Jesus replied that they would be rewarded in this life many times over for all their sacrifices and given eternal life in the world to come. “But,” he added, “many who are first shall be last, and the last shall be first” (Mark 10:31). He knew that much of what Peter and the others thought to be important was not really so, and that what they thought to be of no importance was often of great significance before God. Their thinking would have to be rearranged before they could understand their “reward” for leaving all to follow him. So he adds his “reversal” formula to help them keep thinking.
