WHAT EXACTLY DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE SAID, “MANY WHO ARE FIRST WILL BE LAST, AND MANY WHO ARE LAST WILL BE FIRST”?

-
Jesus said in Matthew 19:30, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first”.

Thereafter He immediately gave a parable of the labourers in the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-15 and reiterated this statement in Matthew 20:16 at the end of the parable.

Many Scholars have given several interpretations to the meaning of this statement. However, the most accurate interpretation should be from the parable as the parable was designed to explain it.

The story is about some labourers who complain that others, who did not work as long as they, were paid an equal amount. In other words, they saw their own labour as worthy of compensation but considered their companions’ labour to be inferior and less worthy of reward. Jesus ends the parable with the statement, “The last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). 

The most direct interpretation, based on the content of the parable, is that all believers, no matter how long or how hard they work during this lifetime, will receive the same basic reward: eternal life. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UNDERSTANDING THE GIFT OF PROPHECY: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORETELLING, FORTH-TELLING AND FORTUNE TELLING

-
Image
There is so much misunderstanding in the Church today regarding the gift of prophecy. Many people believe that prophecy only refers to telling something before it happens. However, even in the Old Testament, the messages of the prophets contained as much, if not more, about the present than they did about the future. In Hebrew, the word translated prophecy is based on the word stem nābā, which simply means “to speak by divine inspiration, either in prediction or simple discourse.”  “ Prophecies ” is transliterated (i.e. brought straight over from Greek to English) from the noun  prophēteia . It is made up of  pro , meaning “before, in time or position” and a form of the verb  phēmi , meaning “to tell.” The verb form of this word can refer  EITHER : Foretelling  (predicting or telling something before it happens). It seeks to predict the future. It predicts or reveals personalities, occurrences, circumstances that will hap...
Read more

GOD MADE ADAM BOTH MALE AND FEMALE.

-
Image
This should be obvious but it seems a lot of people are having problem with it. God made Adam male and female. In other words, when Adam was first created he was both male and female. For people that are finding it hard to accept this is what the bible says: (Genesis 1:27 KJV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 5:2 KJV) Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam , in the day when they were created. The first scripture in using the term "them" still seem to suggest that it was talking about both Adam and Eve and not only Adam at first. However the accounts in Matthew chapter 19 and Mark chapter 10 will give more insight. (Matthew 19:3 KJV) The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? (Matthew 19:4 KJV) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read...
Read more

IS REINCARNATION BIBLICAL? SHOULD CHRISTIANS BELIEVE IN REINCARNATION?

-
Image
What is reincarnation? Is reincarnation a Christian belief? Does the Bible teach reincarnation? Are there evidences in the Bible to support reincarnation? Several people (including many Christians) believe in reincarnation. However, the Bible does not teach reincarnation, rather it teaches resurrection from the dead. What is the difference? In reincarnation (or transmigration), the body dies and returns (i.e comes back to life again) in a different body to live on earth again. Depending on your deeds in the previous life or lives, the new body is entirely different from that of the previous life. For instance, a man could get reincarnated as a woman or an animal or a stone. On the other hand, in resurrection of the dead, the body that dies is the exact body that is raised. For the resurrection that will occur in the last day, the body is made new in the sense that it is perfected and no longer subject to frailty and death, but it is still the same body. In reincarnation, the previous m...
Read more

IN ISAIAH 59:19, IT IS NOT THE ENEMY THAT COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD.

-
Image
Most of us are familiar with this portion of the scripture:  (Isaiah 59:19 KJV)   “…… When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him . The King James Version (KJV) of the Bible seems to suggest that it is the enemy that will come in like a flood. Well the enemy is not the one that will come in like a flood rather it is the Lord that comes in like a flood (a rushing stream). The translators of King James Version of the Bible departed from the ancient versions which resulted in the misconception. The Amplified Version of the Bible puts it better: Isaiah 59:19 (AMP): So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun. For He will come in like a narrow, rushing stream which the breath of the Lord drives [overwhelming the enemy] In other words, He (Jehovah) shall come like a rushing stream which the breath of Jehovah (i.e., a strong and mighty wind) drives. It will mean that...
Read more

What Did Jesus Mean: “Eat My Flesh”? Understanding the Depth of John 6

-
Image
  “Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” — John 6:53 (KJV) These are among the most controversial words Jesus ever spoke — so much so that many of His own disciples turned away from following Him after this (John 6:66). But what did He really mean? Was He speaking literally… or was there a spiritual mystery hidden in His words? Let’s walk through this verse with reverence and clarity, using Scripture to interpret Scripture. What Does “Eat My Flesh” Mean? To understand this, we must first know who “the flesh of the Son of Man” is. Jesus is not just the eternal Word — He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). This “flesh” represents more than just physical body — it speaks of: His humanity His incarnation (birth in human form) His earthly life and suffering His identity as the prophesied Son of Man So when Jesus says, “eat my flesh,” He is saying: Yo...
Read more

2 KINGS 3:27: THE INDIGNATION AGAINST ISRAEL WHEN THE KING OF MOAB BURNT A HUMAN BEING WAS NOT FROM GOD

-
Image
One of the famous stories in the Bible is this story that was recorded in the book of 2 Kings chapter 3. The controversy in the story is in verse 27 where the Bible recorded that there was great indignation against Israel after the King of Moab made a burnt offering of a human being on the wall. (2 Kings 3:27 KJV) Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.  Many believe that it was God that raised an indignation against Israel. However, it could not have been God as God could not have accepted human sacrifice going by His nature. More so, God could not have been angry with Israel for an act of the King of Moab and for carrying out His command to them, through His prophet, to "smite every fenced city and every choice city".  (2 Kings 3:18-19 KJV) And this is but a light thing in the sight of the ...
Read more

IS THE RAPTURE BIBLICAL PART 2: WHY WOULD THE SAINTS RISE TO MEET CHRIST IN THE AIR, WHEN HE IS ON HIS WAY TO THE EARTH?

-
Image
This is a continuation of my previous post " Is The Rapture Biblical " Why would the saints rise to meet Christ in the air, when He is on His way to the earth to defeat evil and to establish the Kingdom of God here? Why not simply wait for Him to arrive? Those who teach the rapture make much of this issue, claiming that it buttresses their theory. In fact, the truth of the matter actually further discredits their erroneous teaching. We need to look at the meaning of the Greek term translated “to meet” that Christ inspired Paul to use in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Dr. Leon Morris writes in the Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: “The expression translated to meet is kind of a technical term ‘for the official welcome of a newly arrived dignitary’…and is very suitable in this context.” Notice that it pertains to a newly arrived dignitary, not to one who is merely passing through. In no way does it convey that Christ only enters the atmosphere and then reverses cou...
Read more

ANCIENT OF DAYS - THE ONE WHO SITS ON THE THRONE

-
Image
In the book of Daniel chapter 7, the title "Ancient of days" was used by the prophet to describe his vision. (Daniel 7:9 KJV) I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (Daniel 7:13-14 KJV) I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Whilst sometimes the title relates to God the Father, most properly it relates to God the Son (Jesus). There is no doubt that the references in Daniel chapter 7 is to God the Son. The only reason many believe that...
Read more

JESUS SAID YOU MUST BE “BORN FROM ABOVE” NOT "BORN AGAIN"?

-
Image
The term " Born Again Christian " is used to describe anyone that has received Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Saviour. One who believes in Jesus Christ and one who has been regenerated through the agent of the Holy Spirit. The phrase "born again" can be seen in John chapter 3 in King James Version (KJV) and most other English Bible Versions. (John 3:3 KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (John 3:3 CEV)  "Jesus replied, "I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God's kingdom!"  The Greek phrase is gennēthē anōthen which generally means "begotten from above" or "born from above". It can also mean "born again". Does this same double meaning of this Greek phrase apply also in Aramaic, which Jesus is assumed to have spoken, or did Jesus also speak Greek? Well, some texts suggest ...
Read more

THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE

-
Image
(Mark 10:25 KJV) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle , than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.  Have you ever heard the teaching that the "eye of the needle" as used by our Lord Jesus Christ in the above verse is a small gate on the Jerusalem wall, besides the main gate, by which a camel can go through (not without difficulties though) if it is made to stoop and pushed through the gate with all its baggage removed? Most of those that offer this teaching believe that this statement of Jesus Christ concerning the rich man is exaggerated, hence they try to provide the above explanation to soften it down.  Well, there is no widely accepted evidence for the existence of such a small gate.  The statement of Jesus is rather a proverbial expression denoting something that is impossible for humans or very difficult. If you like our blog, kindly share your views, suggestions, and comments. Like our Facebook page  @BibleWatch , follow us on...
Read more