#DailyDevotion Do You Begrudge The LORD’S Generosity Or Rejoice In It?
Matt. 20:10-16 10When the first ones came, they expected to get more, but each of them, too, got a denarius . 11they took it, but they grumbled against the owner: 12These last men worked only one hour, and you’ve treated them exactly like us who have worked hard all day in the blazing sun.’ 13“’Friend, I’m doing you no wrong,’ he answered one of them. You agreed with me on a denarius , didn’t you? 14Take your money and go. I want to give this last man as much as I give you. 15Don’t I have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you jealous because I’m generous? 16“In this way the last will be first and the first last.”
Sometimes it’s best not to try to interpret too much into a parable. When try to interpret too much we may end up with some bad theology. For example, should be try to interpret the denarius? What would we interpret it as? Salvation? Eternal life? If so, then are we saying we can earn our salvation? I hope not.
Well we know in this parable those who only worked an hour got a denarius. Those who worked all day expected to get more but they agreed to work the day for a denarius. They grumbled against the owner because he treated them the same as those who only worked one hour and got paid the same. Who knows, maybe you grumble to instead of being happy for those who were treated mercifully. Well the owner addresses these guys with the equivalent of “Hey pal,” which is never a good thing. Doesn’t he have to right to do with what is his? Doesn’t he have the right to be generous? Didn’t he keep his end of the deal? The answer is yes.
Israel had cut a deal with the LORD on Sinai. Well we know they didn’t keep it. They broke it, several times. The LORD did as promised and exiled the nothern tribes and he exiled for a while the southern tribes. He promised he would make a new covenant. The Jews of Jesus’ day and well even today, are still trying to work with God under the old covenant. Many people today who aren’t Jewish try to work out a deal with God to which he actually never gave his consent to. Such people both unbelieving Jews and deal striking non-Jews are going to be quite surprised on the Last Day when the LORD Jesus Christ judges the living (those who trust him) and the dead (those who don’t trust him) when they get what they deserve. But they’ve been asking for what they deserve their whole lives.
They most certainly are going to be the grumblers (as Israel was in the wilderness) when they see people who didn’t try to strike a deal with God, who trusted in the new covenant God made with man in Christ Jesus which says simply, “I’m going to be your God and you are going to be my people. I will put my torah in your hearts. And they will know me from the greates to the least for I will forgive them their sins and remember them no more.” The first are those still working under the Law. They will be last i.e. excluded. The last are those who trust the new covenant. They will rejoice in the generosity of their LORD Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, give us hearts that are thankful for your generosity towards us and let us rejoice in the salvation you give away to others in Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.