Chapter twenty of Matthew’s gospel reinforces the teaching of Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven in response to Peter’s naïve pride from his question in 19:27 “Look! We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” … the spirit of that interchange between Jesus and his twelve is that of earning one’s kingdom reward.

But just as it is true that “With man this [salvation] is impossible, but with God all things are possible” [19:26] so is it true that “with man earning eternal reward is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

the choosing of the laborers in the vineyard is about the one who calls and chooses the laborers. HE alone declares that those who were first in point of time have no bragging rights. Nor do they have the right to belittle the ‘latecomers’ … eternity is the point … being first in line.

The LORD chooses whomever and whenever he pleases.

He may call those whom he pleases and may establish whom he pleases in whatever status or rank that he pleases. The LORD may disregard whom he pleases and may embrace whom he pleases. He may choose to make the last of whom he calls the first in eternal glory.

Many who feel that they are last, and are seen by many as inferior, will be welcomed first on the great judgment. The Day of the LORD, the great judgment day, will be a day of surprises.