Whatsoever Is Right

Someday, Jesus will make His return.  On that day, there may be someone who just obeyed the Gospel an hour before His arrival.  What reward will he receive?  Also, when Jesus returns, there may be a man who has been a faithful Christian for sixty years before His arrival.  What reward will he receive?  Some might be convinced that the man who just obeyed the Gospel should not receive the same reward as the longtime Christian.  Let us look to the teaching of Jesus to find the answer to this issue.

In one of His many parables, Jesus said, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard” (Matt. 20:1-2).  These men were the first to be hired by the “householder”.  They were assured that their labor would not be in vain, but rather they would be compensated for their work.  The wage was a penny.  If the men did the work that they were to do, then they would be rewarded.  Please notice that the men did not argue about the reward on the front end of the agreement.  They were satisfied that the reward was worth the work.

Jesus then continued, “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 whatsoever is right I will give you.  And they went their way” (Matt. 20:3-4).  For the Jewish people of the first century, the third hour would have been 9:00 A.M.  So, after having hired the first men, the “householder” then hired more men at a later time.  He told them that he would give them “whatsoever is right” in regard to compensation.  Keep in mind, the going wage that day was a penny.  The workers did not seem to have any problem with working for that which was right.

Finally, Jesus mentioned, “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” (Matt. 20:5-7).  The sixth hour was Noon.  The ninth hour was 3:00 P.M., and the eleventh hour was 5:00 P.M.  For the Jew, day began at 6:00 A.M. and ended at 6:00 P.M.  It is obvious that some of the men worked longer than some of the others.  However, the “householder” was willing to give each worker that which was right.  Again, the going wage of the day was a penny.

This is where the story gets back to the hypothetical descriptions of the two men that had obeyed the Gospel.  One obeyed an hour before the Lord’s return, while the other had obeyed sixty years earlier and remained faithful.  What should be their rewards?  The answer is found in the remainder of the parable.  “So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received a penny.  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman 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” (Matt. 20:8-12).  Did the “householder” do wrong by giving them each the same amount?  The parable continues, “But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong:  didst not thou agree with me for a penny?  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.  Is it 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” (Matt. 20:13-16).

Friend, we do not know when the Lord will return, and we do not need to know.  What we do need to know is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the reward that will be given to all who obey such and remain faithful.  It was Paul who wrote, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).  Regardless of when one began his work for the Lord, if he is a faithful worker unto the end, then he will receive “whatsoever is right”.
~ Corey Barnette