Well Good Morning, Everyone! And I’d like to say, “Hello,” to our visitors and also to those behind the camera. I’ve got a couple of special Hellos. I’d like to say, “Hello,” to Debra in California. She knows who she is. Her parents, her mom and dad, are visiting with her. Also to John and Eunice out in the plains of Texas and also my son-in-law Jason. I normally say, “Hello,” to my daughter Karlene and my grandkids but they’re sitting at the back of the hall. You could probably tell the way my chest was puffed out here.
So, as Mr. Buchanan was talking about the People Feature, I was looking back there at the board and I saw the NASCAR. Of course, I don’t know. For some reason, NASCAR, there seems to be a high estrogen content to NASCAR lovers although I am one too. So, I don’t know who her favorite. Would it be 24 or 88? Okay. Well, that’s NASCAR talk. I was asking her if she liked Jeff Gordon or Junior. Come on, Junior, as my grandson calls him.
Let me tell you I was sitting back there during the sermonette with my mouth open. That was my sermon. [Laughter.] Right down to the parable, which we’re going to go through again—laughter—but it was just incredible. It was just incredible. I’m going to give you the title of mine up front. It is The Last Shall Be First And The First Last.
Brethren, we’ve all heard that saying. And I’m going to ask the question, although it was just answered, “What does it mean?” I think there are people that perhaps have a good understanding. And perhaps we’ve heard it so many times we think we have a good understanding and maybe we’ve never considered it.
The period between the Spring Holy Days and Pentecost—which we know focuses on the harvest of the firstfruits—I believe it allows us to focus on the nuances of the firstfruits. That is I believe as we go through the year there are certain things that probably are higher in our mind and our conscience and maybe we do tend to focus a little more on them. And, of course, we in the Church are very blessed that we have an understanding, perhaps not perfect, of God’s great plan and His purpose for creating mankind. And, more importantly, the offering of His Son as we have just experienced up close. John 3:16 mentions that it was given to the whole world. And it includes the many more than just the relatively few that He’s working with today. We understand, Brethren, that everyone is in their own order. And all will ultimately have an opportunity to develop a knowledge, a relationship with the Father and the Son.
As the firstfruits we have questions. We have many questions. And I think we all seek answers from God about our unique calling and our unique place in God’s Family. To be sure there are some very clear Biblical statements about our future and about our roles. And there are some that are not so clear. There’s a lot of blanks to be filled in that are not so clear. And what I want to consider today and look at one of those is the “first shall be last and the last first” which is the opposite of what I gave you in the title, but we’ll see they’re both in the Bible.
By way of introduction—and I’m going to spend some time up front laying some groundwork for this because I think that there are two applications of this concept the first being last and the last first. And that is a physical and a spiritual as with many other things in the Bible. I want to lay the groundwork from a historical point because I think it will help us understand both of those better.
Look over in Matthew chapter 19. Matthew 19 is the account of Jesus and His disciples. And they had made their final trip to Galilee. And remember that is where He was from. The Bible records, at least during His three and a half year ministry, there were four different trips that He made to Galilee for different periods of time. But Matthew 19 is that final trip from Galilee which took a number of months but that final trip from Galilee to Jerusalem. And this would be His last trip to Galilee before His resurrection. Remember, after His resurrection, He told Mary to tell His disciples to meet Him in Galilee. But this was His final trip. He was making His exit from there. Matthew 19 and verse 1, it says
Matthew 19:1. Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region
The King James says, “the coasts,” which we typically think of along the water but it really means “the borders.”
Matthew 19:1b. the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2) And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.
As I mentioned, He spent a lot of time in Galilee and it was the area that He grew up in. And that was about a hundred miles north of Jerusalem. And if you look at a map during that area, Galilee was the northern most province and then immediately to the south of Galilee was Samaria. And then south of Samaria was Judea. So these were the provinces at that time.
And leaving Galilee and coming to the borders of Judea was a trek of sixty to ninety miles—just to kind of put it in perspective—and of course, passing through Samaria. Now also, remember this: the residents of Judea, which included the Pharisees and the Sadducees, didn’t like the Samaritans and had even a greater disdain for the Galileans. The Galileans were sort of considered a crude despicable people from the north. And, of course, they were that. And, of course, the Sadducees and Pharisees, they were highly refined and politically correct and all of those things that we would think about today.
Now part of that reputation, to be sure, from the Galileans, was well earned. Remember Galilee was the home of the boisterous and rugged fishermen that made their trade on Galilee. And remember Jesus Himself made the selection of those from Galilee and He Himself called some of them “the sons of thunder.” They were kind of rough and tumble. They never shrank from speaking up. And I don’t know how far it went but they were pretty outspoken, pretty opinionated, and all of them were looked down upon.
Jesus Himself grew up in Nazareth and that was a city in the district of Galilee. And it also had a reputation of maybe what we would say today, “He was a bumpkin from a backwater town.” Not particularly great or rowdy but looking at someone at Nazareth, especially for the Pharisees and the Sadducees, He was sort of kind of a bumpkin. And Nazareth was a backwater town.
And, as I mentioned, Matthew 19 is His final departure. And on His trip many followed Him as we will read—we read in Matthew 19:2. And He healed ones on the way. And all of this—because remember His reputation went before Him—probably further enraged the Pharisees who came to Him to try to cross Him up, as we’re going to read, by asking questions that they considered unanswerable.
Verse 3, Matthew 19.
Matthew 19:3. The Pharisees also came to Him testing
Or The King James says, “tempting.”
Matthew 19:3b. Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
4) And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’?
5) “And said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?
As you go through Matthew 19, you will see that the real teaching that was taking place was to His disciples. The examples and His answers were to the Pharisees and the Sadducees but He understood—they all understood—that they were blind. The real teaching, the real object lessons that were taking place were to those that were His followers.
And after each one of these encounters, it records that the disciples either made a statement of what they thought the interpretation of what they had witnessed or asking Him a very specific question regarding that encounter and receiving a very direct answer. Again, He was giving them instruction.
Verse 10.
Matthew 19:10. His disciples said to Him, “If such is the case of the man with his wife, [is it] better not to marry [?]”
So they had just witnessed that and that led to a question.
The next one regards the children which we focus on for the Blessing of the Children during the Feast and the lessons. And then the final one in this chapter, which hit very close to home for the disciples, skip down to verse 16, Matthew 19.
Matthew 19:16. Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
Now what do we know about this person? First, you could skip down to verse 20—and we’ll read that—He was a young man. The companion account in Luke 18:18—we won’t turn there—but it calls him a “ruler.” It uses the Greek word archon which means first in rank or power. So he was either a prince or a magistrate. He was a young man but he was either a chief or a ruler. And while he was young and had power, he also had humility. He didn’t address Jesus as the Pharisees did but he was very respectful despite his own position which was an exalted position. He gave deference to Christ and conveyed to Him that He was the Teacher and that he himself was the student. Remember Nicodemus had a similar approach. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and he also had that approach of humility when he went up to talk to Jesus. We also know that he was not a Sadducee because he had a hope in the afterlife. And remember the Sadducees felt the resurrection had already come and there wasn’t a future one. So, we know he was a ruler. We know that he had a hope in eternal life or an afterlife which the Sadducees, again, they had felt that the resurrection is already past. You can read that yourself.
Verse 17.
Matthew 19:17. So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
18) He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “’You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’
19) ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Remember, this person knew the Torah, the teaching, the laws very well. And this was not new news to him that He was really reiterating.
Matthew 19:20. The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth.
I think about Paul. And remember Paul said that he had kept those from his youth.
Matthew 19:20b. What do I still lack?”
21) Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”
Brethren, think about this. He actually extended an invitation to this man to become one of His followers, a very unique opportunity even in that time. He was invited to become part of a very special group. And—again, you can read the account—Mark 10 says, “He looked at him and loved him,” and invited him. So, again, this invitation was a sincere invitation. He was saying, “Look, if you’ve done those, then sell what you have, and follow Me.” All of the four gospel accounts record the calling of various of His disciples. And He used those same words, “Follow Me,” with each of them.
Verse 22.
Matthew 19:22. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away [very] sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
There are two accounts in the New Testament where the invitation was turned down, the incident here of the young rich ruler and the one that also wanted to go bury his father. Those were two accounts where they were invited and they turned them down.
Continuing in verse 23.
Matthew 19:23. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24) “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
And, of course, His disciples knew He was not given to exaggeration or hyperbole. When He said that, He meant that literally.
Matthew 19:25. When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
26) But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Now here were the disciples witnessing a man given an invitation to follow them and having turned it down because he was unwilling to give up what he had. And, of course, Peter being the more vocal asked a very logical question.
Matthew 19:27. Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.
In other words, this young man had turned Him down and he left. But Peter said, “Well, we left everything. We gave up everything to follow You.”
Matthew 19:27b. Therefore what shall we have?”
28) So Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration,
And that word is an interesting word, “regeneration.” It’s paliggenesia. It’s two words, palin which means again, and genesis which means beginning. So it means “again a new beginning.” Let me just read. It says
The word is often used to denote restoration of a thing to its pristine state, its renovation as a renewal or restoration of life after death.
So it’s more than just the resurrection, it is the entire system that’s going to be renewed.
Matthew 19:28. So Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
I think Mr. Buchanan’s even talked in the past that these things, especially even after the Passover, there were the twelve but it was talking about, they represented the firstfruits. And we will see a little later that that’s very specifically referring to that here as we continue on.
But consider that the disciples who were with Him for the entire three and a half year ministry still thought as they were going through it—they could ask Him all the questions—still thought He was going to establish God’s Kingdom at that time. That it was imminent. Of course, us today, we have the lens of history to view Jesus’ walk on the earth and despite what we see today and what we’ve seen, we still think—as we very well should—and as we strongly believe it’s imminent now two thousand years later. But they also did.
Hold your finger there. Go over to Acts chapter 1 and verse 6. You see the last question that they asked Him before He ascended that we have a record of, Acts1:6, notice what they asked Him. Acts 1:6.
Acts 1:6. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
That was on their minds. That was what they were wanting to know right up to the end. And, I believe the time horizon that they had helped motivate them to set their expectations, not only theirs but those that walked with them and walked with Jesus Christ in thinking that it was imminent. They felt it was in their immediate future. You can go ahead and read in some of the later epistles and see. “We who are alive and remain.” So, again, I think that is something that God has intended all of His people throughout time was to see the immediacy of that. Imagine if we said, “Hey, I figured it out and we got another two thousand years”? What would people have done? What would have been the motivation?
Okay back to Matthew 19 and verse 27. I’ll reread this one.
Matthew 19:27. Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
28) So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Now notice this, verse 29 and I said that it replied.
Matthew 19:29. “And everyone who has left houses [possessions] or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands,
Not just limited to family, but also possessions. Peter asks “them” specifically and He expanded His answer to include all the firstfruits. He says, “Everyone that has done this.”
Matthew 19:29. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake,
In other words, “Because of Me.”
Matthew 19:29b. shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
And then He said something that seems a little cryptic and it doesn’t seem to fit.
Matthew 19:30. “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
We consider ourselves firstfruits. Does that mean we’re going to be last if we’re firstfruits? Does it relate to the order of the resurrection? Well, we know that the dead are going to be resurrected first and those who are alive will be changed. So that’s the opposite of that statement, if you think about it. As firstfruits we’re looking forward to being the Bride of Christ. And we need to understand this and learn a very important lesson that we’re being taught here.
“The first will be last and the last first.” Let’s put that now under a microscope and see what we can extract as well as examine our approach and our calling.
Jesus goes on to explain what He meant by this statement. Now there is a chapter break and remember in the Bible those were inserted. So let’s just continue on. Let’s read the parable and then we’re going to extract the information.
Matthew 20:1. “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
I think you’ve already heard this today. Ha, ha, ha. We did not talk. Here’s the Bible that thick. What’s the chances of us picking the same parable?
Matthew 20:2. “Now when he had agreed
And I’m going to read through this without comment because then we’re going to come back and take this apart.
Matthew 20:2. “Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them to his vineyard.
3) “And he went out about the third hour
Maybe I don’t need to. Mr. Staggs has already done this.
Matthew 20:3b. and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4) “And said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.
5) “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6) “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?”
7) “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive.’
8) “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward,
And notice these specific instructions and we’ll get back to the significance.
Matthew 20:8. ‘Call the laborers and given them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’
9) “And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
10) “But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. `
11) “And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
12) “Saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
13) “But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
14) ‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15) ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’
16) “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
So sandwiched between the one that says, “The first will be last and the last first,” and “The last will be first and the first last,” is this parable which means that that parable is about that statement which we will examine.
Before we delve into it though, let’s examine. There’s one other place in the Bible that this term is used. And it was before He left Galilee, before He started His final trip. He was still in Galilee, was in the synagogue on the Sabbath day and He had taught on this day. And after teaching, He had healed a woman of an infirmity that she had had for eighteen years. Look over in Luke chapter 13. The synagogue leader was furious with Him because He had healed her on the Sabbath. Luke 13 verse 15 and we’re going to just pick it up in the middle of the story.
Luke 13:15. The Lord then answered him and said,
And this is the one that had confronted Him for the healing. He said
Luke 13:15b. “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16) “So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”
17) And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
18) Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?
19) “It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”
20) And again he said, “To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21) “It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
This was mentioned on the First Day of Unleavened Bread that the only place in the Bible where leaven is mentioned that doesn’t seem to be in the context of sin. But if you look at these two examples, there’s two concepts introduced. And what Jesus Christ, I believe, was introducing was that something that will start infinitesimally small, so small that it is not apparent to the naked eye. A mustard seed if it was laying on a table would be mistaken for dust and it would just be pushed aside. Leaven, you can’t even see it. So again this is something that is so small and almost unnoticed by the world and it will grow ultimately to fill the world.
The other concept I believe that He is making is the concept of timing. The disciples thought that everything was going to take place in a very compressed amount of time in the order of just a few years or perhaps even months. We, who are at the end of this age, perhaps have not even fully understood or appreciated it yet and there are some that have felt that God—because it didn’t happen in their mindset—that God just gave up because God’s timing didn’t fit their expectations. And I think that’s a danger for us as we live our lives and we see things that are not going according to our time frame. Well, maybe God’s not doing this after all or something.
Brethren, a tree, a mustard tree, I don’t know but it could take fifty or a hundred years to just mature. And I don’t know how long mustard trees live. But again, we see everything. We want to view everything through our lens of a very brief, very transitory life on earth. And remember, God’s view of things is through eternity. Not only did He live forever in the past and in the future, but what He is doing and His view of it is from eternity to eternity. And a thousand years or two thousand years, the Bible says it’s two days. One of the things that I think we, as God’s people, can take from this is patience, is to rely on God, to want to be on His timetable. Patience, Brethren, is deferring to God and having absolute confidence that we know what He is doing because He’s promised and He cannot lie and He’s working it out to the absolute best results. That includes not just me or not just you but all of mankind.
Verse 22.
Luke 13:22. And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
23) Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And [Jesus] said to them,
24) “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and not be able.
25) “When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where are you from,’
26) “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’
27) “But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
In other words, they wanted it on a relationship, not on what they had done, not on what they acted on. They wanted it based on—if we could say today—political reasons. “Well, we knew You. We saw You. We heard You.” And He said, “But you didn’t do anything. You didn’t stop living the way you were living. You continued to sin. You continued to work iniquity. And just hearing, just thinking that that is going to get it is a mistake.”
Luke 13:28. “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.
29) “They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.
The NIV says, “And will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God,” talking about the marriage supper.
The Revised Standard says, “And sit at table in the kingdom of God.”
And verse 30.
Luke 13:30. “And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
Now I want to read the next two verses just to establish the time setting because here He was talking specifically to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and those that thought that they had some right because they were Abraham’s seed that they had that by a right to be in God’s Kingdom.
Verse 31.
Luke 13:31. On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”
Now remember Herod Antipas was a tetrarch of Galilee. So we know that this occurred in Galilee. And notice how He answered. Verse 32.
Luke 13:32. And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’
33) “Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
Basically what He told them was, “Look, I’m leaving but I’m not leaving because you intimidated Me. I’m leaving because I have a mission and I’ve got to go to Jerusalem to die.” Remember when He said, “They can’t perish out of Jerusalem,” a man that was a prophet had to be tried by the Grand Sanhedrin. They couldn’t be tried by a local council because the punishment of being a false prophet was death. And the Grand Sanhedrin was only in Jerusalem. That’s where they resided. So He’s saying, “Look, I’ve got to be there. I’ve got to.” But He knew that His mission to go was not because they intimidated Him and He wanted them to understand, “You’re not running Me off. I’m leaving but it’s for a higher purpose and you guys are not intimidating Me and you can go tell Herod that.” He wanted them to know it wasn’t their threats but it was His mission.
Remember though what He did say. And what He was saying was when those came to Him He said to depart from Him and they wanted to be included. And they were excluded but from all the corners of the earth, the north and the south and the east and the west, there were ones that were later included.
This is the first time the phrase “the first shall be last, and the last first” was used. And notice it was directly speaking to those that He called, “Hypocrites.”
Now let’s go back to Matthew 20. Let’s go back and look at specifically this parable. And again, Brethren, keep in mind we are trying to extract two things out of this. One is, of course, we know there was a historical lesson. But more importantly there is a spiritual lesson for us today and that’s what I want to primarily focus on is that spiritual lesson because we in God’s Church this was intended. There’s lessons in this.
The parables are not children’s stories although they make very good ones because they will make an impression. And frankly, the story of Jonah is a very good one and that will leave an impression on a child. But the purpose of it as we mature and we look deeper in it is we see that there are some very deep spiritual lessons. There is some indication of how God thinks in there. And His concern is not just for me or just for you that God—and again, John 3:16—His concern is for the entire world. Here was a case where He sent a man to people that He had never worked with before.
Matthew 20 verse 1, it says
Matthew 20:1. “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
And just like we read in Luke 13, this parable is directly related to the Kingdom of God at a time in the future.
Verse 2.
Matthew 20:2. “Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius
Or The King James says, “a penny.”
Matthew 20:2b. a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Now it’s significant because a penny or a denarius was the traditional wages for a day laborer. When you went to the market and you hired one—and not for eight hours, for twelve hours, from six to six is what a day laborer would work—the traditional wages, the expected wages, were and considered fair compensation was a penny. So it says, “When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius.”
And The New Revised Standard says,
Matthew 20:2. “After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them to his vineyard.
So again, it was a fair return. In other words what he was offering them was fair.
Matthew 20:3. “And he went out about the third hour [about nine in the morning] and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
4) “And he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard,
But notice what he said!
Matthew 20:4b. and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.
5) “Again he went about the sixth [noon] and the ninth hour [three p.m.] and did likewise.
6) “And about the eleventh hour
Now this is five in the afternoon.
Matthew 20:6b. he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’
7) “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8) “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages,
Now notice this!
Matthew 20:8b. beginning with the last to the first.’
If he had decided to pay the ones he had hired first, there would have been no problem. If he would have said, “Okay, start with the ones who worked all day. Here’s your denarius.” They would have gone away. “Can we come back tomorrow?” But he specifically said, “Start with the ones that were hired last and work to the first.” He wanted those that had worked first to have witnessed this, to see this. It wasn’t an accident. They were very specific instructions.
Matthew 20:9. “And when those came who were hired the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
So they received a day’s wages.
Now up to this point everyone was happy with their wages. I’m sure those that worked an hour thought they had just skimped the fat hog. “Wow, I worked an hour and I got a full day’s wages!” And the ones that hired at noon, the same thing. Everyone knew they were getting more than they had earned and they were happy with it.
Matthew 20:10. “But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.
Now what’s interesting here is the first ones agreed to that specific wage. And they agreed to a fair wage but they are the ones that had set their expectations not the landowner. They had decided by what they had witnessed, “Wow! Guess what when he gets to us!” These laborers thought they were better not based on what was promised to them or what they had earned but how they felt they stacked up against the others. They wanted to compare their works against the others’ works and “I’m worth more.”
Hold your finger there. Look over in 2 Corinthians 10 verse 12. It says, 2 Corinthians 10:12
2 Corinthians 10:12. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13) We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you.
14) For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ,
15) Not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,
The tenure of this is they were concerned about the others. They were happy to see the others receiving things.
2 Corinthians 10:16. To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.
17) But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
18) For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
On your way back just go over to Philippians 2 verse 1. It says
Philippians 2:1. Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2) Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Notice this!
Philippians 2:3. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
And I’ll ask you a question. If those laborers that had labored all day if they were esteeming others better than themselves, would they have been upset that those received the same thing or would they have rejoiced? Would they have looked at the landowner and said, “That’s a tremendous amount of mercy. Thank you.” As Mr. Armstrong used to say, “There’s two ways. There a way of give and there’s a way of get.” And this parable and their attitudes brings that out because they were not interested in the way of give. It was “What am I going to get? And I want to make sure because I’ve esteemed myself more valuable. I think I’ve worked harder. I think I was in the heat of the day and you weren’t that I’m worth more than you. I’m better than you.”
Philippians 2:3. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Brethren, agape love, these laborers were out there. It wasn’t like they were sloughing off. They had stood there all day waiting to be hired. They were willing to work. They were just not called until the sixth hour, the ninth hour, the eleventh hour. And they were very happy to get the work. But those at the beginning were upset, not because of what they did, not because of their agreement, but because they compared themselves against them that they were better.
Back to Matthew 20 verse 11.
Matthew 20:11. “And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
12) “Saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, [Notice!] and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
Do you think they considered themselves fellow laborers that they were all working? Or did they want to elevate their own positions because of them?
Verse 13 and this is a very interesting verse that we’re going to spend a little time with.
Matthew 20:13. “But he answered
This is the landowner.
Matthew 20:13b. one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong.
Now before we go on, I think it’s important that we understand that word “friend.” There are actually three words in the New Testament that are translated “friend.” The first word is Strong’s 27 agapetos and it means beloved friend.
Go ahead and just set a marker there. Go over to Philemon 1:1. It says
Philemon 1:1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer,
And that word “beloved friend” is that agapetos. It is a special relationship, a special friend. It’s usually translated “beloved” or “dearly beloved.” Here it’s translated “beloved friend.” But it implies a very close relationship between two people.
Let’s go over in 1 Samuel 18. We all look at the relationship that David and Jonathan had. And I believe this is a relationship like that. 1 Samuel 18 verse 1.
1 Samuel 18:1. Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2) Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore.
3) Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
So here was Jonathan and David that were very close friends. They considered each other their closest friend, their beloved friend.
2 Samuel 1 and verse 17.
2 Samuel 1:17. Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
Verse 26.
2 Samuel 1:26. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.
In other words, they had a friendship that was very close. They were—you would almost say they were soul mates in that their relationship to one another.
Now that’s the first word and that was not the word that was used in Matthew 20:13.
The second word translated “friend” is philos and it’s a derivative of phileo, brotherly love. It is Strong’s 5384 and it means a friend, an associate, one of the bridegroom’s friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride and rendered various services.
Look over in John chapter 11. I’ll just show you a usage of this one. Actually, I’ll show you two. John 11:11, it says
John 11:11. These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
Again, “Our friend,” and this is that word derived from phileo. It’s philos.
John 3:29, a Scripture that you’re very familiar with. This is the one related to the bridegroom. John 3:29, it says
John 3:29. “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom,
And, again, that “friend” is philos.
John 3:29b. who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.
So those are the two and then there is a third word that is translated ‘friend.” And it is Strong’s 2083 and it is—I’m going to try to pronounce it—hetairos. It means a fellow or a friend. And that’s the word that is translated “friend.” It’s only used four times in the New Testament. Three of them are in the gospel of Matthew. And well, let’s just go read those. Again, just to help us put this in context. Matthew 22:11 and again, we’re looking at the other two times that this word hetairos is translated “friend.”
Matthew 22:11. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
12) “So he said to him, ‘Friend [hetairos], how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
13) “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14) “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 26, just go forward a couple of chapters. Matthew 26 and verse 47.
Matthew 26:47. And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
48) Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.”
49) Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
50) But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”
“Hetairos, why have you come?” And the Greeks understood that when He spoke this. Because this word is unique they understood that He wasn’t calling him, “His beloved friend,” “His phileo friend,” “His brother.” He was calling Him something else.
Let me. I want to read this out of the—and I’m usually not one to bring up a book but I want to read this. This is The Complete Word Study. This is Zodhiates’. And I want to read what he says about this word hetairos. And I’m going to skip it because it is quite lengthy. It’s two and a half pages and I want to just try to pick some of the essence of it.
The feminine hetaira—that’s the feminine word—was a woman having a status between that of a legal wife and a prostitute. And who, in our culture, would be called a mistress or a kept woman. Aphrodite was known as the goddess of the hetairai and her temple was at Corinth. And it is from the known meaning of the feminine word that we can get an idea of the masculine word as a male companion who is neither one’s very own by legally accepted ties nor one who is a prostitute and belongs to anybody and everybody. Hetairos refers to comrades or companions who were mostly followers of a chief. They were not necessarily companions for the sake of helping the chief but for getting whatever advantage they could. They were partners at meals or mess mates. The pupils or disciples were usually called the hetairai of their masters. The verb hetaireo basically means to keep company with or to establish and maintain a pretentious, ostentatious, deceptive, and misleading friendship. True friendship is expressed by the verb phileo, to befriend. The corresponding word hetairos has come down from—today it means a company or a corporation which involves people who associate together for the primary purpose of making money or for personal interests through corporate design. The study of the word hetairos causes us to conclude that it could not be used as a synonym of philos, a true friend who seeks the other’s good. Hetairos is one who only projects his own interest. The inference, therefore, is that a hetairos means a selfish acquaintance, one who seeks his own interests above the interests of others. He is a partner in a company not necessarily for the good of others but primarily for his own advantage. The good of others is acceptable only when it promotes his own well-being.
I think I’ll just leave it at that. He does say in here that there is not an English word that will describe this adequately.
But when He called him, “Friend,” perhaps today—I don’t know—maybe a very colloquial one would be—and you’ve probably heard this—“Hey, pal. You’re the one that made the deal.” Again, it was not—it was not a nice term. He was basically calling this person a very selfish person that was only in this for what he could get out of the relationship.
Look over in Daniel chapter 11. There’s a prophecy here. With that in our minds, let’s just read this prophecy. Daniel 11 and we’ll pick it up in verse 31. It says
Daniel 11:31. “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and [they] shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall [practice] the abomination that [makes] desolate.
32) And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
33) And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
34) Now when they shall fall, they shall be helped with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
Again, talking about.
Daniel 11:35. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Again, it’s by flatteries. It is people that are associating not for putting into, not for adding to, but for what they can get out of it. Their motives are totally selfish. And that, I think, is a warning to us in the end times.
Matthew 20 verse 13.
And, Brethren, I don’t necessarily mean we need to be looking at each other. We need to be looking at ourselves and looking at our own motives.
Matthew 20 verse 13.
Matthew 20:13. “But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend [Hetairos], I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
The New Revised Standard:
Matthew 20:13b. said to him, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Matthew 20:14. ‘Take what is yours
And notice this!
Matthew 20:14b. and go your way.
In other words, “You want to be paid what you earned. Take it.” This person wanted to cash out. He said, “Look.” And it’s interesting when you read the commentary. When he agreed with them for a day’s wage, it showed that these people, the ones that he hired first, wanted it very clearly spelled out. There was a contract entered into. They wanted it very clearly. “Okay, now tell me what’s in this for me. Tell me what I’m going to get for this day’s labor.” And there was a binding contract. I don’t necessarily know that it was written down, but they entered into an agreement for this. So before they ever went out into the field, there was no faith. They knew what they were going to be given.
Notice the other ones, he just said, “Look, I’ll make it right with you.” And they went out knowing and having faith that the master was going to make it right.
He sent them away. He said, ‘That’s what you want. That’s what you contracted with. I kept my agreement. Now take it and go.”
Matthew 20:14. ‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as you.
15) ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’
Or The Revised Standard says
Matthew 20:15. ‘Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’
Brethren, consider that we are not called just to get eternal life. Our potential and our calling is much greater than that. We’re called to become part of a Family, unique in the existence of everything that we understand. And in that we’re going to share and we’re going to serve and we’re going to love. We’re called to be heirs and joint-heirs in the greatest Family that ever exists. To just think that we’re just going to receive, we’re going to get eternal life, sells our potential very short. Even though that, to be sure, is beyond our comprehension, the idea of living forever.
Let me just reread what He said. Go back to Matthew 19:29. Just up the page.
Matthew 19:29. “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Notice, there were two things. One is what they were going to receive out of it and it was far beyond. It was two orders of magnitude greater than what they had given up. Two orders of magnitude’s not even in the ballpark. “And inherit eternal life.”
I think it’s interesting they put the hundredfold increase in the family and the property before the eternal life. In other words, as perhaps being the more important. Brethren, let’s not limit what God has destined us for.
Just hold your finger there. Go over to 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 9. It says
1 Corinthians 2:9. But as it is written:
And you can look at it on your own, Isaiah 64:4. It says
1 Corinthians 2:9. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Again, I don’t want to play down eternal life, but I can imagine that. You just never cease to exist. That’s something within our imagination. But what he’s saying here is what else is there can’t even enter into our imagination, can’t even enter into our hearts because it is so wonderful. It is so great. So again, our calling is not just to eternal life. That is sort of the icing on the cake. It is the relationship. It is the sharing that we’re going to have with God through eternity. It’s the building of the Family. It is things that we can’t even imagine as the Bible tells us.
The laborer that worked all day wanted his wages spelled out very specifically and a binding contract made before he would start. “Tell me what I’m going to get. Write it down. Say it in front of these witnesses because when it comes, I want you to pay up.” He limited God. He had limited the generosity of what God was offering.
Brethren, we, on the other hand, should understand God’s love and His mercy. As we saw over in the Old Testament with Jonah and the mercy that God extended. And, Brethren, we should not begrudge, but we should be glad for that. We should rejoice in that because what God has is big enough for everyone. And we should gladly labor for that no matter how long or how short and have faith that He’s going to give us not what we earn, but things beyond our imagination. Brethren, we don’t want it spelled out completely. There are many promises in the Bible and we can take those to the bank. But I will tell you there are things beyond that that we can’t even imagine. And we should gladly labor for that. We should gladly understanding that. We don’t go in this with all of the things that are known. What we know is: God has promised us that we’re going to, if we follow Him, if we change our ways, if we commit to Him, if we give up all that we have—and that is a life of going our own way—if we walk away from all of that, God’s promised us that we’re going to receive a hundredfold and eternal life.
Hebrews 11.
I remember when I was in high school. I used to mow yards. And when I would mow someone’s yards—now I don’t know if that would even happen today. It seems to be different mindset today. I would mow a yard and somebody would say, “Well, what do I owe you?” And I would say, “That’s up to you. I’m going to leave that to you.” I never was paid less than what I would have asked. They always paid me more. And, again, I don’t know if that would happen today. I just remember that very well when I would mow yards and I would just let them set the price. I was never disappointed. And again, I can’t say that that would happen today but I will tell you this: if we let God set the rewards, we’re going to be well pleased with it as long as we do our part, as long as we understand our responsibilities in it and continue to be that laborer.
Hebrews 11 verse 6, it says
Hebrews 11:6. And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God
And I’m reading this out of The Revised Standard.
Hebrews 11:6b. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Brethren, God is not working with just—His plan does not just include a few. We understand that God has firstfruits. Firstfruits, that are going to be made up of all from the north and the south and from the east and from the west that are going to be sitting at the marriage supper. And we’re not to sit there and judge and begrudge. Our job is to rejoice, to understand that God is much greater than that.
Matthew 20 and verse 16.
Matthew 20:16. “So the last will be first, and the first last.
God started out with a physical nation with the rewards spelled out and they didn’t even keep that. And yet, not keeping their end of the bargain, to this day they think because of who they are that they have some right to that. That’s the physical side of this and God says, “It’s not working that way.” We in the Church, Brethren, we that have walked away from everything, we that have changed need to not faint. We need to not try to take God’s prerogative and like some might have, “Can I sit at your right hand?” “And can I sit at your left?” is to know that God is going to give us rewards beyond our imagination. And rejoice in that! And not compare ourselves among ourselves or say, “Well, certainly I am better than them,” or “I deserve more than them,” or “I am more righteous” or “less righteous.”
“The last will be first.” Some of those even perhaps that we think of as the least are going to be first. For the Church of God, this parable, Brethren, has much spiritual meaning and instruction. And we understand God’s purpose is to include all of mankind and His plan in an order, in a time order.
Look over for a—just down Matthew 23 verse 10 for the final Scripture.
But for those of us now, this also has much meaning as to how we view ourselves, how we view our calling, and our focus. Brethren, we that put ourselves first will be last. But by learning to put ourselves last in humility, desiring not for what we earn, but by serving each other with our hope in the future and understanding God’s love and God’s mercy to gladly become a servant, taking the lowest position as Jesus Christ Himself did and set us an example in His life. If our desire is to put ourselves first, we will be last. If we desire to serve God, God will in due time put us first.
Matthew 23:10.
Matthew 23:10. Neither be [you] called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11) But he that is greatest among you
He that is first
Matthew 23:11b. shall be your servant.
Shall be the lowest. Shall put themselves last.
Matthew 23:12. And whosoever shall exalt himself
Whosoever shall put himself first
Matthew 23:12b. shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Brethren, in the Church today, we need to understand, focus on God and His mercy, and understand that the first will be last and the last will be first.
Transcribed by kb May 19, 2008.