Matthew 20:1-29
In this chapter the Lord further illustrates the grace of God by telling the story of the householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a penny a day. Later on at the third, sixth and ninth hours he hired others. Finally at the eleventh hour he hired still more laborers and sent them into his vineyard. When the evening came he told his steward to call the laborers, beginning with the last. When they came every man received a penny. Then those whom he had hired first murmured against him for they thought they should have received more, having borne the burden and heat of the day. But he told them that he was only giving them what they had agreed upon, and if he chose to give the same to those who were last, he had the right to do what he wished with his own. Those who were hired later had confidence in their master’s goodness and knew he would deal with them according to his just appreciation of what was due to them. So in the ways of the kingdom of heaven, our rewards will not be according to the length of time of service, but according to the Lord’s abundant grace. Some have been called later in life than others, yet who but He can justly decide what their rewards should be. God is sovereign and will act according to the grace of His own heart.
This was the Lord’s last journey to Jerusalem, and knowing that His time with His disciples was to be short, He talks with them privately. The Son of Man would be rejected, delivered over to the Gentiles, and crucified. On the third day He would rise again.
Selfishness Met in Grace
It must have been a matter of sorrow to His heart when, after speaking to His disciples in this way, the mother of James and John comes with them with the selfish request: “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand, and the other on the left, in Thy kingdom.” The Lord meets this request with gracious wisdom and tells them they knew not what they were asking. He points out what lay ahead of them as His followers along the path which leads to glory. The cross must come first before the crown. “Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?” “They say unto Him, We are able,” though it is obvious that they didn’t know what they were talking about. The Lord tells them that they shall indeed share in His path of suffering, which is the highest honor a believer can have on earth. As to their reward, He leaves that with His Father.
When the other disciples heard of this request they were filled with indignation against James and John. But their strong feelings against their brethren expressed the feelings of worldly ambitions. Their hearts were no better. The gracious Lord meets this, however, by showing them that the principles of the kingdom were not according to the course of this world. He who would be greatest in the kingdom must go down lowest of all. This place the Lord Himself took. “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Further Meditation
1. What did the servants hired later in the day count on?
2. On what basis does God give out rewards?
3. Listening to the CD Grace Reigning by R. Thonney would provide a nice foundation for the topic of grace in this chapter.