The Washington herald., 1914-07-04
With the Washington Churches

II VIII with mine own7 or isNthine eye
evil. because I am good?
u0 So the last shall be frst, and the
first last.
The Narrative.
This parable was the outcome OF the
incident with the young ruler: not that II
has any direct bearing thereupon. but
that II has to do with the effect produced
upon the disciples by that Incident Mat
thew tells US that when the young man
went away sorrowful, Jesus said to His
disciples, Verify / say unto you, It is
hard for q rich man to enter into the
kingdom OF Heaven. And again I say
unto you, IL is easier for a camel to go
through a needles eye, than for a rich
man to enter into the kingdom Of God"
The disciples were exceedingly astonIshed
at such a declaration. and inquired.
who then can be saved?" and the Lord
replied that with God all things were
possible.
II was then that Peter said. "Lo. we
have left all, and followed Thee; what
then shall we have2" The question was
evidently the outcome Of the incident. anu
our Lords teaching concerning IT, The
young man had refused to leave all and
follow Christ. Peter said. We have done
It: and inquired what advantage It would
be TO them, what reward they would
have. The parable Of the laborers in the
vineyard IL our Lords answer to that in
quiry Before uttering II. however, He
definitely told Peter that the twelve
would be associated with Him in an act
ual reign over the tribes Of Israel. and
added that all who left everything 10 fol-
low Him would receive an hundredfold
and inherit eternal life: that is that they
would gain what the young man sought,
II they did what he failed to do.
The teaching ended with the words.
But many shall be last that are first;
and first that are last" This was a warn
ing. and was Immediately followed by
the parable, the parable being followed
by the words, so the last shall be first.
and the first last" 1t is thus evident
that the parable is an illustration OF that
word Of warning by which II was pre-
faced. and by which II was followed.
The parable itself II perfectly simple
and plain, and the reading OF Il Is suffi
cient to understand II in it's main move
ment. There are certain matters that we
should specially fasten upon our minds.
The words of our Lord declare that II is
a parable of the kingdom of heaven, con-
senquently the householder represents the
borers. whom he will hire to work in his
vineyard. In doing this he began in the
early morning; and with those whom he
first appointed he made a definite agree
ment Prosecuting his quest subsequent
ly during the day at the third hour, at
the sixth. and at the ninth. he found Ia
borers. sent them into his vineyard to
work. making no agreement with any Of
them, but leading them 70 take up the
work he offered. trusting in him as to
payment. At the eleventh hour he went
out and found others standing idle. and
asked them why they did so. They re-
piled that no man had hired them. and so
he sent them into the vineyard.
When the day was over, the laborers
were called together to be paid. and the
steward was commanded to begin with
the last. and to end with the first. As
we observe the payment OF these men, we
notice that the amount received by the
first was strictly Just, and in accord with
agreement made. That given TO the last
was characterized by generosity. while
nevertheless IL was a payment in perfect
justice. because these men had worked
throughout the whole time available to
them. The outstanding fact is that the
giving OF the penny TO those who only
entered the vineyard at the eleventh hour
was the opportunity for the testing Of the
character of the men who entered first.
This il seen in what the householder said
to one of them when they murmured.
Friend. 7 do thee no wrong Is
thine eve evil because I am Eood?" This
answer claimed. and rightly claimed. that
the payment Of the first did not wrong
the first 1t also admitted that the pay
ment OF the last was that of generous
goodness. II drew attention. however. To
the fact that the complaint was one of
envy, and so a revelation OF impurity OF
character.
The Teaching.
This parable Of course must not be
made to teach more than is intended.
Others show other sides OF the method
Of the Lord in dealing with those who
serve Him. This was intended TO teach
these first disciples two things: first. that
priority OF time is not everything: and,
secondly. that fidelity to opportunity is
everything
There arr other Iues in the parable.
Peter had asked, what then shall we
have that is. in contrast to the young
ruler who had refused to follow. Now
the answer of the Lord was intended to
show him and his felIow-discipIes that
the last may be first. 1t is as though
Jesus had said. Suspend your Judgment
about him.
The complaint of the man who was
among the number of those who had en-
tered the vineyard at the beginning OF
the day was the complaint OF a man
who considered himself a profitable ser
want. Applying the parable as our Lord
certainly intended II should be applied.
in the spiritual realm. II is necessary to
remember what He had declared to them
on a previous occasion. that at best those
who do their duty are improbable ser /
wants. In the work of His kingdom the /
payment of the penny is always of grace, |
and not of right: therefore the equality OF
grace in the case of the first and OF the |
last was in strict justice. For the serv- |