Luke 22:28-30 28You yourselves are those who have remained with me in my trials, 29and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In the next verses, Jesus warns his disciples of future trials. These verses come after his prediction of betrayal and the disciples’ dispute about greatness. They would face different types of challenges in the future, including the temptation to forsake Jesus, like Judas, and the temptation to put their agendas ahead of the needs of other people. Jesus praises his disciples for staying with him through his own difficult journey. There is no doubt that there were many challenging times in his itinerant ministry in Galilee and Judea. He faced opposition many times from the religious leaders and teachers.
The word for trails (peirasmois) can also mean temptation. Satan used the challenges Jesus faced as other forms of temptations, but Jesus remained faithful, in part because of his connection to the Father through prayer. The disciples needed to remain faithful during the events that were about to unfold. They would soon face their own test as they returned to the olive grove for the night. Would they remain faithful when their own test came, not just that night but in the future as they reflected back on that night?
Verse 29 reads like a statement of a last will and testament. Jesus was conferring upon the disciples a kingdom. This verse stands in sharp contrast to his exhortation in verses 26-27 about being humble servants. Those who serve will be rewarded with a kingdom. Jesus was given the authority of God’s kingdom, and he can grant this kingdom to those he wishes. Those who deserve this kingdom are those who serve in faithful obedience and remain in him (echoing John 15:1-17).
In verse 30, Jesus gives another preview of the heavenly banquet awaiting his disciples when he would once again celebrate Passover with them (verse 18). The apostles would sit on thrones as judges over Israel. This statement represents positions of honor in the coming kingdom. The disciples had every motivation to remain faithful when their moment of trial came. Although the last part of verse 30 may be applicable only to the original apostles, the idea of being part of the great wedding supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19 is a motivation for all believers to take similar positions of servanthood and to be faithful when we face our own trials and temptations. Luke has recorded both a negative (betrayal) and positive (kingdom reward) example of how to respond to Jesus. He has one more negative to give in the next passage.
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