8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
20:8
“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward [foreman], ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’
We find payment for services in verses 8 through10. The owner began to pay his workers at the end of the day. He first paid those hired last at 5:00 p.m.
20:9
And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.
Those hired at 5:00 p.m. received the same wage as those hired in the morning.
20:10
But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.
Those hired in the morning expected to receive more than one denarius because they worked longer, even though they agreed to work for one denarius.
20:11
And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,
Those hired in the morning complained against the owner. These people thought if they worked more they would receive more.
20:12
saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
The workers who began in the morning felt they were treated unfairly because everyone received a full day’s wage no matter what time they started. Their complaint was against the character of the owner.
PRINCIPLE:
God rewards according to grace, not legalism.
APPLICATION:
It is only the Lord’s view of our labor that counts. God will reward us according to how He accounts things. God does not reward each person equally. However, God rewards justly and graciously. He rewards according to the standard of faithfulness, not the amount of service. His reward is according to how we utilize His assets. Legalism always hinders rewards because we depend on our own resources rather than the power of the Holy Spirit.
We can lose reward but never our salvation (1 Co 3:14,15; 2 Ti 2:12,13).
Good morning, is it true that during Jesus’ time-any part of a day was considered a whole? Was the last workers paid based on this concept? if true. Thank you for your time
Aubrey, the argument of this passage indicates that the laborers viewed the owner as unfair because of the way he paid his employees within a given day.