So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen

 

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'  So they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'  They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.'  He said to them, 'You also to into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'  So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.  But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received a denarius.  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'  But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way.  I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?'  So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."

 

- Matthew 20:1-16 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"  But Jesus looked at the and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."  Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.  Therefore what shall we have?"  So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

 

 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.'  So they went.  Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.  And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'  They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.'  He said to them, 'You also to into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'  So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'  And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.  But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received a denarius.  And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'  But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way.  I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?  Or is your eye evil because I am good?'  So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."  My study Bible explains that in this parable, the vineyard is life in this world.  The day refers both to the span of a single person's life and also to the whole of human history.  The laborers are all the people in every nation.  Each hour can refer to times in a person's life, whether that be infancy, or youth, adulthood, maturity, or old age.  There is also a second meaning in the span of history:  it can refer to those who were called during the covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and finally Christ.  My study Bible says that God's generosity provides equal reward for both early and late comers.  Jesus teaches that the former should not be proud of their long service nor resent those called at the eleventh hour (and we remember He teaches this parable in response to Peter's statement that the disciples have left all and followed Him, wondering about their reward -- see yesterday's reading, above).  To the latecomers, Christ teaches that it is possible even in a short time or at the end of one's life to recover and inherit everything.  My study Bible adds that in the early Church, this message applied specifically to the Jews (the first-called) and the Gentiles (those called later).  In our time, we can think of it as applied to those raised in the Church and those who find the Church later in life, both of whom receive an equal reward.  The beautiful and renowned paschal sermon of St. John Chrysostom is based on this parable, in which he applied it to the preparations of each person in approaching the paschal Eucharist.  

What does it mean to us that all receive the same benefit, the same reward?  That it makes no difference when you came to this work or this labor, it makes no difference that others come earlier or even later.  It makes no difference how long one has labored, nor even how short.  What does this tell us about the rewards of discipleship, the rewards of the kingdom of heaven?  For one thing (and this is quite obvious from the surface meanings of the parable), we are to understand that the kingdom of heaven is nothing like an earthly kingdom.  There is no rational measure of lengths of time, no adding up or subtracting of hours of labor or time spent working on something.  There is just a fullness of the participation in the kingdom, which comes equally to those who were first and those who were last to enter.  Let us keep in mind that the whole discussion over the past week of readings began with the disciples desiring to know who would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven (see last Thursday's reading).  In terms of discipleship, Jesus' parable indicates that the hierarchies of the world make no sense in this kingdom of God.  This begins right from the start with His response to the question regarding who would be greatest, when He began by speaking in terms of power:  "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  To speak of the "little ones" in the Church is to dignify each with equal consideration, while those who are greatest are the humble.  He will also famously teach (again in response to a question about greatness from the disciples), "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12).  Today's parable, and each of Christ's statements I've quoted, affirm that hierarchies in His kingdom are nothing like the hierarchies and measures of the world.  It is the same as when we consider the abundant love and mercy of God.  Jesus encourages us to think in these same terms as we seek to participate in this Kingdom, when He teaches, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38).  Pressed down, shaken together, and running over are all images not of equal measure, but of tremendous generosity, much more than would be allotted through careful precise measure.  In short, we can assume that the depths and breadths and heights of this Kingdom are far greater and deeper and higher than we can imagine in a worldly sense:  our rewards greater than our effort, our sins forgiven beyond parsimonious measure, even a small time of participation rewarded with "life abundantly" (John 10:10).  We are reminded of the exchange in the final chapter of John's Gospel, in which Peter is repeated told by Christ what is his mission as disciple (see John 21:15-19).  But then Peter asks Jesus about John ("the disciple whom Jesus loved"), saying, "But Lord, what about this man?"  Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."  Each has his own work of discipleship, each reward is the same, each is called in the specific way the Lord calls.  In today's reading, Jesus says, "So the last will be first, and the first last.  For many are called, but few chosen."  To participate in this Kingdom, there is only our understanding through Christ, of the immeasurable love of God, the deep desire to save, and the depth of relatedness for each one who serves.  For the lives we have, for the service God asks of us, for the love we can experience through this participation, let us drop every other consideration and on this day be truly thankful for God's blessing.