Matthew 20:1-15
As this parable is nothing else than a confirmation of the preceding
sentence, the last shall be first, it now remains to see in what manner
it ought to be applied. Some commentators reduce it to this general proposition,
that the glory of all; will be equal, because the heavenly inheritance
is not obtained by the merits of works, but is bestowed freely. But Christ
does not here argue either about the equality of the heavenly glory, or
about the future condition of the godly. He only declares that those who
were first in point of time have no right to boast or to insult others;
because the Lord, whenever he pleases, may call those whom he appeared
for a time to disregard, and may make them equal, or even superior, to
the first. If any man should resolve to sift out with exactness every portion
of this parable, his curiosity would be useless; and therefore we have
nothing more to inquire than what was the design of Christ to teach. Now
we have already said that he had no other object in view than to excite
his people by continual spurs to make progress. We know that indolence
almost always springs from excessive confidence; and this is the reason
why many, as if they had reached the goal, stop short in the middle of
the course. Thus Paul enjoins us to forget the things which are behind,
(Philippians 3:13,) that, reflecting on what yet remains for us, we may
arouse ourselves to persevere in running. But there will be no harm in
examining the words, that the doctrine may be more clearly evinced.
Matthew 20:1. For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder. The meaning
is, that such is the nature of the divine calling, as if a man were, early
in the morning, to hire laborers for the cultivation of his vineyard at
a fixed price, and were afterwards to employ others without an agreement,
but to give them an equal hire. He uses the phrase, kingdom of heaven,
because he compares the spiritual life to the earthly life, and the reward
of eternal life to money which men pay in return for work that has been
done for them. There are some who give an ingenious interpretation to this
passage, as if Christ were distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles. The
Jews, they tell us, were called at the first hour, with an agreement as
to the hire; for the Lord promised to them eternal life, on the condition
that they should fulfill the law; while, in calling the Gentiles, no bargain
was made at least as to works, for salvation was freely offered to them
in Christ. But all subtleties of that sort are unseasonable; for the Lord
makes no distinction in the bargain, but only in the time; because those
who entered last, and in the evening, into the vineyard, receive the same
hire with the first. Though, in the Law, God formerly promised to the Jews
the hire of works, (Leviticus 18:5,) yet we know that this was without
effect, because no man ever obtained salvation by his merits.
Why then, it will be said, does Christ expressly mention a bargain in
reference to the first, but make no mention of it in reference to the others?
It was in order to show that, without doing injury to any one, as much
honor is conferred on the last, as if they had been called at the beginning.
For strictly speaking, he owes no man any thing, and from us, who are devoted
to his service, he demands, as a matter of right, all the duties which
are incumbent on us. But as he freely offers to us a reward, he is said
to hire the labors which, on other grounds, were due to him. This is also
the reason why he gives the name of a hire to the crown which he bestows
freely. Again, in order to show that we have no right to complain of God,
if he make us companions in honor with those who followed us after a long
interval, he borrowed a comparison from the ordinary custom of men, who
bargain about the hire, before they send laborers to their work.
If any man infer from this, that men are created for the purpose of
doing something, and that every man has his province assigned him by God,
that they may not sit down in idleness, he will offer no violence to the
words of Christ. We are also at liberty to infer, that our whole life is
unprofitable, and that we are justly accused of indolence, until each of
us regulate his life by the command and calling of God. Hence it follows,
that they labor to no purpose, who rashly undertake this or that course
of life, and do not wait for the intimation of the call of God. Lastly,
we learn from the words of Christ, that those only are pleasing to God,
who labor for the advantage of their brethren.
A penny (which was rather more than four times the value of a French
carolus,) was probably the ordinary hire for a day's work. The third, sixth,
and ninth hour, are expressly mentioned, because, while the ancients were
wont to divide the day into twelve hours, from sunrise to sunset, there
was another division of the day into every three hours; as, again, the
night was divided into four watches; and so the eleventh hour means the
close of the day.
8. And when the evening was come. It would be improper to look for a
mystery in the injunction of the householder to begin with the last, as
if God crowned those first who were last in the order of time; for such
a notion would not at all agree with the doctrine of Paul. They that are
alive, he says, at the coming of Christ will not come before those who
previously fell asleep in Christ, but will follow, (1 Thessalonians 4:15.)
But Christ observes a different order in this passage, because he could
not otherwise have expressed - what he afterwards adds - that the first
murmured, because they did not receive more.
Besides, he did not intend to say that this murmuring will take place
at the last day, but merely to affirm that there will be no occasion for
murmuring. The personification (proswpopoi`>a) which he employs throws
no small light on this doctrine, that men have no right to complain of
the bounty of God, when he honors unworthy persons by large rewards beyond
what they deserve. There is no foundation, therefore, for what some have
imagined, that these words are directed against the Jews, who were full
of malice and envy towards the Gentiles; for it would be absurd to say
that such persons receive an equal hire with the children of God, and this
malignity, which leads men to exclaim against God, does not apply to believers.
But the plain meaning is, that, since God defrauds no man of a just hire,
He is at liberty to bestow on those whom He has lately called an undeserved
reward.
16. So the first shall be last. He does not now compare the Jews to
the Gentiles, (as in another passages) nor the reprobate, who swerve from
the faith, to the elect who persevere; and therefore the sentence which
is introduced by some interpreters, many are called, but few are chosen,
does not apply to that point. Christ only meant to say that every one who
has been called before others ought to run with so much the greater alacrity,
and, next, to exhort all men to be modest, not to give themselves the preference
above others, but willingly to share with them a common prize. As the apostles
were the first-fruits of the whole church, they appeared to possess some
superiority; and Christ did not deny that they would sit as judges to govern
the twelve tribes of Israel. But that they might not be carried away by
ambition or vain confidence in themselves, it was necessary also to remind
them that others, who would long afterwards be called, would be partakers
of the same glory, because God is not limited to any person, but calls
freely whomsoever He pleases, and bestows on those who are called whatever
rewards He thinks fit.
