Luke 18:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you."

NIV: Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"

NASB: Peter said, 'Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.'

CSB: Then Peter said, "Look, we have left what we had and followed you."

NLT: Peter said, 'We’ve left our homes to follow you.'

KJV: Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

NKJV: Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.”

This is the second comparison regarding the rich young ruler. An important man in his community, kindly, very wealthy, and a devout follower of the Mosaic law wants to know what else he must do to inherit eternal life. He doesn't understand that he can't earn it on his own. Jesus gives the man a challenge to reveal where his heart has erred: He tells the man to sell all he has, give the proceeds to the poor, and come follow Him. The man walks away dejected because he loves being rich (Luke 18:18–25; Mark 10:22).

The first comparison is between this man and children. The man has wealth, power, skill, and ambition. The children have nothing. Because they have nothing, they can freely enter God's kingdom, secure that it is God's gift and not something they could earn or buy (Luke 18:15–17).

The second comparison is between the man and the disciples. The rich man would not sacrifice his earthly life for eternal life; the disciples are in the process of doing just that. They have left their homes, jobs, and families to travel with and learn from Jesus. Jesus affirms their decision and reveals that part of the "kingdom of God" is eternal blessings for those who are in it (Luke 18:29–30).

Luke 18:28–30 is a moment of commendation for the disciples. A rich man walks away from Jesus because he overvalues his wealth and can't submit to Jesus. The disciples point out they have left everything, and Jesus promises them rewards in eternity. However, they can't understand what Jesus will face despite having been told several times (Luke 18:31–34). Meanwhile, a blind beggar sees who Jesus is (Luke 18:35–43). This account is also in Mark 10:28–30 and Matthew 19:27–29; Matthew adds that the disciples will sit on twelve thrones and judge Israel.

Luke continues to arrange Jesus' teachings by their topic. Here, he includes two parables: the persistent widow and the Pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus encourages children to approach Him. He interacts with a moral, wealthy man who can't bear to follow Jesus if it means giving up wealth. After another prediction of His death, Jesus encounters and heals a blind man on His way to Jerusalem.

Luke 18 approaches the end of Jesus' "travelogue" to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51—19:27). Luke has selected miracles, teachings, and events to show how Jesus trained His disciples. His emphasis was explaining the kingdom of God in preparation for their work to build the church. Luke 18 includes several contrasts between those who understand God's kingdom and those who don't. Luke 19 includes the story of Zacchaeus and another parable before Jesus' triumphal entry and the Passion Week. These stories are also found primarily in Matthew 19—20 and Mark 10.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.