1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
Jesus introduced a parable to illustrate that the “last” shall be “first” for rewards, based on grace in the kingdom (19:30). There are two kinds of workers in this parable: (1) those with a contract (under legalism) and (2) those without a contract (under grace). This parable shows why the “last” who receive God’s grace will become “first” (19:30).
20:1
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.
Jesus’ parable of working in the vineyard is about the nature of reward in the kingdom. Ten parables in Matthew begin with “the kingdom of heaven is like . . .” The vineyard is the kingdom and the owner of the vineyard is Jesus Himself.
20:2
Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius [Roman silver coin] a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
The vineyard owner hired workers who insisted on a contract to work for one denarius per day (a usual day’s wage). The first workers began to work early in the morning (maybe about 6:00 a.m.) to prune and harvest grapes.
20:3
And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
The “third hour” was 9:00 a.m. These men were idle because no one had hired them.
20:4
and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.
The 9:00 a.m. workers did not agree to a wage but trusted the owner to be fair with them. Note the standard of “whatever is right.” This is key to this parable. We leave reward to the Lord to do what is right. It is impossible for the Lord to be unfair. The true basis of reward is God’s generous grace.
20:5
Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
The vineyard owner also hired other workers who began to work at noon and then again at 3:00 in the afternoon. He hired them without stipulation about the amount of pay.
20:6
And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’
At 5:00 p.m., with about one hour of work left, the owner found more workers who agreed to work without stipulation for the amount of pay. These people depended on the fairness of the owner’s grace for their pay.
20:7
They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
These workers left the amount of pay to the vineyard owner.
PRINCIPLE:
Quality of faithfulness, not quantity of service, is God’s basis for reward.
APPLICATION:
Right perspective is central to service in the kingdom. We serve God because we know that He is a God of grace. God gives on the basis of His generosity. We do not serve the Lord for reward, for God is always gracious in the way He rewards.
Faithfulness is the basis of reward, not success. Billy Graham was both successful and faithful. A cleaning lady might not have won many to Christ, but if she was faithful she might receive as much reward as Billy Graham. Legalists will oppose this standard. It is impossible for the Lord to be unfair.
