Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 10:31

"But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first." — Mark 10:31 (ASV)

This saying of Jesus refers to the future when God will evaluate the lives of people and when human values will be reversed. Those who have rank and position now will not have them, and those who do not have them now will have them then. This may be a kind of summary of Jesus’ teaching in vv.17–31. In eternity the rich and the powerful will have the tables turned on them. Furthermore, Jesus emphasizes that discipleship entails suffering and service; it must be entered on because of love and commitment to Jesus, not because of what one hopes to get out of it either in this life or in the life to come.