The first shall be last.

[AllanS]

Just a thought.

How can the first be last if they never, ever arrive?

[WE_ARE_ALL_BROTHERS]

In every instance of this phrase it is concerning those who follow Yeshua (Matthew 19:31; Mark 10:31), those who know him (Luke13:1; in contrast to those who will be thrown out), and those who labour (Matthew 20:6). It is conditional upon a response. It could mean a number of things, but I don’t think it necessitates a belief that everyone will arrive.

[Alex_Smith]

How can the first be last if they never, ever arrive?

They can’t be… when I was discussing Luke 13:22-30 with Luke, I was encouraged to discover the UR reminder in v30:

v28 shows the audience is the Jews, and that Jesus is forewarning them of what Paul expands on in Romans. i.e. that the Jews will be “thrown out”, cut off for awhile, so that all the Gentiles from everywhere v29 will come in. v30 The Jews are the “first” who become “last” i.e. after the Gentiles have come in.

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

WAAB this might be a bit of a stretch, but could it depend on the strength of the “But” i.e. there will those that leave houses, etc. but also many of the “first” (Jews) who will be last?

[Melchizedek]

Jesus even told the Pharisees that sinners (e.g., prostitutes) would enter the Kingdom ahead of them. He never said the Pharisees wouldn’t enter at all…

[AllanS]

Fred and Bert are in a race. Halfway through, the ground suddenly opens and swallows the unfortunate Fred. He’s never seen again. Would it make any sense to say Fred came last? To come last, he must finish the race.

In another parable, the proud man who wanted the best seat was given the poorest seat, but he was still at the table.

No doubt Jesus was referring to Israel and the Gentiles, but I suspect the same applies to all as individuals.

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

"People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

[Cindy_Skillman]

Yes, that works for me – I don’t see how those made to wait until last can be supposed to be put off forever or never to arrive. In order to be last to arrive, you must arrive. Granted you may wander off and never come back, but then it would have to be stated otherwise, I think.

I suppose you can make it say that many who did have first place in line gave up and never came back once their first position was taken from them. But that’s not actually what it says.

[Melchizedek]

I thought this was pretty incredible, and speaks to the last being first.

dyordy.com/Kingdom/7.TheMyst … eHoly.html

[WE_ARE_ALL_BROTHERS]

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But

many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will 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. But

many who are first will be last, and the last first.”WAAB this might be a bit of a stretch, but could it depend on the strength of the “But” i.e. there will those that leave houses, etc. but also many of the “first” (Jews) who will be last?

Possibly, but I think this is heavily presuming that it’s speaking of election. It might be, and then it might be suggesting that many (not every individual?) who were invited first, like the Jews, will come last. But I think its teaching that those (believers) who labour hardest will receive higher rewards than those who, being slothful with their talents, otherwise arrived first. I think it has something to do with sanctification specifically: that those who eagerly press into their sanctification, overcoming persecution, will leave purgatory and be given the fullness of aionion life first. Hope that makes some sense. But your guess is as good as mine (or better!).