Charles Ellicott Commentary Mark 10:28-31

"Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and for the gospel`s sake, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first." — Mark 10:28-31 (ASV)

Then Peter began to say unto him.—See Notes on Matthew 19:27-30. St. Mark omits the question which St. Matthew adds to St. Peter’s words, What shall we have therefore?

Verily I say unto you.—St. Mark, possibly as writing for Gentile converts, omits the special promise to the Twelve, that they should sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

With persecutions.—Peculiar to St. Mark. (See Notes on Matthew 19:29.) We may, perhaps, venture to think of them as having been engraved on Peter’s mind by the lessons of his experience. He had been taught to see in the fiery trial almost the necessary condition of the exceeding joy (1 Peter 4:12–13).

Many that are first shall be last.—It will be noted that St. Mark omits the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, which follows in St. Matthew as an illustration of the truth.