Matthew 20:16
So the last will be first, and the first last.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 20:16
So the last will be first, and the first last.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
{ "studyTitle": "The Divine Scale of Reward", "timeMinutes": 7, "concepts": [ { "title": "Kingdom Fairness vs. Human Fairness", "hook": "Ever feel like life's unfair? Especially when comparing yourself to others? This parable dives deep into how God's 'fairness' isn't quite like ours.", "teaching": "Jesus tells this parable of the vineyard workers to flip our understanding of justice on its head. We tend to think fairness means everyone gets what they 'deserve' based on their effort. Early workers agreed to a day's wage (a penny) and worked the whole day.\n\nBut then, workers hired at the last hour, who only worked for an hour, also received a full day's wage. This sparked grumbling from the first workers.\n\nThe owner's response is key: 'Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a day’s wages? Take what is yours and go. I want to give to the one who was last the same as to you. Am I not allowed to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' (Matthew 20:13-15).\n\nGod's economy isn't based on our merit system. He is sovereign and generous, not obligated to reward based on our limited view of fairness. His 'rightness' is about faithfulness to His promises, not strict adherence to human-like equity.", "readItAgain": "Notice how the owner challenges the first workers: 'Am I not allowed to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?'", "reflectionPrompt": "When have you felt a sense of unfairness in how God blesses others? How can you shift from demanding strict equity to embracing God’s generous grace?", "supportingReferences": [ { "reference": "Romans 9:15", "connection": "This verse echoes the owner's authority, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.'" }, { "reference": "Philippians 2:3", "connection": "It calls believers to avoid selfish ambition and vain conceit, which the first workers displayed, and instead consider others better than themselves." } ] }, { "title": "The 'Chosen' Few and Their Calling", "hook": "The verse ends with a punchline: 'many are called, but few are chosen.' What does that really mean for us and those around us?", "teaching": "This concluding statement, 'for many are called, but few are chosen,' offers a crucial perspective shift. The parable isn't just about equal pay; it’s about God’s selection and the nature of His kingdom.\n\n* 'Called': This refers to the broad invitation to enter God's kingdom, the opportunity to work in His vineyard. Many people hear this call through the Gospel message.\n* 'Chosen': This speaks to a deeper selection, not necessarily for salvation itself (as many are saved), but for a specific role, higher reward, or distinguished service within the kingdom. It implies God’s sovereign choice in how He distributes blessings and responsibilities.\n\nThis doesn't mean God plays favorites in a worldly sense. Rather, He has a purpose for each person. Some might be called to serve for a short time but have a profound impact, while others serve longer in less visible ways. Both are valued, but God’s sovereign choice determines the specific blessings and roles. The challenge is to be faithful with our calling and role is, rather than comparing our reward to others'.", "readItAgain": "Notice the statement 'for many be called, but few chosen' immediately following the reversal of fortune: 'So the last shall be first, and the first last.'", "reflectionPrompt": "How does the idea of 'chosen' for specific roles, rather than just salvation, challenge your view of your own spiritual journey and purpose?", "supportingReferences": [ { "reference": "1 Corinthians 1:26-29", "connection": "This passage highlights that God often chooses the weak, the foolish, and the lowly to shame the wise and strong, emphasizing His sovereign choice." }, { "reference": "Matthew 22:14", "connection": "This verse, also from Jesus, repeats the 'many are called, but few are chosen' phrase in the context of the parable of the wedding feast, reinforcing the theme of divine selection." } ] } ] }
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This concluding statement isn't just a summary; it's a divine pronouncement that the order of human achievement or perceived importance is completely flipped in God's economy. The "last" — those overlooked, those who come late, or even those who seem least — can end up in the highest favor, while those who were first and prominent might find themselves humbled.
Ever felt like you started too late or that others have an unfair advantage? This parable flips that idea on its head.
Jesus uses the parable of the workers in the vineyard to illustrate a radical truth about God's kingdom: timing doesn't determine ultimate standing. Those who joined the workforce at the eleventh hour received the same pay as those who toiled all day. This isn't about unfairness; it's about God's sovereign grace. He invites people into His kingdom at different times, but the ultimate reward is not based on length of service or perceived seniority. God calls whom He wills, when He wills, and His generosity often surprises our human sense of fairness.
The phrase 'many are called, but few are chosen' sounds harsh, but what does it truly mean for us?
This verse points to a crucial distinction within God's plan. 'Many are called' refers to the widespread invitation to God's kingdom – the gospel is proclaimed to a vast number of people. However, 'few are chosen' speaks to those who truly embrace that call, who are selected by God for a special purpose or, more commonly understood, those who persevere in faith and are ultimately saved. It’s not that God arbitrarily excludes people, but that the invitation requires a genuine response and faithful continuation. This isn't about God playing favorites; it's about the reality that not everyone who hears the call will truly enter into the fullness of His chosen people.
Understand the original words
eschatoi · Greek Adjective
A term often used in the Gospels to refer to the reversal of earthly expectations in the kingdom of God, where those neglected or lowly are exalted by God.
prōtoi · Greek Adjective
Refers to those who hold status, power, or perceived privilege; in Jesus' teaching, this term often warns against relying on earthly status for spiritual standing.
This verse's context is deeply rooted in the early expansion of the Christian faith. It addresses the tension between the long-standing Jewish tradition and the new, inclusive message of the gospel, which welcomed both Jews and Gentiles, often challenging existing hierarchies and expectations.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Parable of the Workers
Jesus tells a parable about a landowner who hires workers at different hours of the day, paying them all the same wage, to illustrate principles about the Kingdom of Heaven.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Crucifixion
Jesus' teachings and actions, including this parable, occur during his public ministry, leading up to his death and resurrection.
c. 30-50 AD
Early Church Growth and Inclusion of Gentiles
Following Pentecost, the early church, initially Jewish, begins to see a significant influx of Gentile believers, raising questions about their status relative to Jewish believers.
c. 45-60 AD
Paul's Apostolic Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, evangelizing Gentiles and establishing churches, highlighting the expansion of the gospel beyond its Jewish origins.
c. 64-70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Roman-Jewish War culminates in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, a cataclysmic event for Judaism and a sign for some Christians of the end times.
c. 90-100 AD
Gospel of Matthew Compiled
The Gospel of Matthew, containing this parable, is believed to have been written or compiled during this period, preserving Jesus' teachings for future generations.
This verse directly echoes Matthew 20:16, stating that people from all directions will enter the Kingdom of God while some who were considered 'first' (likely referring to the established religious leaders or people of Israel) will be 'last'.
1 Samuel 15:22Samuel's rebuke to Saul highlights that obedience is more valued than outward shows or positions. This aligns with the parable's theme that God's favor isn't tied to seniority or initial status, but to willingness and obedience, whether early or late.
Romans 9:16Paul uses similar language when discussing God's sovereign choice, emphasizing that salvation 'depends not on human desire or human effort, but on God who shows mercy.' This underscores the idea that God's grace, not our position, determines our standing.
Philippians 3:13-14Paul, despite his impressive background ('first'), presses on toward the 'goal' of the heavenly call. This passage shows a believer who, though 'first' in many respects, doesn't rest on past achievements but strives for the ultimate prize, mirroring the parable's warning against complacency.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29This passage speaks to how God intentionally chooses the 'weak,' 'foolish,' and 'lowly' things of the world to shame the strong and wise. It reflects the principle that God's ways are not our ways, and He often elevates those considered 'last' to confound human expectations.
barnesMatthew 20:16: "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."
So the last shall be first ... - This is the moral or scope of the parable. "To teach this it was spoken." Many that, in the order of time, are brought last into the kingdom, shall be first in the rewards. Higher proportionate rewards shall be given to them than to others. "To all justice shall be done." To all to whom the rewards of heaven are promised they shall be given. Nothing shall be with…
calvinMatthew 20:1-16: "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."
- For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder, who went out at break of day to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2. And having made an agreement with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3. And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place. 4. And he said to them, Go…
{ "studyTitle": "The Divine Scale of Reward", "timeMinutes": 7, "concepts": [ { "title": "Kingdom Fairness vs. Human Fairness", "hook": "Ever feel like life's unfair? Especially when comparing yourself to others? This parable dives deep into how God's 'fairness' isn't quite like ours.", "teaching": "Jesus tells this parable of the vineyard workers to flip our understanding of justice on its head. We tend to think fairness means everyone gets what they 'deserve' based on their effort. Early workers agreed to a day's wage (a penny) and worked the whole day.\n\nBut then, workers hired at the last hour, who only worked for an hour, also received a full day's wage. This sparked grumbling from the first workers.\n\nThe owner's response is key: 'Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a day’s wages? Take what is yours and go. I want to give to the one who was last the same as to you. Am I not allowed to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' (Matthew 20:13-15).\n\nGod's economy isn't based on our merit system. He is sovereign and generous, not obligated to reward based on our limited view of fairness. His 'rightness' is about faithfulness to His promises, not strict adherence to human-like equity.", "readItAgain": "Notice how the owner challenges the first workers: 'Am I not allowed to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?'", "reflectionPrompt": "When have you felt a sense of unfairness in how God blesses others? How can you shift from demanding strict equity to embracing God’s generous grace?", "supportingReferences": [ { "reference": "Romans 9:15", "connection": "This verse echoes the owner's authority, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.'" }, { "reference": "Philippians 2:3", "connection": "It calls believers to avoid selfish ambition and vain conceit, which the first workers displayed, and instead consider others better than themselves." } ] }, { "title": "The 'Chosen' Few and Their Calling", "hook": "The verse ends with a punchline: 'many are called, but few are chosen.' What does that really mean for us and those around us?", "teaching": "This concluding statement, 'for many are called, but few are chosen,' offers a crucial perspective shift. The parable isn't just about equal pay; it’s about God’s selection and the nature of His kingdom.\n\n* 'Called': This refers to the broad invitation to enter God's kingdom, the opportunity to work in His vineyard. Many people hear this call through the Gospel message.\n* 'Chosen': This speaks to a deeper selection, not necessarily for salvation itself (as many are saved), but for a specific role, higher reward, or distinguished service within the kingdom. It implies God’s sovereign choice in how He distributes blessings and responsibilities.\n\nThis doesn't mean God plays favorites in a worldly sense. Rather, He has a purpose for each person. Some might be called to serve for a short time but have a profound impact, while others serve longer in less visible ways. Both are valued, but God’s sovereign choice determines the specific blessings and roles. The challenge is to be faithful with whatever our calling and role is, rather than comparing our reward to others'.", "readItAgain": "Notice the statement 'for many be called, but few chosen' immediately following the reversal of fortune: 'So the last shall be first, and the first last.'", "reflectionPrompt": "How does the idea of 'chosen' for specific roles, rather than just salvation, challenge your view of your own spiritual journey and purpose?", "supportingReferences": [ { "reference": "1 Corinthians 1:26-29", "connection": "This passage highlights that God often chooses the weak, the foolish, and the lowly to shame the wise and strong, emphasizing His sovereign choice." }, { "reference": "Matthew 22:14", "connection": "This verse, also from Jesus, repeats the 'many are called, but few are chosen' phrase in the context of the parable of the wedding feast, reinforcing the theme of divine selection." } ] } ] }
This concluding statement isn't just a summary; it's a divine pronouncement that the order of human achievement or perceived importance is completely flipped in God's economy. The "last" — those overlooked, those who come late, or even those who seem least — can end up in the highest favor, while those who were first and prominent might find themselves humbled.
This concluding statement isn't just a summary; it's a divine pronouncement that the order of human achievement or perceived importance is completely flipped in God's economy. The "last" — those overlooked, those who come late, or even those who seem least — can end up in the highest favor, while those who were first and prominent might find themselves humbled.
"So the last will be first, and the first last.”" — { "studyTitle": "The Divine Scale of Reward", "timeMinutes": 7, "concepts": [ { "title": "Kingdom Fairness vs. Human Fairness", "hook": "Ever feel like life's unfair? Especially…
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