The Parables of Jesus The Parable of the Workers Matthew 20:1-16

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Stewart Price
5 years ago
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1 1 The Parables of Jesus The Parable of the Workers Matthew 20:1-16 We are continuing our study f the parables. These are the earthly stories Jesus told to illustrate the kingdom truths or principals. This morning we are (obviously from the YouTube video) examining one of the more difficult of Jesus parables. Matthew Skinner writing for a Huffington Post blog wrote of this parable: Maybe no other words attributed to Jesus cause as much offense to ethical calculations as his Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). He likens the kingdom of heaven, or the way things are when God sets the standards, to a situation in which hardworking, reliable people get shafted. Or do they? The key to understand this parable (actually of all scripture) is the context so lets not just read the parable of Matt. 20 but the four or so verse prior to Jesus telling the story or parable. Follow along as I read Matt 19:27-20:16 27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" 28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother f or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. 20 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5 So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.

2 2 "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' 8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' 9 "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' 13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." NIV First, notice the context in which Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven is like a land owner who hired men to work in his vineyard. I. The Context (Matt. 20:16) "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." We will come back to this proverb in a moment, first consider that A. The parable is a response to Peter Peters words in verse 19:37 are a response to the walking away of the rich young ruler who was not willing to give up everything to follow Jesus and Jesus remarking that it is difficult/hard (not impossible but hard) for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Remember Peter and the other disciples left their fishing boats and nets to follow Jesus. That is why Peter says, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" (Matt. 19:27) It seems Peter is comparing their willing sacrifice of everything to the rich young rulers unwillingness and then wants to know the payoff. This smacks of the wrong motive! And Jesus warns Peter and us with the proverb: "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Now its important that we don t miss that.

3 3 B. The parable is bracketed by this proverb (Matt. 19:30) "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Jesus warns that some who seem to be first in the eyes of men would be last and some who the disciples might think last would become first in the final reckoning. With that in mind let s examine. II. The Connotation or Meaning (Matt. 19:27) 27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" NIV A. The parable is not about rewards When you hear Peter s question what s in it for us since we have left everything you might get the idea that the parable is to teach us about rewards. IF we make it about rewards (and our minds tend to think it is) then it smells, looks and feels unfair! The New Testament does tell us the God will reward his people. The apostle Paul says: 1 Cor 3:5-9 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. NIV The parable cannot be about rewards because it is a contradict of other biblical texts. In considering the meaning please also understand that B. The parable is not about salvation (earning it) The denari or penny as some translator s use cannot be salvation i.e. eternal life. The scriptures clearly teach and state that we are saved by grace through faith, it is the gift of God so that know one can boast! (Eph. 2:8-9) Listen to Titus 3:4-7

4 4 Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. NIV Finally, contemplate with me III. The Chief Principal (Matt.20:15) 15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' Play YouTube video: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard Jesus pointedly says Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' There are two things that we dare not miss in understanding the parable; first A. The parable s is about God Mercy/Grace The longer we live the more our understanding that it is not justice we need but grace and mercy. That truth reminds me of A young lady who occasionally walked through the park after work, stopped to have her picture taken by a photographer on this day. She was very excited about her picture being taken. As she walked out of the park, she looked at the polaroid picture in total amazement. She turned and headed back to the camera man. When she got their she stated, "this is not right! this is not right! you have done me no justice!" The photographer looked at the picture and looked at her and stated, "Miss, you don t need justice, what you need is mercy." If God dealt with us justly none of us would be here today. Sometimes we think we look good, but if we look at the real picture under the microscope of God s eye, justice is not what we really want! We are all desperately in need of his grace and mercy and he is generous towards with it. But the parable is also about B. The parable is about our attitude/heart Or are you envious because I am generous?'

5 5 Often the catalyst of envy is comparison. (Remember Peter was comparing the disciples sacrifice to the Rich young rulers lack of it!) When I say comparison, I m speaking of looking to what you don t have in something, someone, or some situation. It s focusing on the lack of something instead of being thankful of what is there for you. To put it another way- It s longing for another s blessing while ignoring what God has for you. Envy let unchecked it will fill your heart with bitterness and eat you alive! Conclusion: God is rich in mercy, no matter what hour of life you come to Him in, the early morning of your life or the last hour as the thief on the cross, his rich and generous response to your repentance and turning to him is eternal life. Not because you worked for it BUT because he is rich/generous in mercy. Will you accept that offer today? Finally, how is your heart? Is it always comparison shopping between what others have and you don t? Does it begrudge the when it seems that others get of have more? God is in the business of heart transformation. Will you let him do that for you today?

Tell Me About. the Kingdom

Tell Me About. the Kingdom Tell Me About Image from: www.lightstock.com the Kingdom Kingdom Parables in Matthew Luke 4:43 43 But He said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this