Matthew 16:27

God’s future judgment of His disciples, as well as Jesus’ example, should be an inducement to deny self, identify with Christ, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24; cf. Matthew 10:24-25). This verse teaches both eschatology and Christology. Jesus will come with the glory of His Father when He returns to earth at His second coming (Revelation 19:11-16). Jesus is the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13) who will come with the same glory that God enjoys. The angels will enhance His glory and assist Him in gathering people for judgment (Matthew 13:41; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:31-32; Luke 9:26). The angels are under Jesus’ authority. Then He will reward each person according to his deeds (conduct). Conduct demonstrates character. Again Jesus referred to the disciples’ rewards (cf. Matthew 5:12; et al.). The prospect of reward should motivate Jesus’ disciples to deny self and follow Him. The disciple who does so simply to obtain a reward has not really denied himself. Rewards are precisely that: rewards.

The rewards in view seem to be opportunities to glorify God by serving Him (cf. Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27). The disciple will have greater or lesser opportunities to do so during the millennial kingdom and forever after in proportion to his or her faithfulness on earth now. The New Testament writers spoke of these rewards symbolically as crowns elsewhere (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:25; Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:11). It is perfectly proper to serve Jesus Christ to gain a reward if our motives are correct (Matthew 6:19-21). We will one day lay our crowns at the feet of our Savior. The crown is an expression of a life of faithful service that we performed out of gratitude for God’s grace to us (cf. Revelation 4:4; Revelation 4:10). [Note: For a helpful introduction to the study of the Christian’s rewards, see Zane C. Hodges, Grace in Eclipse.]

Both Jesus and Paul urged us to lay up treasure in heaven, to make investments that will yield eternal rewards (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:31-34; 1 Timothy 6:18-19). It is perfectly legitimate to remind people of the consequences of their actions to motivate them to do what is right. That is precisely what Jesus was doing with His disciples here.

"By including this discussion here Matthew once more emphasized the program of the Messiah as it is based on Daniel’s prophecy. The Messiah must first be cut off (Daniel 9:26), a period of intense trouble begins at a later time (Daniel 9:27), and finally the Son of Man comes in glory to judge the world (Daniel 7:13-14). Thus the disciples must endure suffering, and when the Son of Man comes in His glory, they will be rewarded." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 208.]

"In the third part of this story (Matthew 16:21 to Matthew 28:20), Matthew describes Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and his suffering, death, and resurrection (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 20:17-19). Jesus’ first act is to tell his disciples that God has ordained that he should go to Jerusalem and there be made by the religious leaders to suffer and die (Matthew 16:21). On hearing this, Peter rejects out of hand the idea that such a fate should ever befall Jesus (Matthew 16:22), and Jesus reprimands Peter for thinking the things not of God, but of humans (Matthew 16:23). Then, too, Peter’s inability to comprehend that death is the essence of Jesus’ ministry is only part of the malady afflicting the disciples: they are also incapable of perceiving that servanthood is the essence of discipleship (Matthew 16:24)." [Note: Kingsbury, Matthew as . . ., p. 162.]