Matthew 20:1-16 The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Matthew 19:29 – 30 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Matthew 20:1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. 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. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
The division into chapters was done long after someone recorded the sayings of Jesus, so the last verses of Matthew 19 obviously belong with the story in Matthew 20. Jesus has reassured the disciples that their sacrifices will be rewarded, but now he needs to make a point: Rewards in the kingdom aren’t necessarily based on the time served as a disciple. To explain this point, Jesus tells this story.
The landowner employs several men at the beginning of the day for a denarius, the standard day’s wage. Subsequently, the landowner finds more men standing around and employs them, promising the same wage. Finally, only one hour before the end of the working day, the landowner employs even more workers. When the workers are receiving their wages, those hired at the last moment are paid as much as those who have been toiling all day, working hard and sweating in the heat. Is this fair?
Jesus wants his listeners to understand that God the Father will reward those who become disciples at the last moment in the same manner that He will those who have been disciples al their lives. Why is God doing this?
No matter how hard we try, none of us can earn our way into heaven. We are only saved by faith in Jesus Christ and his blood sacrifice for our sins. Here the denarius represents eternal life, and that reward is the same for all believers, whether someone becomes a believer as a child or as an elderly adult. We are not saved by our own efforts; indeed, we should serve God because we love Him and are grateful to Him for His many benefits. We honor God most when we use the gifts and talents He has given us to work for His glory.
Nana Roberta Hampton taught school in America until the age of 60. That’s when Nana Roberta’s second career as a missionary literacy teacher began. For the next twenty years, Nana Roberta trained trainers to teach literacy classes in a host of languages in Ghana. Even after Nana retired, she was still returning to Ghana to train instructors and maintained an active email correspondence until her death at age 89. Only in eternity will we know the fruits of Nana’s ministry; yet, her reward will be the same eternal life as that of someone accepting Christ with their last breath.
Described as “the evil genius of the Nixon administration,” Chuck Colson accepted Christ while in prison at age 42. Once saved, Colson founded Prison Fellowship International, a ministry that continues to bring the Gospel and hope to prisoners around the world. Colson lived to the age of 80, accomplishing great things for the Kingdom of God; yet, his reward in heaven will be the same eternal life as someone who has believed at age 5 or someone who has accepted Christ on their death bed. Jesus assured the thief on the cross that he would be with Jesus in Paradise.
The problem with these fellows who griped was that they pitied themselves for working long hours through the heat, even though they agreed to work at the beginning of the day and could well anticipate how hot and tired they might become. Although these men had agreed to work for a day’s wage, they couldn’t help being angry at the landowner when he rewarded the late comers with that same wage. But what if the landowner knew things these complainers did not? It sounds as if the landowner hired everyone available at the beginning of the day. What if the landowner realized that the latecomers had traveled long distances or that they had major problems in their families that had kept them from reporting to the pool of workers earlier?
Not only is this parable a teaching on eternal life but it also applies to the dynamics of Christian groups. Sometimes old-timers in a group resent newcomers, fearing the newcomers will take over or will be favored; yet, all are working for the same Master, Master Jesus. Jesus knows our hearts better than we do. Let those of us who have borne the heat of the day not resent those who come later, for we have no idea what those people might have suffered on their way to faith.
There is no wrong age at which to become a disciple; every age is good. 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 tells us, “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
We only have today in which to decide. Choose to follow Jesus. Choose to become a disciple.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to choose to follow You NOW, not later! Help them to fully commit themselves to You for their entire lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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