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Luke 22:28–30
“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
The disciples needed correction when they disputed among themselves about who would be the greatest in our Lord’s kingdom. Jesus told them not to entertain the world’s view of greatness but called them to service, teaching that true Christian leadership exists only as church leaders work not to exalt themselves but to serve others, seeking to meet their needs (Luke 22:24–27). Yet we should not take His teaching to mean that faithful Christian service will go unnoticed. In seeking to serve others, leaders do not always receive the honor they are due, but Jesus says that their faithfulness will not be forgotten. We find this promise in today’s passage.
Jesus told the disciples in the upper room that they had stayed with Him throughout His ministry and so He was assigning them a kingdom, just as His Father had given Him a kingdom (vv. 28–29). Throughout the ministry of Jesus, as we read in texts such as John 6:66, many of His followers heard Him gladly at first but then abandoned Him when His teaching became too difficult for them to receive. Also, the many warnings that Jesus gives regarding not acknowledging Him before other people show that some who profess to be Christ’s disciples will fall away from Him (Matt. 10:32–33; 13:5–6, 20–21). To this point, however, the Twelve, except for Judas, had not abandoned Him. Their reward would be a kingdom over which they would rule. In granting this kingdom, Jesus was not saying that the disciples somehow merited this status; it was a gift of grace given to undeserving servants (Luke 17:7–10). We do not merit anything from God’s hand. Nevertheless, the Bible does connect faithfulness with rewards, and those who serve Jesus faithfully will be rewarded by God. The reward, Jesus says, is a position of authority in Israel—that is, those who remain faithful to Christ will receive responsibility to reign over His messianic kingdom alongside Him. This privilege belongs in a special way to the Apostles, but other texts in the New Testament promise such authority to other believers who endure in faithfulness as well (e.g., 2 Tim. 2:12).
Finally, the Greek word used when Jesus says that the Father appointed a kingdom to His Son is the same word used when talking about making a covenant. Thus, many Reformed theologians have seen in this text a reference to an eternal covenant within the Trinity to save sinners. God has planned our redemption from all eternity.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
God has chosen not only to save us from His wrath but also to appoint for His people a kingdom over which they will reign. This is an immense privilege, and on this side of heaven we are being prepared to rule in this kingdom as we attend to the Word of God and prayer, seeking to grow in our sanctification, becoming more like Jesus in holiness. Let us seek to grow in obedience as we prepare to rule alongside Jesus in the new heaven and earth.
for further study
- Isaiah 11
- Zechariah 8:20–23
- Luke 12:32
- Revelation 20:4
the bible in a year
- Jeremiah 51–52
- Hebrews 6:13–7:10