indicate that the new kingdom was a virtual continuation as well as succession of the twelve tribes. The Son of man then sat upon his throne of glory; that is, his glorified throne; the apostles sat simply upon thrones. That these twelve thrones were their twelve apostolates in the Church on earth is confirmed by the next verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” ’
And Jesus confirms the promise. But He is signifying a very different thing from what they are expecting. The renewal is coming, the time of blessing promised by the prophets, the time of the ‘becoming again’. For the King will shortly take the throne of His glory through resurrection (Mat 28:18; Act 2:34-36; Psa 110:1 with Act 2:34; Dan 7:13-14; Eph 1:19-22; Eph 2:6), and then He will advance with them throughout the world making disciples of all nations and teaching them to observe all that He has commanded them (Mat 28:18-20). And they will have a definite part to play, for they will have authority over the new congregation, and will be responsible for its maintenance and discipline (Mat 18:15-20). Like the judges of the house of David before them they will ‘sit on thrones’, at first in Jerusalem, and then as they advance into the wider world, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, the living church of Jesus Christ (Psa 122:5).
A moment’s thought will confirm that these words cannot be taken too literally. Jesus was speaking to the twelve. Was He then promising them twelve thrones? One of them at least would receive no throne. Thus it cannot be intended literally. Of course we try to solve the problem by debating who will be the substitute. But that is to reveal how pedantic our minds are. For there were in fact not even twelve tribes of Israel in a literal sense, nor can be for they have become too intermingled with the nations. Most of the tribes had almost completely disappeared into oblivion by the time of Jesus. Thus this is a pictorial representation of the truth, and not to be taken literally. It is indicating the authority that the Apostles will enjoy over the new congregation.
‘The throne of His glory.’ The idea that the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory when He comes out of suffering into the presence of the Ancient of Days is found in Dan 7:13-14, and Jesus takes up that picture in Mat 26:64, and declares that it will be ‘from now on’. Then He will come on clouds into the presence of the Father to receive the Kingship and the glory, and His enthronement and its consequences will be made apparent to the whole Sanhedrin. Then He will receive all authority in Heaven and earth (Mat 28:18); then He will be glorified (see Joh 7:39 where it is directly connected with the coming of the Spirit); see also Joh 12:23; then He will receive the glory that He had with His Father before the world was (Joh 17:5); compare also Act 2:34-36; Act 7:55-56. Thus He will ‘sit on the throne of His glory’ after the resurrection when He is ‘glorified’ and returns to the glory that was His before the world was. He will receive the throne of His glory after His resurrection when He comes to His Father on the clouds of Heaven to be enthroned (Psa 110:1 with Act 2:34; Dan 7:13-14 with Mat 26:64). See also Revelation 4-5 where the idea of glory is prominent with regard to His present enthronement (Rev 4:9; Rev 4:11; Rev 5:12-13). And it is then that the Apostles will exercise the authority and power that He has given them (Acts 2-11).
Later He will return on His throne when He comes again to sit on the throne of His glory (Mat 25:31), but it is noteworthy that there is no thought there of the participation of the Apostles. We can compare with this throne Ezekiel 1; Eze 3:12-13; Eze 3:23; Ezekiel 10 where it is on such a transportable throne that God carries out His judgments on the earth. When He comes in glory as Judge it will be as accompanied by His holy angels (Mat 25:31; compare Mat 16:27; Mat 24:30-31), not by His Apostles. This is, of course, apocalyptic language describing the indescribable in vivid human terms. The reality will be far above anything that we can imagine. (That is why from another viewpoint, the viewpoint of salvation, Jesus will bring with Him all His resurrected people, and those who are alive at His coming will be transfigured, and will rise to meet Him in the air, and so ever be with the Lord – 1Th 4:13-18).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The answer:
v. 28. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus does not take occasion here to explain once more what discipleship comprises; He merely makes a statement, a prophecy as to the future. In the regeneration, in the new birth of the world on Judgment Day, when the kingdom of heaven will be finally completed, when the kingdom of glory shall begin, when the Son of Man will Himself sit on His throne to judge the world in righteousness, then the apostles shall sit upon twelve thrones and take part in the administration of Christ’s justice and power upon all believers in Christ, who are the twelve tribes in fact, the true children of Abraham.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 19:28. Ye which have followed, &c. Ye who have followed me, shall in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit upon, &c. sit also upon, &c. See Doddridge, and the version of 1729. The latter has the passage thus: In the new age, when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, that have followed me shall likewise sit upon twelve thrones, &c. This appears to be a very natural sense of this difficult passage: many commentators, however, understand it differently, and agreeably to our translation. “Jesus replied (says Macknight) to the inquiry of Peter, that he and the rest of the apostles should certainly have a peculiar reward even in this life; because, immediately after his resurrection, when he ascended the throne of his mediatorial kingdom, he would advance them to the high honour of judging the twelve tribes of Israel; that is to say, of ruling his church and people, of which the twelve tribes were a type. You who have followed me in the regeneration, , you who have left all and followed me, in order to assist me in accomplishing the creation of the new heavens and the new earth, predicted Isa 65:17 when the Son of man shall sit, &c. you also shall sit, &c. In the 7th chapter of Daniel, the prophet, speaking of the Messiah’s kingdom, says, Mat 19:9. &c. I beheld till the thrones were set, (not cast down, as it is in our translation,) and the Ancient of days did sit, namely, on one of those thrones; and behold, one like the Son of man came to the Ancient of days, while he sat on his throne, and they brought him near before him; and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom. By the kingdom which was given to the Son of man, the prophet meant his mediatorial kingdom; and by the glory, his being seated beside the Ancient of days on one of the thrones, in testimony of his exaltation to that kingdom. The throne of his glory therefore, which our Lord speaks of in the text, is the throne of his mediatorial kingdom; called thethrone of his glory,in allusion to the representation which Daniel had given of it. In this kingdom the apostles likewise were to be seated on thrones, and to judge the tribes; that is to say, were to be next to the Messiah in dignity and office; his ministers, by whom he was to subdueand govern his church. In Luk 22:28 we find this promise repeated to the disciples in words more fully to the same purpose. See the note on that place. Our Lord adds, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Now, according to the common interpretation of these words, they imply, that at the general judgment the apostles shall assist Christ in passing sentence on the Israelites; yet this explication may justly be disputed, because the promise thus understood would make the apostles very much inferior to all other saints, of whom it is said that they shall judge the world, and not the world only, but angels also, 1Co 6:2-3. Besides, the promise, in the ordinary sense of it, is not applicable to Judas at all, who, having proved so bad a man, cannot be supposed capable of the dignity of Christ’s assessors at the general judgment. Our Lord certainly well knew that Judas would fall from his office and dignity; but as Matthias filled his place, and stood entitled to the promise, he did not think fit to enter into any particular distinction, but speaks to the whole body of the apostles in words which he knew would be accomplished to the far greater part of those to whom they were addressed. In the Hebrew language, to judge signifies to rule or govern. See Jdg 12:7. 1Sa 8:5 wherefore, by the apostles sitting on the thrones, judging the tribes, may be understood their ruling the Christian church of which the Jewish was a type, by the laws of the Gospel which their Master inspired them to preach, and by the infallible decisions relative to faith and manners which he enabled them to give in all difficult cases. Such seems to have been the true nature of the dignity which Jesus promised to his apostles: however, as they had always been accustomed to look on the Messiah’s kingdom as a secular empire, they would naturally interpret their sitting on thrones, and judging the tribes, of their being made chief magistrates in Judea under their Master; and would thence take courage again, after having been greatly dispirited by the declaration which Jesus had made concerning the impossibility of a rich man’s entering into hiskingdom.” See Macknight, Fleming’s Christlogy, vol. 1: p. 28. Grotius, Wetstein, and Bishop Bull’s Works, vol. 1: p. 281.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 19:28 . This part of the promise is omitted in Mark, but comp. Luk 22:30 .
In answer to the question concerning the reward, Jesus, in the first place, promises a special recompense to His disciples, namely, that they should have the honour of being associated with Him in judging the nation at the second coming; then, in Mat 19:29 (comp. Mar 10:29 ; Luk 18:29 ), He adds the general promise of a reward to be given to those who for His sake have sacrificed their worldly interests; and finally, in Mat 19:30 , He makes a statement calculated to rebuke everything in the shape of false pretensions , and which is further illustrated by the parable in Mat 20:1 ff.
There is no touch of irony throughout this reply of Jesus (in answer to Liebe in Winer’s exeget. Stud . I. p. 73). Comp. Fleck, de regno div . p. 436 ff.
] in the regeneration , does not belong to (Hilary, explaining the words by baptismal regeneration (Tit 3:5 ); also Calvin, who understands by the renovation of the world begun in Christ’s earthly ministry), for the disciples could only have conceived of the renovation of the world as something that was to take place contemporaneously with the actual setting up of the kingdom; the , Act 3:21 , does not represent quite the same idea as the one at present in question. Neither are we, with Paulus, to insert a point after ., and supply (“you are already in the position of those who have been regenerated,” spiritually transformed), which would have the effect of introducing a somewhat feeble and irrelevant idea, besides being incompatible with the abruptness that would thus be imparted to the (otherwise one should have expected ). The words belong to , and signify that change by which the whole world is to be restored to that original state of perfection in which it existed before the fall , which renewal, restitutio in integrum , is to be brought about by the coming Messiah ( ). See Buxtorf, Lex Talm. p. 712; Bertholdt, Christol. p. 214 f.; Gfrrer, Jahrh. d. Heils, II. p. 272 ff. Comp. Rom 8:19 ff; 2Pe 3:13 . When the resurrection is over, and the last judgment is going on (and it is to this part of the scene that the Lord is here referring), this renovation will have already begun, and will be in the course of development, so that Jesus can say with all propriety: . “Nova erit genesis, cui prerit Adamus secundus,” Bengel. Comp. in Joseph. Antt. xi. 3. 9; . in Anton. xi. 1. Philo, de mund. p. 1165 C.; leg. ad Caj. p. 1037 B. Augustine, Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus, Fritzsche, interpret the expression of the resurrection, in favour of which such passages might be quoted as Long. iii. 4; Lucian, Musc. enc. 7; but this would be to understand it in too restricted a sense, besides being contrary to regular New Testament usage ( ).
, . . .] as judge.
] the throne, that is, on which the Messiah shows Himself in His glory, Mat 25:31 .
(see critical notes): likewise, just as the Messiah will sit on His throne.
] you will take your seats upon. Christ, then, is to be understood as already sitting. Moreover, though the promise applies, in a general way, to the twelve disciples, it does not preclude the possibility of one of them failing, through his apostasy, to participate in the fulfilment of the promise; “thronum Judae sumsit alius, Act 1:20 ,” Bengel.
] not: ruling over (Grotius, Kuinoel, Neander, Bleek), but, as the word means and the context requires: judging. As believers generally are to be partakers of the glory and sovereignty of Christ (Rom 8:17 ; 2Ti 2:12 ), and are to be associated with Him in judging the non-Christian (1Co 6:2 ), so here it is specially promised to the disciples as such that they shall have the peculiar privilege of taking part with Him in judging the people of Israel. But it is evident from 1Co 6:2 that the people of Israel is conceived of as still forming part of the , therefore it will be so far still unconverted, which coincides with the view that the second coming is near at hand, Mat 10:23 . It is a mistake, therefore, to take the people of Israel as intended to represent the people of God in the Christian sense (de Wette, Bleek); but it is no less so to suppose that the judging in question is merely of an indirect character, such as that which in Mat 12:41 is ascribed to the queen of the south and the Ninevites (Chrysostom, Euthymius Zigabenus, Erasmus, Maldonatus), a view which does not at all correspond with the picture of the judgment given in the text, although those expositors correctly saw that it is the unbelieving Israel that is meant. This sitting upon twelve thrones belongs to the accidental, Apocalyptic form in which the promise is embodied, though it is not so with regard either to the judging itself or its special reference to the of Israel (Act 26:7 ), to which latter the number of the apostles expressly corresponds; for the second coming, instead of subverting the order of things here indicated, will only have the effect of exhibiting it in its perfection, and for the apostles themselves in its glory. It is therefore too rash to infer, as has been done by Hilgenfeld, that this passage bears traces of having been based upon an original document of a strictly Judaeo-Christian character. Even the Pauline Luke (Mat 22:30 ) does not omit this promise, although he gives it in connection with a different occasion, a circumstance which by Schneckenburger, without sufficient reason, and by Volkmar, in the most arbitrary way possible, is interpreted to the disadvantage of Matthew. It is not the case that Mat 19:28 interferes with the connection (Holtzmann), although Weizscker also is disposed to regard it as “a manifest interpolation.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Ver. 28. Ye which have followed me in the regeneration ] As if our Saviour should have said, to forsake all is not enough, unless ye be regenerate; so some sense it. Others by regeneration understand the estate of the gospel, called elsewhere a new heaven and a new earth, 2Pe 3:13 ; the world to come, Heb 2:5 ; for God plants the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, that he may say to Zion, Thou art my people. There are those who understand by regeneration, the general resurrection (of which also some think Plato had heard, and therefore held, that in the revolution of so many years men should be just in the same estate wherein they were before). These that follow this latter sense, read the text thus, by an alteration of points, “Ye which have followed me, shall, in the regeneration (when the Son of man shall sit in his glory) sit upon twelve thrones,” &c.
Ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones ] And so many kings. Kings they are here, but somewhat obscure ones, as Melchisedech was; but shall then appear with Christ in glory, far outshining the sun in his strength, higher than all the kings of the earth, Col 3:4 ; Psa 89:27 . When Daniel had described the greatness and glory of all the four monarchies of the world, at last he comes to speak of a kingdom which is the greatest and mightiest under the whole heaven, and that is “the kingdom of the saints of the most high,”Dan 7:18Dan 7:18 . So glorious is their estate even here, what shall it be, then, at that great day? And if the saints (every one of them) shall judge the angels, what shall the apostles do? Surely as they absolved or condemned men in this world, so shall it fare with them at the general judgment.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
28 30. ] We may admire the simple truthfulness of this answer of our Lord. He does not hide from them their reward: but tells them prophetically, that in the new world, the accomplishment of that regeneration which He came to bring in (see Act 3:21 ; Rev 21:5 ; Mat 26:29 ), when He should sit ( in the active ) on His throne of glory ( . . . ., the gen. expressing the simple fact of His session on His throne), then they also should sit ( in the middle ) on twelve thrones ( . . , the accus. expressing motion towards, as prescribed for them by another: “shall be promoted to, and take your seats upon ”) judging (see ref. 1 Cor.) the twelve tribes of Israel (see Rev 20:4 ; Rev 21:12 ; Rev 21:14 : one throne, Judas’s, another took, Act 1:20 ). At the same time he informs them, Mat 19:29 , that this reward should not in its most blessed particulars be theirs alone , but that of every one who should deny himself for Him (see 2Ti 4:8 ): and ( Mat 19:30 ) cautions them, referring perhaps especially to Judas, but with a view to all, as appears by the following parable, that many first should be last , and last first .
On Mat 19:29 , Stier remarks that the family relations are mentioned by St. Matthew in the order in which they would be left . On the other points requiring notice, see note on Mar 10:29-30 .
Meyer’s rendering of Mat 19:30 , joining with , and thus making the subject and the predicate of the first clause and vice vers in the second, is not so good as the ordinary one: for whereas the in the first clause, if it belonged to , would naturally lose its article, , if it belonged to , being divided from it by the predicate , would take its article as the subject; : and the same of in the second clause: , ch. Mat 20:16 , by which Meyer defends his rendering, does not necessitate it, containing the same propositions stated in different order.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 19:28 . : introducing a solemn statement. .: not a nominative absolute (Palairet, Observ. ), but being far from the verb, is repeated (with ) after . . to be connected with following. This is a new word in the Gospel vocabulary, and points to the general renewal “re-genesis (nova erit genesis cui praeerit Adamus ii., Beng.)” in the end of the days, which occupied a prominent place in Jewish apocalyptic hopes. The colouring in this verse is so strongly apocalyptic as to have suggested the hypothesis of interpolation (Weizscker), or of a Jewish-Christian source (Hilgenfeld). It is not in the parallels, but something similar occurs in Luk 22:30 . Commentators translate this promise, so strongly Jewish in form, into Christian ideas, according to their taste, reading into it what was not there for the disciples when it was spoken.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
ye. The answer to Peter’s “we”, Mat 19:27.
the regeneration = the making of all things new. The restoration of Act 3:21 = the “when” of the next clause. In Mar 10:30 we have the synonymous expression “the coming age”: thus referring to the future time of reward, and not to the then present time of their following; the word palingenesia occurs only here, and in Tit 3:5. The Syriac reads “in the new world” (i.e. age).
the Son of man. See App-98. XVI
shall sit = shall have taken His seat.
in = upon. App-104.
the throne of His glory = His glorious throne.
upon. Greek. epi. App-104.
the twelve tribes of Israel. This can have nothing to do with the Church of the Mystery as revealed in the prison epistles.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
28-30.] We may admire the simple truthfulness of this answer of our Lord. He does not hide from them their reward: but tells them prophetically, that in the new world, the accomplishment of that regeneration which He came to bring in (see Act 3:21; Rev 21:5; Mat 26:29), when He should sit ( in the active) on His throne of glory (. . . ., the gen. expressing the simple fact of His session on His throne), then they also should sit ( in the middle) on twelve thrones (. . , the accus. expressing motion towards, as prescribed for them by another: shall be promoted to, and take your seats upon ) judging (see ref. 1 Cor.) the twelve tribes of Israel (see Rev 20:4; Rev 21:12; Rev 21:14 :-one throne, Judass, another took, Act 1:20). At the same time he informs them, Mat 19:29, that this reward should not in its most blessed particulars be theirs alone, but that of every one who should deny himself for Him (see 2Ti 4:8): and (Mat 19:30) cautions them, referring perhaps especially to Judas, but with a view to all, as appears by the following parable, that many first should be last, and last first.
On Mat 19:29, Stier remarks that the family relations are mentioned by St. Matthew in the order in which they would be left. On the other points requiring notice, see note on Mar 10:29-30.
Meyers rendering of Mat 19:30, joining with , and thus making the subject and the predicate of the first clause and vice vers in the second, is not so good as the ordinary one: for whereas the in the first clause, if it belonged to , would naturally lose its article, , if it belonged to , being divided from it by the predicate , would take its article as the subject; : and the same of in the second clause: , ch. Mat 20:16, by which Meyer defends his rendering, does not necessitate it, containing the same propositions stated in different order.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 19:28. , …, but Jesus said unto them, etc.) Peter had joined together we have left all, and we have followed Thee. Our Lord replies to these things separately; for the latter (Mat 19:28) was peculiar to the apostles; the former (Mat 19:29) common to them with others. See Psa 45:10-11.– , ye-ye also) sc. you Twelve.- , in the regeneration) This is to be construed with the following, not the preceding words: for the following after Jesus is usually mentioned alone, without this addition: by which the time of the session, which is immediately spoken of, is suitably marked. There will be a new creation, over which the second Adam will preside, when the whole microcosm of human nature, by means of the resurrection, and also the macrocosm of the universe, will be born again (genesin iteratam habebit). Cf. Act 3:21; Rev 21:5; Mat 26:29.-Regeneration () and renovation () are joined together in Tit 3:5.-Then we shall be sons; see Luk 20:36; Rom 8:23; 1Jn 3:2.-, ye shall sit) The middle voice is used in the case of the disciples, the active, , in that of the Lord. At the beginning of the judgment the disciples will stand; see Luk 21:36; 2Co 5:10; afterwards, having been absolved from all charges against them, they will sit with Him; see 1Co 6:2.-, thrones) Another has taken the throne of Judas; see Act 1:20. Concerning the thrones, cf. Rev 20:4.-, judging) In the time of the Judges there was a theocracy, concerning which see my exposition of the Apocalypse, p. 553. Thus, in the first millennium, restored Israel, its enemies having been destroyed, will have judges again; see Isa 1:26. The promise, however, given to the apostles, refers to a still more distant period.-, twelve) The number of princes in Num 8:2, etc., and of apostles in Rev 21:12; Rev 21:14, corresponds with that of the tribes of Israel.-, …, tribes, etc.) to which the apostles had, in the first instance, been sent.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
regeneration
(Greek – = “re-creation,” “making new).” The word occurs once again in Tit 3:5. There it refers to the new birth or a believing person; here to the re-creation of the social order, and renewal of the earth; Isa 11:6-9; Rom 8:19-23 when the kingdom shall come. (See “Kingdom (O.T.),”
(See Scofield “Zec 12:8”) See Scofield “1Co 15:24”
judging
Disclosing how the promise Isa 1:26 will be fulfilled when the kingdom is set up. The kingdom will be administered over Israel through the apostles, according to the ancient theocratic judgeship. Jdg 2:18.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
in the regeneration: Isa 65:17, Isa 66:22, Act 3:21, 2Pe 3:13, Rev 21:5
when: Mat 16:27, Mat 25:31, 2Th 1:7-10, Rev 20:11-15
ye also: Mat 20:21, Luk 22:28-30, 1Co 6:2, 1Co 6:3, 2Ti 2:12, Rev 2:26, Rev 2:27, Rev 3:21
the twelve: Exo 15:27, Exo 24:4, Exo 28:21, Lev 24:5, Jos 3:12, 1Ki 18:31, Ezr 6:17, Rev 7:4, Rev 12:1, Rev 21:12-14, Rev 22:2
Reciprocal: Num 24:11 – the Lord 2Ki 11:19 – he sat 2Ch 9:19 – twelve lions 2Ch 18:9 – sat either Dan 7:22 – judgment Dan 12:3 – shine Dan 12:13 – rest Zec 3:7 – judge Mat 5:18 – verily Mat 5:19 – great Mat 10:1 – called Mat 19:21 – come Luk 6:13 – twelve Luk 9:48 – he that Luk 18:22 – and come Luk 18:29 – There Luk 22:30 – and sit Joh 21:19 – Follow Act 26:7 – our Jam 1:1 – to Jam 1:12 – which 1Pe 1:7 – might Rev 4:4 – were four Rev 20:4 – thrones
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:28.
Regeneration is from PALIG-GENESIA which has a very extensive meaning in Greek literature, but its proper definition is, “new birth, reproduction, r e n e w a 1, recreation.”–Thayer. It occurs only twice in the New Testament and the other place is Tit 3:5 where it is used in connection with “washing.” Heb 10:22 says that it is our bodies that are washed and the connection there also shows that it applies to persons who have been regenerated by obedience to the Gospel. Hence it is clear that Jesus was speaking of the Christian Dispensation, after the kingdom of heaven was set up and he would be its king, sitting in glory at his Father’s right hand. But he arranged his rule of government by delegating the writing of the law to his twelve apostles. That law was to be in force unto the end of the world (chapter 28:20), and in that figurative way they would be occupying the twelve thrones. Twelve tribes of Israel is a figure of speech based on the fact that under the Jewish system God’s people were grouped into that many tribes. Under the Gospel system there is only one tribe but the law is administered by the twelve apostles, hence Christians are referred to as twelve tribes. (See Act 26:7; Jas 1:1.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
[Ye that have followed me, in the regeneration.] That the world is to be renewed at the coming of the Messias, and the preaching of the gospel, the Scriptures assert, and the Jews believe; but in a grosser sense, which we observe at Matthew_24. Our Saviour, therefore, by the word regeneration; calls back the mind of the disciples to a right apprehension of the thing; implying that renovation, concerning which the Scripture speaks, is not of the body or substance of the world; but that it consists in the renewing of the manners, doctrine, and a dispensation conducing thereunto: men are to be renewed, regenerated, — not the fabric of the world. This very thing he teaches Nicodemus, treating concerning the nature of the kingdom of heaven, Joh 3:3.
[When the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit.] These words are fetched out of Daniel, Dan 7:9-10; which words I wonder should be translated by the interpreters, Aben Ezra, R. Saadia, and others, as well Jews as Christians, thrones were cast down. R. Solomon the Vulgar, and others, read it righter, thrones were set up; where Lyranus thus, “He saith thrones in the plural number, because not only Christ shall judge, but the apostles, and perfect men, shall assist him in judgment, sitting upon thrones.” The same way very many interpreters bend the words under our hands, namely, that the saints shall at the day of judgment sit with Christ, and approve and applaud his judgment. But, 1. besides, that the scene of the last judgment, painted out in the Scripture, does always represent as well the saints as the wicked standing before the tribunal of Christ, Mat 25:32; 2Co 5:10; etc.; we have mention here only of “twelve thrones.” And, 2, we have mention only of judging the “twelve tribes of Israel.” The sense, therefore, of the place may very well be found out by weighing these things following:
I. That those thrones set up in Daniel are not to be understood of the last judgment of Christ, but of his judgment in his entrance upon his evangelical government, when he was made by his Father chief ruler, king, and judge of all things: Psa 2:6; Mat 28:18; Joh 5:27. For observe the scope and series of the prophet, that, after the four monarchies, namely, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Syro-Grecian, which monarchies had vexed the world and the church by their tyranny, were destroyed, the kingdom of Christ should rise, etc. Those words, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” that judiciary scene set up Revelation_4-5; and those thrones Rev 20:1; etc. do interpret Daniel to this sense.
II. The throne of glory, concerning which the words before us are, is to be understood of the judgment of Christ to be brought upon the treacherous, rebellious, wicked people. We meet with very frequent mention of the coming of Christ in his glory in this sense; which we shall discourse more largely of at Matthew_24.
III. That the sitting of the apostles upon thrones with Christ is not to be understood of their persons; it is sufficiently proved; because Judas was now one of the number: but it is meant of their doctrine; as if he had said, “When I shall bring judgment upon this most unjust nation, then our doctrine, which you have preached in my name, shall judge and condemn them.” See Rom 2:16.
Hence it appears that the gospel was preached to all the twelve tribes of Israel before the destruction of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 19:28. Ye, i.e., the Apostles.
In the regeneration, or renovation (only here and Tit 3:5). Joined with what follows, which tells when this will be, and shows that it means the accomplishment of the spiritual renovation of the world (comp. Rev 21:5; Act 3:21). As this will be the final stage of a continuous work, we find a secondary and partial fulfilment of the promise in the nigh position of the Apostles in the Church.
When the Son of man shall sit. A definite period, when our Lord shall appear on the throne of his glory, the throne which belongs to, results from, and manifests His glory, as conqueror, ruler, and judge.
Upon twelve thrones. Christ will take His seat upon His own throne; the Twelve will be promoted to thrones prepared for them. Whether Matthias or Paul takes the place of Judas among the Twelve is disputed. It is therefore difficult to press a literal meaning upon the promise.
Judging. This refers more to their high position, than to acts of judging.
The twelve tribes of Israel. Scarcely the Jewish nation, since our Lord had already told them that His Church was to be distinct from this. Probably Christs people, among whom the Apostles shall occupy the most exalted position at His return.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 28
In the regeneration,–ye shall sit, &c.; in the kingdom of Christ, ye shall be advanced to stations of high responsibility and honor.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
19:28 {7} And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the {q} regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
(7) It is not lost, that is neglected for God’s sake.
(q) The regeneration is understood to mean that day when the elect will begin to live a new life, that is to say, when they will enjoy the heavenly inheritance, both in body and soul.