The Householder - Matthew 20:1

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first”, and in chapter twenty and verse one of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder” where we read:

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.

The verse reads, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, ...”. Matthew began with the word, “for” or “even, indeed, no doubt, seeing then and therefore” “the kingdom” which means “the royal power, kingship, dominion and rule” “of heaven” which refers to “belonging to the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings”, “is like unto a man” or “in similar and in likeness to a male person” “that is an householder” which means “who is a goodman, head or master of the house”. Matthew shared how Jesus began to share another story concerning Heaven's Kingdom, and this time He employed the example of a “master of a house”.

The verse goes on to say, “... which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.” Matthew continued with the words, “which went out” or “who left and departed” “early in the morning” which means “in the fourth watch of the night which is from three o'clock until six o'clock in the morning” “to hire” or “to let out for wages” “laborers” which refers to “workmen who usually are perpetrators or agricultural workers” “into his vineyard” which means “into the master of the household's vineyard”. Matthew wrote how Jesus told of the “householder” going out in the early morning to employ workers to work in his grapevine fields.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus gave another example of God's Kingdom. This time He employed the example of a “householder” who represents God, and the “laborers” are those who realize that He has a plan to “save” them from their sins through His Son Jesus Christ. As this story unfolds, let us imagine ourselves as one of the “laborers” in the vineyard, and we shall see how God works among people who submit their lives to Him.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Matthew writes how Jesus says the householder, “agreed with the laborers for a penny a day”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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