Today’s reading is Matthew 20.
At the end of Matthew 19, Jesus answered Peter’s question. “Lord, we’ve given up everything. What will we get?” Jesus actually promised Peter a great deal. But He capped the response with this statement: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Then we get a chapter break. We might think Jesus is talking about something new. However, keep reading. He tells a story about laborers being hired into the vineyard at different times in the day. Those hired at the beginning of the day are promised a denarius (that was a coin that was commonly a day’s wage in the first century). Those hired at other times were simply told, “I’ll pay you whatever is right.” When the day is through, the ones hired for only one hour of service are given a denarius. As are the workers who only worked half the day and three quarters of it. Those who had been working all day were certain the master of the house was going to increase what he had promised them. Instead, the master gave them a denarius as well. Jesus capped off the whole story with the statement “So the last will be first, and the first last.”
In other words, this story is actually still part of Jesus’s response to Peter. It is true, Jesus is going to graciously give Peter and the apostles magnificent reward. But Peter misunderstands. Peter is still struggling with the question about who is the greatest. Perhaps the greatest are those who serve the longest, work the hardest, sacrifice the most. Nope! The greatest is actually the Master of the House. Because He is full of grace and mercy, graciously inviting those who cannot provide for themselves a role in His vineyard and a reward at the end.
Consider that Jesus’s story does not actually provide a picture of role reversal. It is not that those who started work the earliest get the least reward while those who worked the least get the most. Rather, all get the same no matter how much work they did. The point is the reward being offered is actually so amazing none of the workers earned it. It is grace and generosity from the Master that any of us get to work in the vineyard. It is grace and generosity from the Master that any of us get a reward. This isn’t a picture of role reversal; this is a picture of equality. It isn’t first come, first served. Nor is it last come, first served. We often picture this first and last thing as if Jesus asked everyone to line up single file facing in one direction, but then He pulls a switcheroo. He goes to the back of the line and tells everyone to turn around and starts there. That isn’t what is happening. Rather, as the line forms with each person looking at the back of the person in front of them, Jesus steps out to the side and asks everyone to turn to the right and face Him. Now we all stand shoulder to shoulder and walk together as a line into His reward. The first is last and the last first not because first and last have swapped places, but because we are now all on equal footing. There actually is no first and last. There is no greatest and least. There are only workers in the vineyard.
This is grace. Because at the end of the day, when we receive our denarius, even the apostles will not stand out as having earned some greater reward. None of us will have earned anything. We will receive what the Master graciously decides to give us. Trust me, it will be fantastic. No matter what time of day it is, accept the gracious offer to work in the Master’s vineyard. You’ll be glad you did. I promise.
Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 20.
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Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family
- What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
- Why do the workers who start in the morning expect more when it comes time to pay them?
- If this were strictly an issue of working for wages that are earned, why would this whole situation be unfair?
- But Jesus says this situation is actually about the grace and generosity of the Master. Thus, when we realize this is really about working in God’s vineyard why is this set up completely fair?
- What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?
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