Gospel in Art: But many who are first will be last, and the last first

Im Wald ein Wesen gefunden, Paintings by Georg Baselitz, 2025 © Image courtesy of Georg Baselitz / Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery Paris

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 18 August 2026
Matthew 19:23-30

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' Then Peter said in reply, 'See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?' Jesus said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, or brothers or sisters, or father or mother, or children or lands for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'

Reflection on the paintings

Jesus frequently surprised those who followed him. Time and again, he challenged assumptions that seemed obvious, inviting his listeners to see the world from God's perspective rather than their own. Today's Gospel is another such moment. The disciples are left amazed when Jesus declares that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. His words turned their world view upside down.

In the Jewish world of the time, wealth was often regarded as a sign of God's blessing. It seemed only natural to assume that prosperous people enjoyed God's special favour. Jesus, however, exposes the danger hidden within riches. The problem is not wealth itself, but the way it can quietly take hold of the human heart. Possessions are good servants but poor masters!

The disciples would have found another one of Jesus' sayings equally perplexing at the end of today's reading: "The first will be last, and the last will be first." In the world's eyes, coming first is something to strive for. We admire those who are powerful and successful. Yet in God's Kingdom, greatness is measured differently. Those who place themselves at the service of others, who live with humility rather than ambition, and who put God before themselves are the ones who are truly first. Jesus is not discouraging excellence or hard work; he is teaching that our ultimate goal is not to be above others, but to love others.

The Kingdom of Heaven reverses the values of the world. The Kingdom of Heaven turns the values of the world upside down. George Baselitz, who dies earlier this year, was one of Germany's most influential contemporary artists, famous for quite literally turning the world upside down. Since 1969 he has painted many of his subjects inverted, with people, landscapes and objects hanging head-down on the canvas. His aim was not to be eccentric, but to encourage us to stop concentrating on what is depicted and instead pay attention to how it is painted: the colour, brushwork, composition and emotional impact. By disrupting our normal way of looking at art, Baselitz forces us to see familiar subjects afresh.

LINKS

Christian Art: www.christian.art
Today's image: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-19-23-30-2026/