Peter was not wrong to ask that question. He and the other apostles had indeed left all they had in the world to follow Christ. In contrast, just before this, the rich young ruler had left Christ to love the world. He had come to the Lord to ask Him how to gain eternal life:

What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?
— Matthew 19:16

Yet, he was not able to obtain it, because he clung to his earthly riches. Instead, he had his reward in this present age, though choosing it had caused him to go away “grieving” from the presence of the Lord (Matthew 19:16-22).

But, if he had his reward now, then Peter wanted to know, What would the apostles have as a reward for the choice they had made?

The Lord told him,

Truly I say unto you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you also will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name’s sake shall receive a hundred times as much, and shall inherit eternal life.
— Matthew 19:28-29

Here the Lord proclaims that, when He returns, those who do leave all to follow Him will not only inherit eternal life, but will in addition receive “a hundred times as much” for what they left behind.

Today we should live as those “0f whom the world [is] not worthy” (Heb. 11:38); for, like the ten virgins, we have taken our lamps and gone forth from the world to “meet the bridegroom” (Matt. 25:1). Because of this, we may be despised in the eyes of the world—but we should not despise ourselves. Rather, we must be clear that we live as we do not because we are so much less worthy than others, but because we have made a very sober decision to reject the temporary rewards the world would offer us today for a far greater, and more lasting, reward when the Lord returns.

At that time, those who, whether as believers or as unbelievers, lived for the enjoyment of this present age, will finally realize just how foolish they were in the choice they made.

Not long before Peter asked his question regarding the disciples’ reward, the Lord had already said,

For what shall a man be profited if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall repay each one according to what he has practiced.
— Matthew 16:26-27

May the Lord grant us such a sober view of our life, and of this present age, so we would live to gain His reward when He returns.

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—  24 June 2026 —