Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 20:16 "So the last shall be first, and the first last." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 20:16 "So those who are last [in this world] shall be first [in the world to come], and those who are first, last." |
Subject: few chosen |
Bible Note: Hi gracefull, I think that it is important to note that the phrase of Matthew 20:16 does NOT read, "for many are called, but few choose." So I don't know if I totally agree with Prayon's quote. I wonder about your "arriving for their reward". Is that a quote from a certain translation? I wonder about that because the men were hired by the landowner and they received wages. I think of rewards as being for good works not for good work. Another thing to think about is that the people hired in the middle of the day were given "whatever is right". It doesn't say what the amount was that they were given. The first-hired received what they agreed upon. The last-hired went out and worked without agreeing on any wage, nor were they told that they would receive what was right. They were simply told to go into the vinyard, and they did so. These [few] last ones were chosen by the landowner to be shown generosity. A look at Matthew 19:29 will show that the people who "left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life." In other words they will receive even more than the original disciples. It is up to the Lord to decide who is given what responsibilities in His kingdom and it is up to the Lord to decide if He wants to choose some for extra wage or reward. That is in His power to do. That is why I have an upper case interpretation for the pronouns in Matthew 20:15. "Is it not lawful for Me to do what I wish with what is My own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?" It is just penciled in as yet. What do you think? From the heart, Ray |