Matthew 20:1 ¶ 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. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for
a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw
others standing idle in the marketplace, 4
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is
right I will give you. And they went their way. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth
hour, and did likewise. 6 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? 7
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. 8 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. 9
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they
received every man a penny. 10 But when
the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they
likewise received every man a penny. 11
And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman
of the house, 12 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. 13
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst
not thou agree with me for a penny? 14
Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this
last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not
lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am
good? 16 So the last shall be first, and
the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Continuing with the thought from the last chapters Jesus goes on
to teach by way of a parable that God offers everlasting life to all and
whether it is received early in life or on one’s death bed the reward is the
same, life everlasting. It is God’s free gift that is His to tender as He sees
fit.
Some are called in youth and some at various stages of life but
all are called, and few will receive Christ and everlasting life. Those who
will are chosen. God’s foreknowledge knows everyone that will accept Christ as
their Saviour and God chooses those who will. On one side of heaven’s
metaphorical door it could say, “whosoever will” and on the other side, “Chosen
from the foundation of the world.”
Matthew 20:17 ¶ And Jesus
going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto
them, 18 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, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to
mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall
rise again.
Jesus foretells His betrayal, His trial, His execution, and His
resurrection. Here is a prophecy on the other side of the Cross. See how He did
this in Matthew 16:21. Christ reinforces to His disciples what is to be, the
foundation of Christianity without which there is no salvation for mankind.
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