Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 13:43

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear." — Matthew 13:43 (ASV)

In contrast to the evildoers, “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (an allusion to Da 12:3). These righteous people (see comments on 5:20, 45; 9:13; 10:41), once the light of the world (5:13–16), now radiate perfection and experience bliss in the consummation of their hopes.

The “kingdom of their Father” must not be set over against the kingdom of the Son of Man (v.41) on the supposed ground that the former alone is eternal, or that the Son of Man hands over the elect to him (1 Corinthians 15:24). The Son’s postascension reign is a mediated reign. All God’s kingly authority is given to Jesus (28:18) and mediated through him; and for all that time the kingdom can be called the kingdom of God or the kingdom of the Son of Man or, more generally, the kingdom of heaven.