Grace • Matthew 20:1-34
By Joe McKeever
Ah, my favorite subject: “Grace!” Thank God for His amazing grace.
Now, in considering the parable which opens this chapter, we must be careful not to treat the various incidents and stories as separate entities. They are all part of the larger story each Gospel writer was telling. For instance, the parable of Matthew 20:1-16 is our Lord’s answer to Simon Peter in the previous chapter when he asked, “Lord, we’ve worked hard; what will our reward be?” This parable is His answer. (The chapter divisions came some 1200 years later.)
Notice also, at the end of the parable, the principle “the last shall be first, and the first last” is a repetition of 19:30, although expressed differently.
So, these stories are part of a larger drama, and are interconnected.
The Lord Jesus is basically saying to Simon Peter, “Trust the Father. He will give you what He has promised. Trust Him to do fairly.”
Let’s pause to point out something about the sense of fairness found throughout humanity. Where did that come from? Evolution and naturalistic philosophies have no answer. Of all creation, only humans have it. Clearly, the Creator placed it there.
Now, let’s also note our Lord was not teaching labor relations here. He was demonstrating how grace works. In a sentence, this parable is saying: Our generous God does not hand out rewards based on merit, but on grace.
He’s all about grace. (We will pause while you give thanks!)
When you think of grace, think generosity. Our Heavenly Father is a generous God. Look around at this delightful planet He has given us. (And for that, check out Psalm 115:16.) I’m remembering a line from Paul Harvey, newsman extraordinaire of a previous generation. After a space probe sent back photographs of planets, Mr. Harvey said on his newscast, “Ladies and gentlemen, it appears Earth is still the garden spot of the universe.” And no discovery since has altered that conclusion. The heavens and the earth declare the glory of God! Artemis II’s photos have furnished a hearty amen to that!
Scripture is saturated with insights and assurances of the grace of God. Exodus 34:6-7, where God reveals His nature to Moses, is my all-time favorite. “The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin….’” (NASB)
There is nothing like that Scripture anywhere in the Bible except for all the places where it is quoted. Check out Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 108:4; 145:8; Joel 2:13, and Jonah 4:2.
We’ve all heard thoughtless people say the God of the Old Testament is all about judgment and vengeance, while the New Testament God is love. Not so. God is one God and He is love throughout. This truth is taught and on display from one end of Scripture to the other.
The problem with our culture is that it does not want to admit a need for grace. To receive God’s grace, one must admit he/she is a sinner, that we cannot save ourselves. And our generation has a sense of entitlement. (See the accompanying drawing.)
On social media, I asked my friends what does “the last shall be first and the first last” mean? I think you’ll find their answers interesting…
— Terry B. said, “One of these days I’ll be first!”
— Jim W. said, “Folks at the end of the line — the ones who get overlooked by the people in the front of the line — go in first, to the astonishment of those who lined up first.”
— Julie M. said, “What we are given is based strictly on God’s grace and not our earnings or merit. His thoughts and ways are higher than ours.”
— James C. said, “Remember how in school kids with ‘A’ names were always the first called, while those with names like Williams, Watkins, and Yarbrough were last? Well, it might be one day when God calls the roll He will call it backwards. Or, He may call it His regular way but change our names!”
I loved this explanation from the MacArthur Study Bible: “Everyone finishes in a dead heat. No matter how long each one worked, they received a full day’s wage. The thief on the cross will enjoy the full blessings of heaven alongside those who labored their whole lives for Christ. Such is the grace of God.”
Okay, more?
— Shann P. said, “It’s a parable about God’s heart. He is fair and incredibly generous.”
— Duwane B. said, “Humility trumps arrogance every time.”
— And David H. said, “My mother-in-law said that it means in heaven she will be tall and I will be short!”
Everything our Lord Jesus did was about grace — His teachings, His ministry, as well as His death-burial-and-resurrection. When the Apostle John was presenting his gospel, he said of Jesus, “We beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NASB). Then, he adds, “Of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (1:16).
Non-stop grace!
It just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?
McKeever is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson.
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