Workers in the Vineyard

Workers in a vineyard - Photo by Vindemia Winery on Unsplash

Introduction

At the start of Matthew 20 we have the parable of the workers in the vineyard, Matthew 20: 1-16. There is a lot packed into this parable, Jesus is teaching about His kingdom, and so we should pay close attention, making sure we learn the important lessons this parable contains.

Before we dive into the parable let’s consider where it sits in scripture, and who the original audience is. Reading Matthew 19 we see that Jesus and His disciples have left Galilee and entered the region of Judea on the other side of the Jordan (Matthew 19: 1). Here Jesus has healed people, spoken to some Pharisees, blessed some children, and engaged with a rich man. It is after this final interaction that Jesus teaches His disciples, so it seems this parable is for His disciples.

After engaging with the rich man Jesus has spoken to His disciples to reassure them about what is to come. Peter has voiced concerns about entering the Kingdom of Heaven, and Jesus has told them of the future kingdom. After all these disciples have done what the rich man could not; they have left everything to follow Jesus. But Jesus knows their heart and finishes His statement of the future with this warning:

“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Matthew 19: 30

This seemingly cryptic statement introduces the parable, and, as we’ll see, it concludes the parable. Jesus’ kingdom is a different sort of kingdom, with different standards and orders. The parable we are looking at is to teach the disciples, and us, and to warn against becoming proud.

The Workers

Let’s first look at the workers in this story. They are congregating somewhere, maybe a market square, hoping to be hired for the day. Typically such day labourers were common, and they were those with little to no certainty about the future. They had no steady income, and perhaps no permanent abode. Securing work for the day was a vital task. All of the workers have this in common, they are all in the same position.

This is like us, we all need Jesus. We all need His salvation. It doesn’t matter who we are, or where we come from, our status, our title, our income don’t matter. We all need Jesus. Like these workers our need is the same.

In this parable we see workers hired throughout the day, not just at the start. We’ll look at that more when we consider the land owner, but perhaps this can teach us something about how we respond to Jesus.

As I read the parable it seems that all these day labourers are present from the start. Yet they don’t all respond right away. Some even leave it to the very last moment, the last hour of the day.

“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?”

“Because no one has hired us.” They answered.”

Matthew 20: 6-7

There is a sense here that these workers have been present each time the landowner came out. They were aware of their own need, but ignorant of the solution.

People realise the solution to their problems, the answer to their questions, the one who can fulfil their deepest desires is there at different times. Each of us has come to Jesus at different times. Whether we came as children with a simple trusting faith, or as adults in deep distress doesn’t matter. We all need Jesus, and we can all find Him. He is there for us all.

What we see at the end of this parable is an attitude in these workers that we must be wary of.

“When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.”

Matthew 20: 11

Having agreed to the day's pay they are suddenly upset at receiving it. Why? Because all the workers got the same no matter how many hours they worked.

If we think of this work as salvation we see many people receiving that gift late in life. The result is the same, they are with Jesus in eternity. Those of us who have followed Jesus for most of our lives can start to feel like those early workers. We can think that it is unfair, we can become disgruntled. I would say that such a response is unfair and misguided. We should rejoice when anyone comes to Jesus, no matter how late in life that is. Those of us who have walked with Jesus in life have had that great joy for longer. We have known His love, peace, joy, grace, comfort, and support in our lives. That is something we should be thankful for.

In this parable the workers who were hired early have been given meaning and purpose for the whole day. They should be thankful for that, grateful that they have not had a day of anxiety and uncertainty. Those hired in the last hour have wasted a day, they have missed out, they have spent the day with fear and uncertainty. This is how we should view walking with Jesus, if we have done so for a long time this is a real blessing. We should not think “I could’ve done whatever I wanted all my life, and still got to be with Him.” No. We should be thankful that we got all this time living, working, and walking with Jesus.

Practical Application

• Give thanks to God for your salvation.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to make you more aware of the presence of Jesus with you today.

The Landowner

In this parable we see the landowner go out to hire workers four times in one day. Each time he hires more workers. We have already looked at how each group of workers has the same need. What we see from the landowner is the same response.

This person, representing God and His kingdom, offers provision, rescue, and purpose to each of the workers. After the first group there is no discussion of pay, yet the workers still go. Why? Because this offer is about more than the wage, it is an act of rescue, provision and purpose.

When God calls us, when we follow Jesus we are saved, we are given purpose. As we join in with God’s story we realise that we have a part to play, and the importance of our own story fades away. This is real freedom. In this parable the labourers find freedom from the shame of no work for the day, they find purpose for their day. In God, in His kingdom we find meaning and purpose for our lives!

At the end of the work day each person is paid, and they are all paid the same.

“The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.”

Matthew 20: 9-10

We might sympathise with these workers, understand the complaint. But then we miss out on how great and gracious our God really is. Each worker has the same need, and the landowner meets it equally. What we see here is that the order of things in God’s kingdom is not the same as anywhere else. This story teaches us that, it illustrates that God’s grace, God’s love, God’s abundance, His rescue, His salvation, and His reign are not like anything we might expect, and certainly not like anything we are used to.

God’s rescue is the same for all. It is not about who got saved first, or how early or late in life you got saved. God is the one who saves, and His rescue is the same for all. Consider the disciples who gave up everything to follow Jesus, compare them with the criminal hanged next to Jesus who asked for rescue at the very last moment. Both are with Jesus in eternity. Those who join God sooner have the benefit of living and walking with Him throughout life, knowing the joy and purpose that brings. That is a reward. The first workers hired had a day of worry removed from them. That is a reward, that is a blessing. So let’s embrace God’s order, let’s join His kingdom and receive purpose now, and let’s celebrate wholeheartedly when others join later.

Practical Application

• Give thanks to God for His rescue, and seek Him for the rescue of your friends and family.

• Ask Him to reveal His purpose for you.