The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

1. The Parable ofthe Laborers in the Vineyard – 1st
September2016
“Sothe lastwill be first,and the firstwill be last”(Matthew20:16).
Thislengthyparable isfoundonlyinthe gospel of Matthew where.Jesustellsthe Parable of the
Laborersin the Vineyard.Manybelieve thatitinresponse toPeter’squestionin Matthew19:27: " Peter
answered him,“Wehave left everything to followyou!Whatthen will there be for us?” Apostle Peter
wantedtoknowwhat rewardwouldbe giventothose whogive upeverythingtofollowJesus.In
response,Jesusexplainsthistruth inansweringPetersquestionbyspeakingaboutthe kingdomof
heaven. We can findthe Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16.
Planting,maintainingandharvestingvineyardsinfirst-centuryIsrael wasstrenuousworkrequiringhard
physical laborinthe heatof summer.Often,additionallaborerswererequiredtogetall the workdone.
The ownerof thisparticularvineyardwenttothe marketplace atthe firsthourof the morningtofind
workersforthe day. Hisoffered asthe wage of one denariuswhich isequal toa Roman’ssoldier’spay
for a day. The workersinthe firstgroupwere more than happyto workfor the generouswage.
As the dayprogressedandmore workerswere hired,the specificwage wasnotmentioned,butthe
landownerpromisedtopay“whateverisright.”Apparently,the workerswere sufficientlyconfidentof
the landowner’scharacterthattheytrustedhimat hisword.Altogether,fourgroupsof workerswere
hired,the lastgroupjustone hourbefore the endof the day. Whenthe time came for the wagesto be
paid,the firstgroupof workerssawthe last groupbeingpaida denariusandwere naturallythinking
theywouldbe paidmore since theyhadworkedthe longest.Theiranger againstthe landownerspilled
forthwhentheysawtheywouldall be paidthe same,eventhoughtheygotexactlywhattheyhad
agreeduponwhentheywere hired.The landownerwasforcedtodefendhisactionstothe firstgroup,
eventhoughhe haddealtthem inperfectfairnessaccordingtothe contract.
The landownerrepresentsGod,whose decisiontopayall the workersthe same wasan act of mercy—
not injustice.We knowthatGods grace andmercy are shedabundantlyuponthose of Hischoosing. We
can learnthisfrom Romans9:15-16, “Forhe saysto Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whomI have mercy,
and I will have compassiononwhomI have compassion.’Itdoes not, therefore, depend onman's
desire or effort, but on God'smercy”. AsChristianswe know thatinreference to salvation, God’s grace
and mercyare given eventothose whose self-righteousworkscouldneverobtain it. Because as we
readfrom Romans 3:23, we are all sinful andfall shortof the gloryof God!But His grace and mercyare
sufficienttoredeemall whobelieve.WhetherGodcallssomeone earlyorlate inlife topartake of His
grace, the gloryand praise forour salvationisHisandHis alone andin noway amountsto unfairness. It
isGods decisionandwe have absolutelynooptiononmakingthisdecision. Justasthe landownerhasa
rightto do what he wisheswithhisownmoney,sodoesGodhave the rightto have mercyon whomHe
will decide to have mercy.
The firstgroup of workersinthe vineyardresentedreceivingthe same wage asthe lastgroup who

2. workedforthe leastamountof time. Theirattitude wassimilartothat of the Pharisees,whowere
incensed atJesus’teachingthatotherscouldinheritaheavenlykingdomtheythoughtwasreservedfor
themalone.TheydespisedJesusforofferingthe kingdomtopoor,oppressed,weaksinnerswhomHe
made equal tothem.In verse 15, the landownerasks,“Don’tI have the rightto do whatI want withmy
ownmoney?Or are you enviousbecause Iamgenerous?’(Matthew20:15). God’sgoodnessandmercy
producedinthe self-righteousPhariseesthe evil eyeof envy.The restof the workersreceivedtheir
wageswithoutcomplaintorenvyof others.Inthe same way,as Christians,we shouldrejoice when
otherscome to the Savior,as we shouldrejoice inthe service othersrendertoHim.He is faithful to
rewardus as He haspromised,andhowHe rewardsothersshouldbe of noconsequence tous,nor
shoulditaffectourdevotiontoHim.
The message inverse 16, “the lastwill be first,andthe firstlast,”is perplexingtomanywhoread this
parable because itisat opposite endstowhatwe are usedto inour day today lives inthe worldtoday.
But as Christianswhatwe needtounderstandisthat no matterhow longor how hard a believerworks
duringhislifetime,the rewardof eternal life willbe the same giventoall—aneternityof blissinheaven
inthe presence of God. But toget there we needsalvation andthatispossible onlythroughJesusChrist
our lordand saviour. Therefore we canlearnthat:“Salvationisfoundinno one else,for there is no
other name under heaven givento mankindby which we must be saved.”(Acts4:12).
We geta good example whenwe read Luke 23:39-43. The thief onthe cross, who wascondemnedby
the Romans to die,had a momentof repentance andconfessionof faithinChrist.We can learnthatthe
thief receivedthe same reward fromJesusjustasotherswhobelievedinHimand received God’s
salvation.Scripture tellsusthatthe ultimate rewardof eternal life isavailable forall equally.Itisfreely
available forthose who believe andhave faithinJesusChrist,repentfortheirsinandsinfulness,and
seeksalvationfromthe onlyone whocanallow usaccess to the heavenlydomain. Jesusanswered, “I
am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except throughme”(John14:6).