Meaning of the First Shall Be Last and the Last First

Matthew, Mark and Luke recall the story of a rich man who asked Jesus what he should do to receive eternal life.

After Jesus told him to keep the commandments, the man said, “‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’” (Matthew 19:20-24).

The disciples, who had grown up in a culture that associated wealth with God’s blessings and approval, were astonished by what Jesus said and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (verse 25).

Jesus reassured them by saying, “With God all things are possible” (verse 26). He went on to explain that God is mindful of whatever sacrifices Christians make, and that everyone who has given anything up to follow Him “shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” (verse 29).

Jesus then added, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (verse 30). What did Jesus mean by this phrase?

The parable of the workers in the vineyard

To explain, Jesus then told a parable explaining that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who hired laborers in the morning offering each of them a denarius as pay for a day’s work.

Then the landowner hired others in the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour and even as late as the 11th hour. He did not tell them in advance what the pay would be, but when the landowner paid them at the end of the day, starting with those who had worked the least, they all received the same wage.

The laborers who were hired first had watched as those hired in the 11th hour, the ninth hour, the sixth hour and the third hour received their wages—the same as what they themselves had been promised—and supposed they should get more! When each of them also received a denarius, they complained!

But the landowner replied, “Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.”

Jesus then made this comment about the parable He had told: “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen” (Matthew 20:13-14, 16).

An explanation of the parable

Since the last man in this parable received the same “wage” as the others, the spiritual meaning had to refer to eventually being saved. That answered the question the disciples asked earlier, “Who then can be saved?”

Though the Israelites were called God’s “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), gentiles would enter the Kingdom before some of them (Romans 11:25-26). The rich man was sure he had kept the commandments, but he still didn’t totally follow Christ, as his wealth was more important to him. The Bible teaches that being called by God needs to be followed by choosing to obey God fully.

But, as the parable teaches, those who were “hired” first should not complain that those who were hired last (and didn’t work as long) received the same wage—eventually being saved. We should rejoice in God’s generous goodness and mercy.

For a broader view of the meaning of this parable, read the Life, Hope & Truth article “The Parable of the Vineyard Workers.”

An additional concept in Luke’s account

One asked Jesus, “Are there few who are saved?” He responded: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:23-24).

Entering the narrow gate involves following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. As Jesus later said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep . . . I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:7, 9).

Jesus went on to explain in Luke’s account: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:28-29).

This reveals that people from every nation will eventually come to worship before Christ and accept Him. The next verse adds, “And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last” (verse 30). Though the Israelites were called God’s “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), gentiles would enter the Kingdom before some of them (Romans 11:25-26). For example, the Jewish leaders at that time did not accept Jesus as the Savior, even though they were the children of Abraham.

Warnings to Judah’s religious leaders

Throughout the Gospel accounts, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and elders.

He told the Pharisees and scribes, “You have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophecy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:6-9).

One of Jesus’ strongest rebukes to the chief priests and elders was when He told them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31).

John the Baptist also rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees warning them, “Brood of vipers! . . . Do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’ . . . Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees” (Matthew 3:7, 9-10).

Jesus later warned the Jewish leadership saying, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matthew 21:42-43).

Many gentiles believed and accepted Jesus as the Christ

The apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

The gospel of Christ was brought to the Jews first, and some were converted. But because most had veered so far from the truth and because of their refusal to accept Jesus as the Son of God, the prophesied Messiah, Paul began preaching to the gentiles (Acts 13:46).

Paul wrote to the Romans, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end [purpose] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:1-4).

Israel will accept Jesus as the Messiah in the future

But this is not the end for the nation of Israel. Paul continues, “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’” (Romans 11:25-27).

Paul was referring to the time when Christ will return to earth and establish the New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Hebrews 8:8-12).

During the Millennium under the leadership of Jesus Christ, the sons and daughters of God will help establish the Kingdom of God on earth. And the house of God will finally be a house of prayer for all nations, including Israel.

A summary

The nation of Israel was the first of all the nations that God called and worked with. But after they had perverted God’s ways and became vainglorious to the point of despising the gentiles and refusing to accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God, their Savior and Messiah, God then called some of the gentiles, whom they despised.

And because these gentiles who were called later accepted Jesus as their Savior and established God’s laws in their life, they will be in the first resurrection and receive salvation. This will be the case for all those of every nation who accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and live according to God’s laws.

However, many people of the nation of Israel—the nation that was called first and rejected Jesus as the Messiah—will be in the second resurrection and will at that time accept Christ as their Savior. (See our article “Is the Second Resurrection a Second Chance?”)

Therefore, the first will be last, and the last first.