Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!rutgers!mailrus!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!AUVM!JIM From: JIM@AUVM (Jim McIntosh) Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Subject: Re: first last, last first Message-ID: <90012.125220JIM@AUVM.BITNET> Date: 12 Jan 90 17:52:20 GMT References: Sender: Practical Christian Life Reply-To: Practical Christian Life Organization: The American University - University Computing Center Lines: 27 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway In article , COSMO@TRIUMFER says: >>Cool it with the holier-than-thou attitude, Kurt. Remember, the >>first will be last, and the last first. > >Uh, Jesus said the interpretation of that statement has to do with converts >and how they will be recieved by the Kingdom of Heavan. You're right that the story of the Prodigal Son leads itself to this interpretation, but the basic first-last-last-first theme occurs too frequently in the Gospels for this to be the only interpretation. The story of the Workers in the Vineyard who are paid in reverse order of their hiring (Mt. 20:8-16) is a first-last-last-first story which would imply (supported by Lk. 17:9) that one shouldn't expect any special rewards for a good life, and Mt. 20:26-27 reiterates a theme that is heard over and over in the Gospels: To lead, you must serve. In fact, the first-last-last-first theme is heard so frequently in the Gospels, and in so many different contexts, this must have been one of Jesus's favorite sayings. Some references: Mt. 19:30, 20:8-16, 20:26-27, 21:28-31, 23:11, Mk. 9:35, 10:31, 10:43-44, and Lk. 13:30. There must be more, but these are just a few I could recall quickly. ------- Jim McIntosh (JIM@AUVM) The American University Washington DC 20016 USA