The text from Matthew 20:1-16 is known as "The Parable of the workers on the vineyard". In this parable as in a number of other parables Jesus allows us to look into the human heart and see what lies within it. This particular parable deals with an attitude that like pride and unforgiveness has no place in the kingdom of God. In our world this attitude is considered to be normal and acceptable. But this is an attitude that is rather dangerous because even we as believers often tolerate it in our lives. This attitude is called "envy". It is the feeling of annoyance and malice provoked in us when we see somebody's prosperity, achievements and success. This attitude comes from comparing with each other. This comparison is a sin, because it often leads to rivalry and grumbling - things that have no place in the kingdom of God.
These are the questions that characterize the wrong attitude that the parable of the workers of the vineyard deal with.
In order to get a better understanding of the message of the parable, and to catch the nuances and accents it put on the spiritual truth contained in it, we should examine the parable in its context - this part of the text that precedes and follows it that determine its meaning.
The events that precede the parable of the workers on the vineyard are the encounter of Jesus with the rich young man and the discussion that rose between of Jesus and his disciples. It originated in Jesus' statement about the camel and the eye of the needle.
The encounter of Jesus with the rich young man is conveyed to us in Matthew 19:16-22. If we look at this episode from the perspective of the parable, we could say that in this moment Jesus calls the rich young man to "go to the vineyard" or in other words he calls him to enter the kingdom of God. Unfortunately the young man refused to take His gracious offer. He haggled or bargained with Jesus. The rich young man considered that because he had kept God's Commandments he deserved eternal life. Jesus asked him to sell all his possessions and to give the money to the poor. But it looks like the rich young man quickly estimated that his property is a very high price for having eternal life and in other words he did not agree on "the deal". He was called to "go to the vineyard", but he refused to follow the call because he thought that "the wages" are way too low for "the labour". So, at least until this moment he remained without eternal live. Anyway, we should point out that the reason he did not have eternal life yet was not because he refused to sell his possessions, but because he "went away" and he did not follow Jesus.
Christ' comments on the decision of the rich young man were as follows (Matthew 9:23-26):
With these words Jesus declared that the rich young man actually could be saved even though he was wealthy!
Peter and the others were puzzled by this statement and so Peter asked (Matthew 19:27):
Peter felt hope for the rich young man in the words of Jesus. The Lord said that it was hard and almost impossible for him to enter the kingdom of heaven, and yet with God's intervention he could be saved. This is the teaching of the New Testament: salvation is not by deeds but by grace alone.
But then it looks like that Peter thought in that same moment: "If someone so unreliable a candidate for eternal life as this rich young man could be saved then what do we the apostles receive?" As if Peter got into the same mercantile spirit of the young man and started bargaining with Jesus. If the rich young man could be saved even without giving up his possessions were the apostles so na?ve to leave everything behind in order to follow Jesus? If he could receive eternal life without losing his property should not they receive something far grater if they have left everything in order to follow Jesus?
With other words: "Aren't we going to have 'something more'?" The question of Peter could be considered as a manifestation of a mercantile and egocentric spirit. To have such a spirit means that the main purpose of your life would be to derive some benefit or profit from everything you do. It means that you get motivated not by love or desire to do something good but by passion for personal profit.
In the question of Peter "What then will there be for us?" we feel fear that perhaps he has given more than he should, or fear that he has been wronged by Jesus. As if Peter was afraid that he was not going to receive full profits from the investments he made to follow Jesus. This question reveals fear that perhaps somebody else will receive more than us by giving less. This was obviously a serious fault in Peter's character, because in another situation he asks similar question. When in John 21:18-23 Jesus predicts his martyrdom Peter asks whether John was going to die in the same way or what was going to happen with him. Jesus however told him: "Look at your own front yard and do not compare with others!"
Even if we assume that Peter's motives were pure, we should examine the parable as a pre-emptive strike against erroneous attitudes of comparing, envy and shrewdness. Right there Jesus rebukes those who try to minister for prizes instead of ministering out of love.
In either case the parable cannot be understood properly without taking into account the question Peter asked "What then will there be for us?", because it is the answer of this particular question. Proof for this is the fact that in the other gospels where the parable is not included in the narrative Peter's question "What then will there be for us?" is omitted too. In the other gospels this question is missing. But in them the parable is not mentioned too. In my opinion this is quite clear evidence for the connection between the question and the parable.
But before we start meditating on the proverb, let us look at how specifically Jesus answers Peter. And it is really impressive - true, for those who have served and sacrificed faithfully for the ministry there will be something more than salvation (Matthew 19:28-29).
V.28 is especially about the apostles:
And v.29 is a general promise for all Disciples of Christ:
Yes, there will be "something more" than eternal life for the apostles and for all devoted believers. Jesus however concludes his answer to Peter with a warning (v.30):
The warning of Jesus starts with the word "but". "But" means "Attention!" Many who are first will be last, and the last - first. With these words God addresses the wrong motives. Even though there will be "something more", we should follow Jesus not because of the profits - hundredfold multiplied, but because of love!
This enigmatic warning about the first and the last is repeated again in reverse order by the end of the parable (Matthew 20:16). In this way it puts the parable in a specific frame. Obviously the parable is an explanation to this paradoxical declaration. And we should not forget that it was given by Jesus in His answer to Peter's question about the extras to eternal life.
And so, having in mind these two elements of the context - the warning about the first and the last and Peter's question about the benefits we are ready to approach the parable and its message. And its message is that in the Kingdom of God calculative people will miscalculate their profits. Giving only in order to receive is wrong - it is giving from egocentrism. If you follow Jesus only for some kind of profit you can get disappointed. The motive in our ministry should not be the profit but love and desire to obey God's call and do something good.
Early in the morning a landowner goes to the market place to hire labourers to work on his vineyard. After the usual bargaining about the wages he hires them and sends them to work (vv.1-2):
Notice that the landowner agrees with the first workers for the wage of one denarius per day. They settled it in the morning and then the workers were pleased with the agreement. Their wages were a preliminary contract.
In the later hours of the day the landlord hires more workers. But he does not specify their wages. What is impressive about them is that in contrast to their co-workers they go to work without any bargaining. It looks like that they trust the landowner. They relied on his integrity and trustworthiness and do not think that it he could lie to them or treat them with injustice (vv.3-5):
The reason the workers hired later went to work later time was not that they were lazier than the first. They went to work later because nobody hired them earlier (vv.6-7):
In the end of the day all labourers received one and the same wage for different amount of work. This fact disappointed the first labourers and made them mad. So they started arguing with the landowner (vv.8-12):
Notice that the owner of the vineyard deliberately orders to his servant to begin paying from the last to first so that the labourers hired earlier could see the wages of the last. If he had started with the first, they would take their denarius and would go home. This would avoid the quarrel. But the explicit orders of the landowner were that payment should start in reverse order. So when the first workers saw that the last who had worked only one hour received one denarius, they must surely have started to calculate that if they had worked ten times more, they should receive at least five denaria, but in any case more than one. What was their surprise when they received also one denarius? Was this fair?
Listen how the landowner replies to the grumblers (vv.13-15). He told them:
It does not fit the Christian to envy just because God has may have given something better to others. Sometimes we think that God is being more gracious to others than to us, but it is not true! There is no favoritism in God. He has no favorites. He is rich to all who call on Him (Romans 10:12)!
If we carefully meditate on the text and context of the parable we can learn at least five lessons.
1. Nobody will be wronged by God.
What will everyone receive as reward for his discipleship; ministry and dedication will be more than fair. God will not treat us with injustice. In v.13 the Landowner who represents God says:
God is a good God! He is a generous God! And His grace toward us or toward others should not surprise us!
2. Those who have come to Christ earlier, who have been more dedicated, and who have worked more on God's vineyard should not envy those who have come later into the Kingdom.
Let us accept that the additional payment to our wages is the possibility and the privilege to serve such a wonderful Master like our Lord longer than others. This is a really priceless reward!
3. When we are called throughout the Gospel to obey Christ and follow him we should respond immediately. We should take Christ' invitation right away instead of turning around with empty hearts as the rich young ruler did.
Maybe for some of us were called by God when we were children. Others may have not heard the gospel until they grew up to be adults. Nobody can judge people because they were late to answer God's call to entering the kingdom of God. Nobody knows the reasons for a later conversion. But once we hear the call of Christ we should not hesitate even for a minute but "go to the vineyard". Like the labourers who went to work later we should respond immediately and serve God diligently no matter haw much more life we have left on earth. Let commit ourselves to God in a faithful service and He will not disappoint us!
4. We should serve God with all our talents and capabilities and without holding to our personal interests; without thinking: "What is in it for me?"
It is better to leave our reward in the hands of God rather than bargain with Him! He will never do us wrong. He will never be unfair to us. On the opposite, He has promised us that if we seek His kingdom and his righteousness first then all our needs will be supplied (Matthew 6:33)!
5. We should not compare ourselves to others but look at our potential in Christ.
The Lord said to Peter: "What is that to you? You must follow me." We should not measure ourselves with ourselves or with others but we need with compete with our potential in Christ!
Let us think for a while about our attitude toward our ministry in God. Let us look in the mirror of the Word of God and be honest to ourselves and God. Why do we serve Him? Is it because of love or because of some reward? Or is it that we do not serve Him at all because we do not see any profits in such a ministry?
If our hearts have been infiltrated by a calculative attitude like the one we see in Peter's question or if there is a spirit of envy like the one that grabbed the early workers, we need to wake up and sober up. Because the parable teaches us that people with calculative and envious hearts will not feel well in the Kingdom of Heaven. They will for sure get disappointed. In other words calculative people will do miscalculations because in the end of the day the last will be first and the first will be last.