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For
the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out
early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed
with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the
third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye
also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went
their way. 5 Again
he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh
hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why
stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He
saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that
shall ye receive. 8 So
when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the
labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that
were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 But when the first came,
they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received
every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the
goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and
thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the
day. 13 But he answered one of
them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a
penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this
last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with
mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be
first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20)
Christ, being both the beginning and the end, has sole right to decide the
reward of those who follow Him.
This parable has direct relevance to the preceding event in Matthew 19 - 16 And, behold, one came and said unto
him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one,
that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy
mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these
things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and
give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow
me. 22 But
when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
The Apostles did not
understand this treatment of the rich young man. Jesus carefully explained that
they would inherit eternal life, but He also closed the previous chapter with
the words: 19:30 But many that are first
shall be last; and the last shall be first.
There are a number of parallels to be drawn from other contextual references of
the Bible to this principle of first/last, last/first.
Luke 15 – Parable of the prodigal son.
And he
said, A certain man had two sons: 12 And the younger of them
said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.
And he divided unto them his living.
The younger son (representing the gentiles)took his belongings and left the
father and older brother and went into a far country where, after a time of
carousing and living in finery, he lost all and was feeding the pigs.
After a time,
he came to his senses and resolved to return to his father as a hired servant,
but the father only lavished the boy with gifts and love and called him his
son.
The older was of a sad and fallen countenance.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and
drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26 And he called one of the
servants, and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said unto him, Thy
brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath
received him safe and sound. 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore
came his father out, and intreated him. 29 And he answering said to
his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any
time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make
merry with my friends: 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31 And he said unto him,
Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32 It was meet that we
should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive
again; and was lost, and is found.
These, and many others we will not relate at this moment, serve to remind us
that the Kingdom of Heaven is not organized along the lines of labor unions, or
Corporate Human Relations policies.
It tells us, first of all, that the gift of eternal life is not dependent on
years of service or some principle of seniority.
Once accepted by Christ, we are accepted wholly and in full.
My wife used to remind me some churches and Christians are like the chickens in
the chicken coop – the moment a baby chicken finds an insect and tries to eat
it, one of the older chickens rushes over and pecks the young chicken on the
head so that he is unable to eat.
Some one new comes into the church with some excellent talent the Lord has
given them, and oftentimes, the older members do all in their power to prevent
that new person from sharing that talent the Lord has given.
That is a part of the meaning of the parable we study today of the Husbandman
and the laborers.
The Husbandman is Christ – the laborers are those called to follow Christ.
Listen to the the explanation given by Bishop R.C. Trench, in his Notes on the
Parables and Dean of Westminster Cathedral:
"But for
all this the question, "What shall we have?" was not a right one; it
put their relation to their Lord on a wrong footing. There was a tendency in it
to bring their obedience to a calculation of—so much work, so much reward.
There lurked, too, a certain self-complacency in it. In this parable the
Apostles are taught that, however long-continued their work, abundant their
labours, yet without charity to their brethren, and humility before God, they
are nothing; that pride and a self-complacent estimate of their work, like the
fly in the precious ointment, would spoil the work, however great it might be,
since that work stands only in humility, and from first they would fall to
last. The lesson taught to Peter, and through him to us all, is that the first
may be altogether last; that those who stand foremost as chief in labour, yet
if they forget that the reward is of grace and not of works, and begin to boast
and exalt themselves above their fellow-labourers, may altogether lose the
things which they have wrought; while those who seem last may yet, by keeping their
humility, be acknowledged first and foremost in the day of God."
Another point of this parable is related to the first we have made above.
The Hebrew people of Israel had been blessed with the favor of God in being an
example and forerunner of the people of God. They had come to believe
that God dealt only with them in goodness and blessing and no one else.
They considered that, if God were to welcome the gentiles into His plan of
Salvation, that they must be less blessed than the Jews.
For
the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out
early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed
with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Therefore, the Jews are represented by the workers who were hired at the early
hour of the morning.
The husbandman had offered them one penny (or denarius) a day for their labor.
This was the customary daily wage for a laborer at the time of Christ.
Other laborers were hired at the noon day hour, and finally others during the
last hour of the harvest.
And
he went out about the third hour (9:00 AM), and saw others standing idle in
the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard,
and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about
the sixth (12 noon) and ninth hour(3:00 PM),
and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour (5 PM) he went
out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all
the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He
saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that
shall ye receive.
The Jews believed they should receive preference above others who were called
latter into the Kingdom, but that is not the way the Lord Jesus works.
When He healed the diseased, restored sight to the blind, healed leprosy,
restored life to the dead …..He always healed COMPLETELY. Those who were healed
were healed completely! He also treated the most serious disease first – SIN!
Example: Matthew 9: 2 And,
behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus
seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son,
be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes
said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to
say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on
earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise,
take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house.
Christ is generous to the Gentile and Jew alike. No one can claim preference in
the eyes of God due to the time of their salvation OR THE RACIAL BLOOD IN THEIR
VEINS.
Our reward shall be the Words uttered on that day when we come face-to-face with
Christ our Lord: Matt 25:34 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on
the left. 34 Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
AMEN
