"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers in the vineyard, And when He had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into His vineyard. And He went about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them, "Go ye also into the vineyard and whatsoever is right I will give you." And they went their way." (Matthew 20:1-4; Song of Solomon 8:11-12; Matthew 13:24)
This is not the only parable Jesus uses to explain what the kingdom of heaven is like. But it is a parable wherein Jesus uses it to respond to Peter's question in Matthew 19:27: "Behold, we have forsaken all, and have followed Thee, what shall we have therefore?"
Just prior to this, Jesus has just been tempted by the Pharisees attempting to trick Him. Then children were brought to Jesus so He could pray for them -- but the disciples choose to rebuke them. Next is the rich young ruler desiring to know what he has to do to inherit eternal life, to which Jesus responds -- "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." (Matthew 19:21) Exceedingly amazed at Jesus response, the disciples ask, "Who then can be saved?" To which Peter further asks Jesus, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed Thee' what shall we have therefore?" (Matthew 19:27)
All this must have been exhausting for the good man of the vineyard -- the good Lord -- who continually blesses both the good and the evil, and has repeatedly done so since the beginning of time. Nevertheless, Jesus continues. In Matthew 19:28, He offers a promise of reward. That is, "Verily, I say unto you - that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28)
In essence, Jesus was saying to His disciples that whosoever follows Jesus (in the regeneration of the Son of man); everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands -- for My name's sake -- shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29; Luke 14:26)
Therein, His reward! A hundredfold plus everlasting life!
Jesus later shares -- "many that are first, shall be last; and the last shall be first." (Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16; Mark 10:31)
What we see is Jesus sharing the parable of the good man, the householder in the vineyard. Within this parable, Jesus teaches that the labourers hired early in the day would receive the exact same pay as those hired very late in the day -- and paid as well "whatsoever is right!" (Matthew 20:4,7) This led to some of the labourers hired earlier in the day murmuring against the Master (because the labourers hired late in the day were paid an equal amount) without having to endure the burden and heat of the day.
Jesus asks these labourers if He is doing anything wrong, particularly since the labourers themselves had agreed to work for a penny (a denarius) a day. Herein, Jesus hadn't broken any promises. Jesus hadn't withheld a certain amount of payment back from the labourers. In fact, He had paid them the exact amount that was agreed upon. That is, a penny a day.
Notice however the complaint was not against labourers who were paid the same but worked less hours. Rather, in this case, the murmuring was pitted directly against the Master, who chose not to offer any reasons for His generosity, other than He had a right to distribute His blessings to whomever -- as He desired.
Jesus asks them, "Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good?" (Matthew 20:15; Deuteronomy 15:9) In another place, Jesus alludes to the light of the body being the eye, and if thine eye is single, thy whole body shall be full of light. "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Matthew 6:23)
The disciples then (like the labourers hired early in the day) expected to be rewarded more for having followed Jesus. As Jesus indicates in His response to Peter, the disciples shall be rewarded according to "whatsoever is right!" So again, Jesus ensures there is no unfairness or respecter of persons -- as witnessed from the parable.
But wait - it is herein that the labourers hired early in the day struggled. Picking up from the scriptures, we know that under Old Testament law, we can rightly discern between what we give and what we can expect to receive. The Mosaic and Levitical laws are clear on this point. As well, we can understand that if we obey these laws to the letter, there are clearly described / clearly defined, tangible rewards.
But according to Hebrews 9 and 10, we who live in this current generation (Gentiles -- non-Israelites) are no longer under Old Testament law. Rather, since the appointed time when "the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing ... how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:8. 14. 15-18)
Indeed, we who are alive today live under the new testament dispensation of grace wherein the Lord Himself paid the price for our sins -- in full. (Galatians 3:19-29) It is this undeserving, unmerited offer of salvation given freely to us -- who are in essence the labourers standing idle in the marketplace - from the householder (the Lord of glory!) that is completely foreign to us. The Lord's mercy so all encompassing -- that when we receive Him, our debt is paid in full. It is finished -- Jesus said -- it is finished.
And, as the scriptures repeatedly tell us, His blessings come according to who He is, and not according to who we are. Like the householder in the parable, we can be assured that the Lord will never treat any of His beloved unfairly. If anything, the rewards bestowed upon us by the Master lean always on the side of excessive generosity -- again, whatsoever is right and for His own pleasure and purposes. But there is more.
First, we should be thankful beyond measure that the Lord has chosen us to serve Him; that He did not venture on by you and I - to hire another labourer standing idly by. Indeed, He chose us before the foundation of the world was formed; and thus, at every opportunity we should willingly desire to serve the Lord in His vineyard. After all, we did not have to go to the cross. Rather, it was He -- Jesus -- who willingly shed His precious, holy blood so that we might have abundant life in Him, which Jesus alludes to in the verses immediately following this parable.
So, for a moment, imagine how Jesus felt --knowing that He would soon be betrayed; arrested for doing no wrong; recognizing that He was about to take on the sins of all the whole world -- on an old rugged cross -- so that even murmurers might be saved. What was Jesus thinking, knowing He would soon be mocked and ridiculed; beaten to the point of being unrecognizable; soon to be nailed to a cross by those very people whom He loved? Indeed, forgive them Father for they know not what they do!
Remember too that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. There is a significant difference. And yet, He witnessed the labourers He personally sought out to hire for His vineyard murmuring because in their mind, the Master has not blessed them enough!
A question we should all be asking -- what should it matter if we are first or last?
But then, as if all common sense and compassion in Matthew 19-20 had been lost, the Lord Jesus ventures along to heal two blind men sitting by the wayside -- who cried out (upon knowing that Jesus was passing by) -- "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou Son of David." (Matthew 20:29-33)
Yes, Jesus' compassion for His beloved church/bride still shines brightly -- His invitation to those who are idle and want to serve Him still open. And, as He touched the eyes of the two blind men, the scales fell immediately from their eyes so that they could see. And they followed Him. (Matthew 20:34)
The outstanding question -- which side will you choose?
Stand in the offering plate.
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