Matthew 20:1–16
Jesus told this parable to emphasize that entrance into the Kingdom and its labors is a matter of pure mercy according to God’s eternal purpose and sovereignty. Jesus’ coming was in accordance with an eternal plan, His redemptive work was intrinsic to this eternal purpose though resisted by His followers. The calling of the Gentiles as recipients of the promises resident in the Messianic work was only slowly embraced by His disciples. “O to grace how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be.”
I. The Owner of the vineyard hires all who will consent to work (1–7).
A. The vineyard clearly is identified with the Kingdom of heaven.
God is the landowner who hires the laborers to care for His vineyard. The kingdom is not a place of inactivity but a place of labor and care for the property of the Owner. When God calls, He calls to salvation and also to faithful stewardship of gifts that are distributed according to His will (Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12:14–31; Ephesians 4:7–16).
B. The Owner issues calls at different times of the day—five times throughout the day.
Even so is it with God’s effectual call to salvation; some receive it early and have a long life in pursuit of effectiveness in the kingdom. Others receive this call in middle years and some in later years. The internal call to salvation is given according to the will of the Owner of the kingdom vineyard as are the particular gifts that each person brings for the good of the whole body.
C. The earliest workers agreed to a wage of a denarius for the day.
The second group went to labor for “whatever is right” (4). God’s standard of right always is absolute and an expression of His perfection What is right will express God’s justice in any situation. When mercy and grace are in operation toward the sinner, God does not violate His justice but has determined a way in His wisdom to be gracious and just in the same act.
II. The Owner of the vineyard pays all who consent to labor the same wage (8–10).
A. At the end of the workday, the wages are distributed to all the workers.
Those that worked the least amount of time are paid first and receive a denarius, a full day’s wage (9). Though not mentioned specifically, we assume that others who came subsequent to the first hour received the denarius also. The owner deemed this as what was right.
B. Those who began their work at the first hour had their hopes raised that they would receive more than the agreed-upon denarius (10).
They had been without work. They were hired and thus had the promise of a day’s profitable labor. The pay was not unfair but was normal for common labor for a day. They received what was promised. They ended the day with a fair wage, when they began without any promise of profitable labor. Their mental state toward the Owner had changed from gratitude to expectation.
III. The Owner’s equality of payment brings contention from those who began their labor in the first hour (11–12).
A. They received their fair wage, a wage established before they engaged in the day’s work, and yet they grumbled at the one who gave them work and the promise of a wage.
When they received it, they began to complain and grumble at the Owner though he was acting in accord with his word and the terms to which they agreed.
B. They give details as to the content of their complaint.
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- They point out that the last persons hired had worked only one hour. This is true, but they went willingly to work without any statement as to what they would be paid, only that it would be “right.”
- In wages, those hired last were treated equally with those who were hired first. This equality of wage did not appear to be fair to those who had worked longer—they reasoned that the Owner was wrong to honor the initial agreement and should increase their wage in proportion to their lengthier labor.
- Not only was the day longer, it was more difficult. They had born the “burden and the scorching heat of the day” (12). Perhaps their pay, they reasoned, should be given not only in terms of longer time, but elevated difficulty. They have lost sight of the agreement entirely and are reasoning on the basis of unwarranted expectation. They saw themselves in terms of managing the process of hiring and expected remuneration.
IV. The Owner answers the complaint gently (13–16).
A. The Owner speaks to “one of them” and addresses him as “Friend” (13).
This probably indicates that the Owner has developed no antagonism to these early laborers but wants to give them a gentle lesson in the prerogatives of sovereign ownership.
B. The dissatisfaction of the early worker does not indicate that anyone will be dissatisfied with his call to salvation.
It does indicate that certain understandings need to be expanded and deepened. This exchange gives the Owner an opportunity to set forth certain principles of what it means to become a citizen of the kingdom of heaven (see 1:1; 2:2; 3:2, 17; 4:17; 5:3, 10, 19; 10:7; 11: 11, 12; chapter 13; 16:19, 28; 18:3, 4, 23; 19:12, 14, 23, 24) The concept of the “Kingdom of Heaven” and the characteristics of those who become its citizens has been expanding throughout this gospel. Jesus is set forth as the King. The Kingdom of Heaven is gained by repentance, is for those who are “poor in spirit,” are persecuted for righteousness, who have a deep respect for God’s law; the kingdom of heaven bestows true greatness and is gained by unyielding energy; It is composed of those who are sown by God Himself as good seed on good ground; Th0se who enter the Kingdom of Heaven will confess that Jesus is the Christ—the anointed Prophet, and King, who saves, teaches, and governs the covenanted people of God. They will know that He is the Son of the Living God. They will see the transcendent, eternal glory of Jesus, the Son of God. Those inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven will not vaunt themselves in pride but receive this gift with unexpectant humility. The Kingdom of Heaven is textured with the spirit of forgiveness. Citizens of this Kingdom surrender personal rights, do not claim worthiness, and value its eternal riches beyond any earthly status or possessions.
C. The Owner of the vineyard established several principles of a call to work in the kingdom.
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- God’s management of His kingdom never involves any wrong done to those who are called to it or left outside of it. The reward gained inside of it also is a matter of divine prerogative (13 a).
- God is clear as to the terms by which we enter the Kingdom—“Did you not agree with me …? (13 b). We enter the Kingdom upon personal conformity to the specific provisions—objective and outside of us as well as subjective and inside of us. The objective work of Jesus, the Son of God, presents both God’s justice—retributive and intrinsically righteous—and His gracious provision for receiving this eternal gift. The subjective work, given by a special gift of the Holy Spirit, includes repentance from sin and faith—unfettered trust—in the blood and righteousness of Christ.
- We are to receive His provision as a pure gift and have no question about the inclusion of others in the gracious provision of God (14). No matter what time of life, what era of history, from what country, of what ethnicity, or what natural gifts they may or may not have, God’s grace is not to be questioned or disputed. Rather, it is to be humbly and gratefully received. Grace grants what could be obtained in no other way, is not a matter of human worthiness (Romans 3:10–12) but solely an eternal prerogative of God that He dispenses according to His own will (15).
- God magnifies His grace in calling those who are near and those who are far off. He calls Samaritans, Gentiles, persecutors, blasphemers, and the unclean. We should not view such grace as more stretched and tested in these cases than in those who in human or social terms seemed more likely as responsive. The grace that saves a child must be as strong and surprising as that which saves the thief on the cross.
POEM
A call to God’s vineyard
One cannot anticipate.
If early called, the power of grace
No less than when called late.
The grace of work, the promised end
Are gifts from His own hand.
The day, the hour we are sought,
Conforms to His command.
Expansive grace now reaches out
To those whose lives are years ill-spent.
The lure of fruitful labor with reward
Gains their consent.
The gift of God—eternal life—
The merits of another’s call,
We reap from Christ, the fruit of grace;
His blood, His righteousness, gains all.
Come rich, come poor, come strong, come lame,
Come sons of Shem, and sons of Ham;
The sons of Japeth gather near,
Your call is from the Great I Am.
The Owner gives as He sees fit
The cost is borne in His Son’s strife.
Through death He does our sin remit.
His gracious gift—eternal Life!
