For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
(Romans 9:15-16)
The Parables 0f Jesus – The Laborers In The Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16) (b)
Jesus tells the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) in response to
Peter’s question in Matthew 19.27: “We have left everything to follow you! What then will
there be for us?” Peter wanted to know what reward would be given to those who give
up everything to follow Jesus. In response, Jesus explains this truth about the kingdom
of heaven.
The landowner, whose decision to pay all the workers the same was an act of mercy-
not injustice–represents God, whose grace and mercy are shed abundantly upon those
of His choosing. “For he says to Moses, “‘| will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:15-16). In the matter of salvation, His grace and mercy are given to those whose self-righteous works could never obtain it.
We are all sinful and “fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but His grace is
sufficient to redeem all who believe. Whether God calls someone early or late in life to partake of His grace, the glory and praise for our salvation is His and His alone and in no way amounts to unfairness. Just as the landowner has a right to do what he wishes with his own money, so does God have the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy
The first group of workers in the vineyard resented receiving the same wage as the last group. Their attitude was similar to that of the Pharisees, who were incensed at Jesus’ teaching that others could inherit a heavenly kingdom they thought was reserved for
them alone. They despised Jesus for offering the kingdom to poor, oppressed, weak sinners whom He made equal to them. In verse 15, the landowner asks, “ls your eye evil because I am good?” The “evil eye” was a Hebrew expression referring to jealousy and
envy. God’s goodness and mercy produced in the self-righteous Pharisees the evil eye of envy.
The rest of the workers received their wages without complaint or envy of
others. In the same way, as Christians, we should rejoice when others come to the Savior, as we should rejoice in the service others render to Him. He is faithful to reward us for our service as He has promised, and how He rewards others should be of no consequence to us, nor should it affect our devotion to Him
The message in verse 16, “the last will be first, and the first last,” is that no matter how
long or how hard a believer works during his lifetime, the reward of eternal life will be
the same given to all-an eternity of bliss in heaven in the presence of God the Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), whose life of service
was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the
same reward of eternal life as the apostle Paul.
Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of
eternal life will be achieved by all equally.
Sol.Paulose