John Calvin Commentary Matthew 8:11

"And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:" — Matthew 8:11 (ASV)

Many will come from the east and west. In the person of the servant, Christ gave to the Gentiles a taste and a kind of first-fruits of his grace.

He now shows that the master is an example of the future calling of the Gentiles and of the spread of faith throughout the whole world. For he says that they will come, not only from the neighboring countries, but from the farthest bounds of the world.

Though this had been clearly foretold by many passages of the prophets, it appeared at first strange and incredible to the Jews, who imagined that God was confined to the family of Abraham. It was not without astonishment that they heard that those who were at that time strangers would be citizens and heirs of the kingdom of God; and not only so, but that the covenant of salvation would be immediately proclaimed, that the whole world might be united in one body of the Church.

He declares that the Gentiles who will come to the faith will be partakers of the same salvation with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. From this we draw the certain conclusion that the same promise which has been held out to us in Christ was formerly given to the fathers. For we would not have had an inheritance in common with them if the faith by which it is obtained had not been the same.

The word ἀνακλιθήσονται, will recline, contains an allusion to a banquet. But as we know that the heavenly life does not require meat and drink, this phrase has the same meaning as if he had said, they will enjoy the same life.