Matthew 20:10

What this episode covers

Friday, 29 May 2026   But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. Matthew 20:10   “Having come, also, the first, they deemed that more, they will take, and they took, also themselves, each – denarius.” (CG)   The previous verse noted that those who were hired at the eleventh hour received a denarius. It next says, “Having come, also, the first, they deemed that more, they will take.”   Under normal circumstances, one would assume that pay is based on time and/or the amount of labor that is produced. As such, and forgetting the original agreement, they assumed this would be their case.   Those who were out working for just an hour got nice wages for such a little amount of work. As such, how great would their pay be! But it next says, “and they took, also themselves, each – denarius.”   This was what was originally agreed on, but it doesn’t match what one might expect when placed beside the labor of those who came later.   Life application: Grace is getting what you do not deserve. The workers who came later were given what they did not deserve when compared to the labor of the others.   This, however, cannot be equated to salvation. There is no merit at all in a person’s salvation. If labor were to be figured into salvation, it would diminish the significance of the cross. All people must come to God in the same way, with empty hands, receiving by faith what Christ Jesus has done.   It is a great problem in the church when merit is introduced into one’s Christian theology concerning salvation. And yet, it is one of the primary canons of the Roman Catholic teachings concerning justification. It is a principle teaching found in any law-observant church. It is implied in any church that requires tithing to be considered in right standing with the congregation.   These things put emphasis on some personal merit or another to indicate whether a person has satisfied God in regard to salvation. It is even the doctrine of many standard protestant churches that claim good deeds “stem necessarily” from salvation.   Such a thought makes it appear that salvation was by grace through faith and that deeds follow. However, if deeds must follow to prove salvation, then salvation in some respect is dependent on those deeds, even if they come after the fact. Why do deeds have to come after salvation? What deeds prove a person has been saved? Who determines such a standard?   These things are not found in the Bible unless they are forced into the text. Be careful to think this issue through. One sad result of such teachings is an inevitable judgmental feeling that will arise toward the lost.   If one has somehow merited salvation, then those who are not saved must also come to God through the same path as they did. When they fail to comply with such a demand, they are considered unworthy of being saved.   For those who have met the requirement, salvation then becomes a club where only those who have followed whatever misguided path is deemed necessary are included. For example, the Church of Christ says you must be baptized in order to be saved. And more, it must be in their church. Because of this, they are their own little club that excludes everyone else. Only they get Jesus. Everyone else is out.   Watch out for such teachings. Jesus alone saves. Come to Him through belief in the gospel, and you will be saved by Him. That’s it! Thank God for His wonderful plan of reconciliation.   Lord God, thank You for Your goodness which has been poured out upon us through the giving of Jesus. All praise, glory, and honor belong to You alone. Jesus did it all! Hallelujah for Jesus. Amen.

PodParley-generated summary based on available episode metadata and transcript content.