Matthew 19:29
Sunday, 17 May 2026
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29
“And all, whoever he left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields because of My name, a hundredfold he will receive, and life perpetual he will inherit.” (CG)
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that those of the disciples who follow Him would sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Next, He continues, saying, “And all, whoever he left.”
Jesus is about to give a list of things people may give up for the sake of the gospel. In these words, He is referring to priorities toward God above all else. The word “all” extends the meaning to anyone, not merely those just given the promise in the previous verse. As for the list, He says, “houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields.”
Some transcripts omit the words “or wife.” That was clearly based on the thought that a husband and wife should never be separated. However, it is rather certain that the words are original. When reading this, we can get mentally stuck on what Jesus is saying. However, to leave something does not necessarily mean forsaking it.
When a person leaves his mother, she is still his mother. In Genesis 2, it says –
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24
Mom and Dad are still Mom and Dad. The man, however, has made a new allegiance that takes first priority. People leave families all the time for whatever amount of time is necessary to accomplish a job. While writing this commentary, the USS Gerald R. Ford is deployed in the Middle East. So far, they have been at sea for 294 days. It is the longest deployment in over 50 years.
Each sailor with a family still has that family, but the navy is the sailor’s current priority. A missionary called to serve in Uganda for a year will have his wife waiting for him. If it is a long-term mission, families usually go together.
There is no reason to get mentally stuck on Jesus’ words, or to take them to unintended extremes. Jesus is referring to placing Him as the highest priority in whatever manner that entails for the situation. He confirms this, saying, “because of the ‘My name’.”
Whatever is done for Jesus in His name, obviously with the right heart attitude, is what He is referring to. If so, Jesus says that the effort will not be without its reward, noting that “a hundredfold he will receive.”
A new word is seen here, hekatontaplasión, a hundredfold. Some manuscripts say pollaplasiona, manifold. However, many translations that use those manuscripts still render the word as hundredfold.
Jesus’ words should not be considered as quantity but quality. In other words, if someone left one wife to serve the Lord, he should not expect a hundred wives. Rather, he should expect the blessing to be a hundredfold in results and in internal satisfaction. Understanding this, Jesus finishes with, “and ‘life, perpetual’ he will inherit.”
These words do not indicate merit for eternal life. Rather, Jesus has already said that what is done is for His name’s sake. The person referred to is a believer. All true believers receive eternal life. As such, Jesus includes this thought as an assurance of that, not as a grant based on performance.
Read the slight differences in Luke and Mark concerning Jesus’ words to get a better understanding of the overall intent of what He says –
“Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” Mark 18:29, 30
“Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” Luke 18:29, 30
Life application: True story – A person in a church said he was called to be a missionary. Using this verse as a pretext to go forward, he notified the church and his wife that he was divorcing her to proceed with his calling.
This is a complete abuse of what Jesus is saying. The directives for marriage are laid out by both Jesus in the gospels and Paul in the epistles. If a person thinks he can get away with divorcing his wife to honor Jesus, he is severely deluded. Everything has a context. As noted above, a person does not stop being a son just because he unites with his wife.
Likewise, a person does not stop being a husband if he goes to serve the Lord (or the US Navy). Never attempt to use Scripture to justify the unjustifiable. The Lord will not be mocked, and judgment awaits all such disobedience.
Lord God, may our lives be an acceptable offering to You. Our lives are often filled with difficulties and trials, but help us to persevere and bring glory to You as we continue down the path You have set for us. During our walk, may we do our best to hold fast to Scripture, honoring You through faithful obedience. Amen.
