"Do all things without murmurings and disputings." (Philippians 2:14)
Continuing with the study of Jesus' teaching to both the Pharisees and His disciples (from Matthew 20), we begin to understand how God's salvation plan was woven into place from the very beginning - even before the foundation of the world was formed. In part, we witness how the plight of Israel was negatively impacted by their ongoing willingness to serve the world rather than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. More specifically, from Jesus' parable, we learn that when the first labourers agreed to work in the vineyard for the very same wage as those labourers hired later, they should have been grateful -- because they received the amount of wages they originally agreed to.
However, as we see from the grumbling, their complaint wasn't that some labourers didn't have to work as many hours as the first hired did. Rather, their complaint was against the unexpected (unwarranted) generosity of the householder who decided on his own to give everyone the same reward. Remember, all the men worked and agreed to be paid "whatsoever is right" -- that shall ye receive. (Matthew 20:4, 7) But as we also know, the householder bestowed an additional gift (grace beyond measure!) on those labourers hired at day's end. That is, all the labourers received the same reward.
So instead of appreciating the generosity of the the householder, the labourers hired earlier in the day chose to find fault with their Master -- not because their wage was unfair, or that they had been dwindled out of pay -- but rather that other labourers hired later were made equal with them. In response, Jesus clearly points out the good man can do as He pleases with His own possessions. The good man -- in this current dispensation of grace the Lord Jesus -- desiring always to cure our blind eyes so we can receive spiritual sight that will draw our hearts after Him. And consequently, as a result of His invitation to labour in His vineyard, growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ. (Matthew 20:29)
But then Jesus asks, "Is thine eye evil because I am good?"
Interesting question. As background, we know the owner of the vineyard - the Lord of glory!- is the central character within the parable. Why is this important? Because the householder not only went out early in the morning to hire labourers for the vineyard but He continued in His work all the day long -- the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, and well into the eleventh hour. Equally important is His over the top generosity (as the good man of the vineyard), which, ironically, is the catalyst that gets Him into trouble. Indeed, the Lord has always delighted in blessing His people, even though He, as the sovereign Lord doesn't have to ever give account of His actions to His creation.
On a different note, remember that up until this point, the labourers were "idly" just wasting away their days. As represented in the parable, the labourers did not engage in work which was meaningful, which explains why they were available to work in the vineyard.
There is yet another point worthy of consideration. Jesus says in Matthew 19:30 -- "But many [that are] first shall be last, and the last [shall be] first." Later, Jesus clarifies His statement further saying, "So the last shall be first, and the first last, for many be called but few are chosen." (Matthew 20:16)
Did Jesus change His mind between His initial conversation with the Pharisees and His disciples, and subsequently sharing the parable? Most certainly, in the parable, all the labourers hired were treated equally. As we also know, the householder gave whatsoever is right to each labourer, albeit, those labourers hired later in the day were not required to work as many hours for the same pay.
So then the question begs -- why did Jesus share this parable? What was His purpose?
Well, we know Jesus was speaking to His disciples, and by extension, the body of Christ church. This is evidenced in Jesus' response to Peter when the latter asks, "Behold, we have forsaken all; and followed Thee: what shall we have therefore?" (Matthew 19:27) As we know from this example, Jesus promises His disciples twelve thrones -- giving each and every one of them special honour. (Matthew 19:27-28)
But what is the meaning of the first last and the last first?
As stated before, the first could refer to the Israelites who were invited into the Lord's vineyard from the beginning of creation. The last are the Gentiles that upon hearing and responding to the good news gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ also receive His gift of salvation and blessings. Conversely, on a more personal level, it could refer to those who begin their faith journey with little but through a spritual circumcision of their heart become very useful within the Kingdom.
Another perspective is the timing of your acceptance of the Lord Jesus into your life (earlier or later in life) is not as important as what you actually do with His love, grace and mercy. Or simply, that until we come to the Lord Jesus with humble heart, we waste our days in a sinful state -- serving satan in mindless and scattered idleness.
The reality is that real life begins with Jesus as both our Lord God and Saviour in our life. And in the parable, He continues to call each and every one of us to labour in His Kingdom.
It is interesting to note however, that even at the eleventh hour, no one had offered to hire these labourers before. Could this be those people in the hedges -- spoken of in Revelation - when those in the highways and byways find themselves far too busy to attend the Lord's most elaborate banquet? Note that these labourers mention that the reason they are not working is because no man hath offered to hire them. In essence then, no one had (yet) invited them to partake in the Lord's vineyard.
Or perhaps, there is value in looking at Jesus' parable from the perspective of the religious (nominal Christians and proud Pharisees) who have repeatedly heard the Lord's invitation but have instead justified within their own hearts why they labour continually for earthly kingdoms. Put another way, in some minds, the penny received for labouring in the world outweighs the same penny received for labouring for the Lord's kingdom -- and sadly, this mindset even when, as evidenced by Jesus' parable, His rewards are so much more than any of us deserve.
Note what happens at the end of the parable. When evening is come, the Lord of the vineyard asks His steward to call all the labourers so that He could give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. (Matthew 20:8) Note that the Lord recompenses every service done for Him (even those who only contributed to the Kingdom for a short time), doing wrongly by none of them, whilst still showing extraordinary grace to all those who laboured in His vineyard.
But rather than being content that the Lord has brought even more labourers (souls) into His fold, essentially making their individual job as labourers easier, and rewarding one and all with \whatsoever is right', there is a tendency (as we see herein) to become envious and proud, exalting ourselves to a much higher status than we deserve. Indeed, as we learn, they supposed that they should have received more!
"And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, 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." (Matthew 20:11-12)
The labourers who grumbled about having to work longer hours for the same pay did not choose to rejoice and praise God for His endless mercies and abundant grace -- which He applies equally to everyone who comes to Him, which as we know, there is no respecter of persons within the body of Christ church. Everyone is equal and Jesus is the Head of the Church.
Still, even though Jesus had said He had done them no wrong, the labourers still complained. Even though they had agreed to work for one penny, they still felt deserving of so much more. What does Jesus - the good man of the vineyard -- say?
"Take that thine is, and go thy way; I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called but few chosen." (Matthew 20:14-6)
Normally, this is where the teaching on this parable ends. Still, there is one more point worth including. That is, Jesus (on the way to Jerusalem) takes His twelve disciples apart to say, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify [Him]: and the third day He shall rise again." (Matthew 20:17-19)
Therefore, a much needed lesson here. Whilst we squabble and murmur among ourselves -- over who shall be first, and who shall be last, and who is more deserving and who is not, let's remember that the ultimate sacrifice - the ultimate death and suffering -- was paid in full by the good man of the vineyard, who (in spite of ourselves) still loves us as His beloved bride -- still willing to recompense untold blessings to us for a debt that only He could pay.
Stand in the offering plate.
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