Puzzling !!!!

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Puzzling !!!!

Matthew 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

I have always been wondering what Jesus meant by this verse and talking to a friend last night, were discussing it again .

Jesus never explained the parable that came before that statement . It was about the workmen that the master gave equal amounts of money to at the end of the day , even though some had only worked for an hour or so .

Could it mean that Jesus was talking about the Jews , because He presented Himself to them first and they rejected Him so He came to the Gentiles and we accepted Him .

Thus He said we would be first and the Jews would be last .

I am not sure .... Any other ideas.
 
Matthew 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

I have always been wondering what Jesus meant by this verse and talking to a friend last night, were discussing it again .

Jesus never explained the parable that came before that statement . It was about the workmen that the master gave equal amounts of money to at the end of the day , even though some had only worked for an hour or so .

Could it mean that Jesus was talking about the Jews , because He presented Himself to them first and they rejected Him so He came to the Gentiles and we accepted Him .

Thus He said we would be first and the Jews would be last .

I am not sure .... Any other ideas.

We must remember that God's word is living (has life for many applications) and dynamic (means many things to many people) to the extent that such will not contradict other scripture.

I we look at the whole council of God (Gen. 1:1-Rev. 22:21). We see that what man deems to be important is an abomination to God. Even in religious circles most consider the least to be the parishioners (those who serve) and the greatest to be Church leaders (those to be serves). Christ stated the reverse:

Matthew 13:11-12
11But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Luke 16:15
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Philippians 2:3-4
3Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others

In summary:

What Man consider to be last, least, or of little value (To serve, humility, to esteem a brother higher than oneself); God considers to be first, great and holy.

What is holy confounds the world; thus, our actions should do the same. Our actions and walk in life should be counterintuitive to those of none Christians.

Good Day and God Bless
 
Thanks ....
What Man consider to be last, least, or of little value (To serve, humility, to esteem a brother higher than oneself); God considers to be first, great and holy.

That makes sense. God Bless.:)
 
The Last shall be first, the first last.

Praise God!!!!

Not every scripture in God's Word has some deep hidden meaning, that will take the Holy Ghost and lots of seeking to find. (Though if you seek, you will find.)

Thou shall not steal.................. Not really any need to grab our concordances and do a 6 month long bible study to find the meaning of this.

In the Parable, people that worked all day, and those that caught the end of the Work, received the same reward. Those that came last to work, received the same pay and reward as those that came first.

The Term, first, last and Last, first. Is a term of equality, or things being equal.

The word last was also translated to mean latter, end, lowest.
Or last in a series of places.

The Word first means first in time or place.
it was translated also to be Chief, before, or best.

The term was not meant to mean a certain group, but was used to show that everyone will get the same according to their work, no matter when the work was started or how long they worked.

How does that apply to us Christians?

Eph 5:16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.


You have a plan and will of god to follow!!

Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Everyone that is Born again has a plan that they are suppose to fulfill.

That His will must be known, that you walk worthy, being fruitful in every good work.

1Co 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

We run the race, doing the work of the Lord, and there are rewards in the End. We all are suppose to find out what God's will for us is.

Heb 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,


WE are told that the race is set before us. A path we are suppose to go and not stray away from doing the Work of the Lord. Some will run long, some not so long, but the prize is at the end or reward if we finish.

So the Parable is about giving God your all and doing the will of the Lord.

Mar 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Mar 10:31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Jesus tells us that if someone gives all to the Gospel, that the seed that they planted will produce rewards Now and in the life to come.

Mat 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.


Many that are called to do the Work of the Lord will never take steps to prepare for it, or even consider they are suppose to be doing something for God. If God called you to be a CEO, yet you never step out in faith to study, and obtain the knowledge, but just keep your Job at some restaurant, then you will not be chosen. You missed God's plan and work he had for you.
Same thing with those to teach that never study or ignore that calling to teach God's Word, thinking that it would not pay enough. They will not be chosen.

2Ti 2:15
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.



2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.


So What happens if you don't consider the work of the Lord? Doing your own thing?

1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.


So now the parable is explained..............

Jesus Is Lord.
 
"Thou shalt not steal" - It seems simple at first, and clearly means that we may not take what belongs to another. But whilst perhaps 6 months may be a long study, there is so much more in these four words.

So much more to steal than goods - even a pencil from the office, or a telephone call v. ~£1000000 from a bank.

One sin leads to another - it is difficult to break one of the commandments without breaking another. David, for example broke the tenth commandment by coveting another man's wife, the ninth in hatching a plot, the eight in stealing what was not his to take, the seventh in committing adultery and the sixth in arranging for Uriah to be killed. He broke the First and second in dishonouring his God in making Bathsheeba to be of ultimate importance and thus making her his idol.

Where stealing is concerned we may steal not only goods, but a person's reputation by gossipping about them. We may steal their self esteem by running them down. We may steal their security by failing to encourage them.

To steal someones good name is a dreadful thing to do.

Stealing has its root in greed and selfishness.

We steal if we make fraudulent insurance claims or exaggerate others.

We may steal from God by witholding from Him not only our rightful giving to the work of the Gospel, but by stealing from him the time and the worship due to Him.
How important it is that we realie that we are but stewards of all God has given to us.

In Eph. 4:28 a thief is told not only to stop thieving but to use his hands to share with others. We can steal by witholding what we have from those who are in need.

Likewise in Amos 9:4-6 God shows how he detests theft "Hear this you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land saying "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat", skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheatring with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wehat. The Lord has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: "I will never forget anything they have done".

(Pride of Jacob: Israel took pride in the fact that the Lord was her God.)
 
Jeanann, excellent post!

It is true; a planted "seed of sin" will produce an untold amount of "sinful fruits". We have control over what we plant, but no control over the harvest (consequences). God has provided the truth; we shall reap a harvest that is produced by all of our actions (good or bad):


Galatians 6:7. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Carnal Wisdom 1:1. chickens will come home to roost

Good Day and God Bless
 
Hello new here
anyways I always too the parable to simply mean that the boss can pay what ever he wants, thus God can give what ever reward or punishment he sees fit.
As for first and last, I took that more as those who seek high positions will not gain the, thus those humble will have haigher standing, of couse no one can be humble to 'trick' God in to a higher place.
Can remember the verse but, there is a bit about taking a lesser seat so you ar hounored when given a higher seat. Where if you take a higher seat, be disgraced when asked to move. Ok paraphraseing.
Though I never thought of them together. Sorry if I don't do lots a scripture stuff, might work on that.
 
Well today I was reading in Exodus and let me tell you what was revieled to me .


Exodus 16 :17....... So the people of Israel did this; some people gathered much, and some gathered little.

Isn't that just like God because those who gathered more had nothing left over and those who gathered little lacked for nothing either. Each home had just enough manna .

Again I related this back to ( Last and First )

Even if we have little ....God will provide and we will not want and those who have lots .... still will have little and sufficient for their needs.

So I was thinking that the world looks upon people who have little as being poor and puts them last but God looks upon them differently and puts them first above the rich .... Does that make sense.?
 
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