FREE EBook – THE FIRST AND THE LAST by Ira Surface 1921
Republished by TheBibleGuy Thomas Spencer 2014
Chapter 3
Laborers in the Vineyard
It is quite evident from the previous chapter that God’s way of dealing with His people, Israel, is not the way He will deal with the Gentiles; and if His dealing is different, then the reckoning at the close of the day must be different. When the time comes that the laborers receive their hire, there must also be a separation. This fact will be made clear in the parable of the laborers Matt. 20: 1-16:
“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
“ And when he had agreed with the laborers for a Penny 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 unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
“They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
“So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last and unto the first.
“And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, the received every man a penny.
“But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
“And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, “Saying, these last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
“But he answered one of the, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
“Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
“It is not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
“So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen.”
In this parable will be seen the divine order of the holy scriptures is often ruthlessly dislocated and its chapters misplaced by authors who lightly regard their sacred inspiration. This may be done to make them fit the application they wish to make, or to bolster up some doctrine that can not be scripturally sustained, unless they do thus mutilate the word. By this method it is possible to have as many doctrines springing from the word as there are authors. While there are instances of variation, as to the order of events given in scripture, there is no ground for such in the book of Revelation.
Then, as people who believe in the divine order of the word, let us adhere closely to that order, unless it is clearly shown that the Holy Spirit, Himself, has directed otherwise. The Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion, but of harmony.
As we proceed with this parable, we may assure ourselves that the picture Jesus gives us will be the real order of the reckoning time, at the close of the day. This parable was given to show the order in which Israel and the Gentiles will be called when the reckoning time comes. The Savior prescribed the order and we will surely see it carried out when the great Day of Reckoning comes. Let us proceed, therefore, to find the mind of Christ in this parable.
First: This parable does not take into account the quality of service rendered. There is no clue to any such judgment. There was, evidently, some different in the quality of service, and it must have been in favor of those who had served from the early morning even unto the evening of the day.
Second: This parable does not take into account the quantity of service rendered, for those employed at the eleventh hour, and laboring only one hour, are represented as receiving the same as those who labored thru the heat and burden of the day. Those who would make the penny a day mean rewards surely can find no clue in it for such an interpretation. Rewards will differ, for we are to receive rewards according to the deeds done in the body: but here the deeds of the laborers differ widely, both as to the amount of work done and as to quality, yet they receive the same.
Third: There are two classes whom Jesus uses to illustrate the teaching s of this parable, viz., the first and the last. There may have been others, but we will use those whom Jesus used. These two classes will receive the “penny a day.” This being true, it is evident that all other classes will receive the same. This strengthens the fact that the penny a day can not represent rewards. So the first, who covenanted for a penny a day, and the last who had no covenant, but had the promise that they would receive ‘whatsoever is right,” are the two classes with whom we are to deal.
Fourth: If Christ did not give this parable to define the rewards given to the laborers, or for the amount of quality of service rendered, then we can not consider a teaching deduced from it that is based on such an application. Neither interpretation is also precluded, because it would imply a difference in the amount of reward given; but all receive a penny a day. Therefore, we must look further for the teaching Christ meant to give when He uttered this parable. It is plain that we must apply it in the only remaining way sequel to the parable, “The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.” If we give these words the proper consideration, we will see plainly that the emphasis is not upon the quantity or quality of work done, neither is it upon the spirit of the laborers; but it is assuredly, upon the order in which these two classes will be called at the time of reckoning.
Let us now notice the terms employed the express this parable.
I. THE VINEYARD
The first question that meets us is “What is meant by the vineyard of which Jesus speaks in this parable?” Some will stagger at the answer to this question as they will stagger at the line of separation which Jesus shows us surely exists, and will continue to exist, between Israel and the Gentiles. But we need not hesitate to answer. The vineyard is not the world, as many would answer, for the laborers were called from the streets and busy places into the enclosure of the vineyard. We answer: The vineyard of the parable is the house of Israel. The scriptures thus answer the question, and they clearly describe the vineyard: so we need never again doubt what Jesus means by the vineyard in His kingdom parables. Isa 5:1-7 says:
“Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
“And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.
“What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I look that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth grapes?
“And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
“And I will lay it waste: and it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”
We may safely say also that the vineyard time includes the period from the time God the Father planted and fenced the vineyard, until He will finish His purpose and fulfill His covenant with the house of Israel. That time will be when He, by His mighty hand, will bring for His people into the millennial reign, and this old earth shall be restored to its Edenic beauty and righteousness.
II. THE HOUSEHOLDER
The Householder of the vineyard represents God the Father. He is the owner of the house of Israel. The vineyard is the house of Israel. To that house of Israel God the Father committed the choicest seed; to that house of Israel God committed His goods; and from that house of Israel God the Father will demand the increase of His vineyard.
Jesus said to the Pharisees, in Matt. 23:13 “But woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” It was in the agreement, or covenant, that national Israel was to be the repository of God’s plan of salvation for the world, and it was the message of salvation which Israel withheld. They denied it to the Gentiles, and found fault with Jesus because He ate with sinners. They not only refused to accept the Messiah, but they said in Matt. 21:38, “Let us kill Him and let us seize on His inheritance.” Who were the servants whom God the Householder had made ruler of His goods? No one can ever be mistaken as to the identity of the servants, the Householder, or the vineyard, if they will read Matt 21:38, 39:
“When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their season.
“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
“And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
“And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.”
The servants of the vineyard were the chief priests and the Pharisees. To them God was looking for the fruits of faith that would have received Jesus. These were they whom God the Father had made ruler of all His goods. Jesus said these shut up the kingdom of heaven against men. These Pharisees and chief priests were the representatives of national Israel, therefore, their rejection of Jesus was Israel’s rejection.
III. THE LABORERS
We notice that the call came to two classes of laborers. The call ws first made to the house of Israel, and it was by covenant. “Did I not agree with thee for a penny a day?” The covenant was made with national Israel, or all-day laborers. Paul, in referring to this in Rom. 10:21, says, “All day long I have stretched forth My hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people.” This was the call to national Israel.
1. First
Paul says, in Acts 13:46, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” In Luke 19:42, Jesus said, “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now are hidden from thine eyes.” And again, Paul says in Rom. 11:25, “Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” So we identify the all-day laborers as Israel with whom the covenant was made.
2. Last
The other class is represented as the eleventh-hour laborers. These are distinctly separate from the class identified as the house of Israel, or the first called. The eleventh-hour laborers came in at the last hour, so they were separated as to the time of their entrance into the vineyard, and can not be identified with Israel, to whom the call had come all day long. They were also separated as to the terms of engagement. The Householder said to them, “Whatsoever is right that shall ye receive.” With the all-day laborers he had agreed for a penny a day. This fact also draws the line of separation, for with Israel he had covenanted. They were separated as to the merits. “Why stand ye here idle? They answer, Because no man hath hired us.” God had promised everything to Israel and was, in justice, bound to make them the subjects of all-day entreaty. But there is no such representation in the case of the eleventh-hour laborers, for no one had ever asked them. They were without hope, waiting and anxious. Rom. 10:20 says, “I was made manifest unto them that asked not after Me.” Not until the hour of grace did the call come to them. No merits were accorded to this class, they went in by grace only. “No man hath hired us.” How pathetic! Again the words of Matt. 23:13 come to us with tremendous significance: “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisee, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against me: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.” No amount of reasoning can make the covenanted laborers and the eleventh-hour laborers belong to the same class.
Therefore, the eleventh-hour laborers, or the “last,” can represent but one class; and according to the words of Jesus, the must differ from the all-day laborers, or the “first,” in the time of their call into the vineyard, in the length of their service, in the terms of their service, and in the merits of their case. This class means the Gentiles, just as definitely and distinctly as the first class means Israel. So we have the laborers identified as Israel, who are the “first” and the Gentiles, who are the “last.” Each of these classes must be found in the book of consummation, or Revelation. May the Holy Spirit continue to lead the way! Let us advance with uncovered heads and a prayer in our hearts that we may follow His order unerringly.
In our next chapter we wish to consider the vineyard as applied to the “Ekklesia”, and in a later chapter we will follow still further this parable which Jesus Himself projects in to the reckoning time.
The Free Teaching Blog of Thomas Spencer
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