It Is God’s Kingdom

Jesus had just made it clear that a person who was willing to put christ ahead of everything else would be blessed, in Matthew 19:29-30.  “And every one 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.  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.”   He also warned them that the rewards would not be based on who was most respected, or who got saved first. 

He then used a proverb to illustrate his point, in Matthew 20:1-15 “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.  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out 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.  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

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?

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.

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.  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman 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.

But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?  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.”

The householder had agreed to pay a penny a day for each man who worked in his field.  Unfortunately, there were not enough workers available when he started, so he had to go back to find additional workers several times in an effort to get the grapes picked before they started to spoil.  The last group the hired had been out looking for work, but had not found anyone to hire them, so he put them to work just an hour before quitting time.  At the end of the day he paid each man a full day’s pay even though some had only worked for an hour or so. 

Some of those who had worked the entire day felt that it was unfair that they didn’t get paid more than those who only worked an hour.  The owner pointed out they had been paid what they had agreed to work for.  It was his money, and he had the right to give the same pay to those who came later if he chose to.   He was not cheating those who came first by paying everyone the same amount for coming and helping him out.  Similarly, God will not be cheating anyone by giving the same salvation to those who got saved on their deathbed as those who got saved as a little child.  It is God’s kingdom and he has the right to make the rules as he sees fit.  He has made salvation available to everyone, but not everyone will accept Christ, and thus some will not receive it.  Judas had the same opportunity to be saved as the other disciples, but he chose not to believe, and was condemned.