Doing With What If Your Own - Matthew 20:15

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus continued with His story of a “householder” who hired laborers to go into his vine field throughout a day. After completing their work, “the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers, 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 every man 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 you have made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong: did not you agree with me for a penny? Take that is yours, and go your way: I will give unto this last, even as unto you”, and in chapter twenty and verse fifteen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus said the householder asked the complaining laborers, “is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” where we read:

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is your eye evil, because I am good?

The verse reads, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?”. Matthew began with the words, “is it not lawful” or “is it not according to what is right and within the law” “for me” which refers to “for the householder” “to do” or “to commit, bring forth, work, show, bear and keep” “what I will” which means “whatsoever the householder desires, intends and wishes with” “mine own” or “his own goods and wares”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the “master of the house” questioned the last workers hired whether they thought it was “lawful” to do whatever he desired with his own possessions.

The verse goes on to say, “Is your eye evil, because I am good?” Matthew continued with the words, “Is your eye evil” or “is the first laborers vision and faculty of knowing wicked, bad, diseased and blind”, “because” which means “since, on account that and for the reason that” “I am good” which means “the householder is of good constitution, useful, salutary, agreeable, joyful and happy”? Matthew wrote how Jesus shared how the “master of the house” questioned the “murmuring first laborers'” faculty of knowing since he was a “good natured, joyful and happy” person.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how the “master of the house” questioned the “constitution” of the “first laborers” because they were “murmuring” against him for being “good” to the “last workers” hired. God is gracious, and He wants every person, regardless of their station in life” to come to Him through His Son Jesus. When they yield their lives to Him as their loving personal “Savior and Lord”, they find Him not only to be “good” but also more gracious than they will ever conceive.

Next time Matthew shares what Jesus tells how the householder says, “many be called, but few chosen”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.