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. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16 The last will be first and the first last.
Matthew 20:1-16 is a parable of Jesus unique to Matthew in 20:1-15 and a saying of Jesus in 20:16.
Let us consider the parable first. One often sees a title something like “parable of the workers in the vineyard.” One might call this parable “The parable of the generous vineyard owner.” The repetition of the owner’s activity and the play on words and themes are evidences of oral transmission. 1“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. The parable exaggerates the actions of the vineyard owner as he goes into the marketplace repeatedly to hire workers for the harvest. The owner begins at daybreak and continues to the eleventh hour of the twelve-hour work day in order to hire his workers. The normal workday was sunrise to sunset, for obvious reasons. The fact that he does this suggests he is a hands-on type of owner. He is also likely moderately well off, given the fact that he goes himself to hire his day laborers. The hearers of the parable could identify, since unemployment was part of Palestinian life. The first part of the parable sets the stage in dramatic fashion. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage (denarius silver coin) he sent them into his vineyard. The denarius was the usual daily wage. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle [loitering] all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ As the owner goes himself at 9, 3, and 5, he seems to stress that the last hired had become idle, loitered, maybe even had become lazy. The second half of the parable begins at verse 8. 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. The owner decides to pay the last hired first and he decides to give them the normal pay for a day’s work. That he does so is the point of the parable. It cuts against the social and economic grain. Such an act is surprising. As listeners, we know trouble is coming. It also reverses expectations. It invites us to enter the world of the parable in order to ponder what the rule of God is like if the story Jesus tells is true. The first hired expected to receive the normal pay for the work they did for a day, and those hired later expected to receive less. We as listeners expect the same. Yet, when the owner in the world of the parable gives the last hired the same wage as the first hired, we think something odd and strange happens. Those last hired would seem to have less concern for earning a living and having a job. Yet, the owner is generous with them. Thus, we as readers and listeners of the story feel some kinship with the first hired when they did not receive more than they expected to receive. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ They complain, even taking the risk of voicing their complaint to the owner. Yet, they do not seek to renegotiate with the owner. Their complaint is that the owner has elevated the last hired to the level of the first hired. The owner does so through payment of the daily wage. Their complaint resists the generosity of the owner in favor of their desire for the owner to be just and fair. The behavior of the owner invites us to consider that maybe we need and in fact rely upon divine mercy in the rule of God more so than divine justice and fairness. The nature of the complaint points to the fact that the story concerns something more than economics, proper business practice, and money. The complaint also reminds us that the work itself in the vineyard of the owner is hard. The work is not for the faint of heart in this vineyard. The complaint suggests the first hired elevate the sacrifice they have made in comparison with the lack of such sacrifice the last hired have made. Even today, the happiness of employees depends on those hiring them valuing them and enhancing their sense of worth. Yes, the money is part of that, but work surveys show that a sense of worth at work has more involved than just the money. Their complaint is a reminder of the truth supposedly spoken by Theodore Roosevelt, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” A further surprise is that in the world of the parable, the owner responds to the complaint. 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, note how he addresses those who complain, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? His response notes that he has been quite fair with the first hired, since he paid them what he promised and what they expected. 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? He grants that he has been generous with the last hired. However, has someone passed a law against generosity? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ The parable ends with the owner asking them whether envy has taken over their attitudes simply because he is generous to all the workers in the vineyard. The owner invites those who complain to consider whether they are mean-spirited simply because the owner is generous. We as listeners and as readers do not know whether those who complain will change their attitude. The more important question the story raises is whether we will change our attitude. The parable invites us to consider that the rule of God means that while the Father gives good things to those who ask, the Father does so without regard to merit.[1] According to New Testament scholar Craig Keener, Jewish teachers used a similar parable to describe the day of divine judgment, but used it to make precisely the opposite point that Jesus was making. Israel, who had worked hard and been faithful for the long haul, would receive high wages while the Gentiles, who had come in much later, would receive little.[2] The parable is about grace. In the world of the parable, the wages are a sign of grace. In the world Jesus lived, religious leaders had not been generous with him. Yet, he offers the challenge to his listeners to consider divine goodness and mercy. Such consideration should lead them to treat others differently than they do. The parable is not an economic or business tract. One would not do business in the real world this way. The owner of the vineyard is hardly efficient. He would qualify as eccentric. He would not remain in business long. However, in the world of the rule of God, divine generosity works this way. The rule of God contrasts to the world of business. At this point, one can make an interesting parallel between the elder brother of Luke 15 and the grumbling laborers of Matthew 20. Both begrudge the generosity of the father/vineyard owner in his judgment and integrity. Both display pride and a demanding attitude rather than humility. Both parables end with an open invitation to the elder brother/first hired. This parable is a warning against grumbling over the tax collectors and prostitutes being equal to the religious people. John Wesley, when someone kicked him out of an English pulpit, once said, “There are few matters more repugnant to reasonable people than the grace of God.” I make the point in yet another way. “In Islam, we believe that heaven is a wonderful place, a place that is reserved for those who structure every part of their lives in accordance with the will of God. Heaven is so wonderful that we want to live in such a way that we will deserve such beauty and glory.” [3] Her description of the purpose of life – working hard to get to heaven, clashes with the teaching of this parable. The kingdom is available to all because of grace.
Now, to briefly mention the saying in verse 16, Matthew has quite appropriately placed the saying that 16The last will be first and the first last in this setting. The parable hints at the reversal of economic and social standing within the rule of God, even though the main theme is divine grace.
One could share many stories that show the offense human beings feel when they do not think life has been fair. I share a moderately humorous story. An Anglican priest who lived a godly life on earth was surprised when he got to heaven and found himself shackled to a rather mean and ugly woman. To make matters worse he spotted a former bishop chained to a woman who was charming and quite beautiful. He went straight to Saint Peter to complain. Saint Peter said, “It’s none of your business. You get on with your penance and let her get on with hers.”
Yes, “there is wideness” in the mercy of God, as the hymn puts it, and “the love of God is broader than the measure of the mind.”
nice take on needing God's mercy not what is just and fair.
ReplyDeleteThank you sir.
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