While these rewards are called crowns and mansions and other things in the Bible, I do not believe that they are outward possessions, but instead an inward capacity to possess. What we do here on earth builds within us our capacity to possess love, joy, and worship. The greater our service to God and to others the greater our capacity for eternal blessings.
There will be no envy of those who have greater rewards. In Heaven everyone's "cup will runneth over" meaning that God will bless us to capacity that we will be able to enjoy. But for those He has rewarded, their capacity will be greater and will hold greater love and joy before overflowing.
As for the hierarchy in Heaven; we know that there is a hierarchy among the angels and in Matthew 20 Jesus in His conversation with James and John about who would sit to His left and right, clearly indicates that there is a hierarchy amongst men in Heaven also.
We have no explanation of what this hierarchy is like but we do have have a couple of clues.
Luke 9:48 . . . For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.
Mark 9:35 . . . "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
These verses clearly indicates that it is a hierarchy of servitude.
BTL: "As for the hierarchy in Heaven; we know that there is a hierarchy among the angels and in Matthew 20 Jesus in His conversation with James and John about who would sit to His left and right, clearly indicates that there is a hierarchy amongst men in Heaven also."
So do you equate hierarchy with rewards? In other words, do you think position in the hierarchy is determined by the amount or quality of works on earth?
I agree there are hierarchies in heaven just as I see hierarchies in creation and in the visible church. Yet I do not see these as rewards - merely a God-ordained position given to each part of the whole.
BTL: "We have no explanation of what this hierarchy is like but we do have have a couple of clues.
Luke 9:48 . . . For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.
Mark 9:35 . . . "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
From the scripture you have quoted, it seems evident that God discourages us from seeking crowns or rewards or prominence. In effect, any hierarchy that would result from the first being last and vice versa would be best served if we had no knowledge of rewards (assuming they exist).
God created each of us with gifts, capacities, and abilities. We are each unique and play a different role in His divine plan. Any "reward" or "position" granted us by God is due to his grace, love and compassion for us - nothing within ourselves. To think that we deserve some greater reward or "capacity" implies that we have something within us that merits this increase - something we could accomplish that is outside of God's doing or Christ's sacrifice.