Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
forget those things which are behind, and press forward to the remaining portion of their course,
(Philippians 3:13,14.)
As often, therefore, as we call to mind the heavenly crown, we ought, as it were, to feel the
application of fresh spurs, that we may not be more indolent for the future.
MATTHEW 20:1-16
Matthew 20:1-16
1. For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder, who went out at break of day to hire
laborers into his vineyard. 2. And having made an agreement with the laborers for a penny a day,
he sent them into his vineyard. 3. And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing
idle in the market-place. 4. And he said to them, Go you also into the vineyard, and whatever shall
be right I will give you. 5. And they went away. And again he went out about the sixth and ninth
hour, and acted in the same manner. 6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others
standing idle, and said to them, Why stand you here all the day idle? 7. They say to him, Because
nobody hath hired us. He saith to them, Go you also into the vineyard, and you will receive what
shall be right. 8. And when the evening was come, the master of the vineyard saith to his steward,
Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning with the last even to the first. 9. And when
they came who had come about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10. And they
who had come first thought that they would receive more, and they also received every man a
penny. 11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the householder, 12. Saying,
These last have been but one hour at work, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have endured
the burden of the day and the heat. 13. But he answering one of them, said, Friend, I do thee no
wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14. Take what is thine, and go away: and I intend
to give to this last as much as to thee. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own
property? Is thy eye evil, because I am good? 16. So the last shall be first, and the first shall be
last: for many are called, but few are chosen.
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
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John Calvin