“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.” (Matthew 20:1–2 (ESV)
Today’s text is not a parable about worker’s rights or the inequity of employee’s wages. Rather, it is an illustration concerning God’s grace and mercy to sinners. Grace is God giving sinners what they do not deserve; salvation. Mercy is God not giving sinners what they do deserve; judgment.
“The very use of “for” as well as the modified repetition of 19:30 in 20:16 show that the parable that begins here is meant as an elucidation of the immediately preceding rule: “But many that are first shall be last, and (many) last first.” One might say, “There should have been no chapter division between 19:30 and 20:1,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
The object lesson of laborers in a vineyard was a common, cultural concept in first century Israel. It remains so today. Israel has an agricultural or agrarian economy. In fact, Israel symbolized a vineyard (Psalm 80:8-13; Isaiah 3:14; 5:1-7). The story focuses on common laborers in a field and how this illustrates the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus taught this parable to His disciples (Matt.19:23-30). He compared God’s eternal rule and reign in heaven, and citizenship therein, to a master and his laborers. The master of the house (οἰκοδεσπότης; oikodespotes) refers to one who owns and manages a household consisting of family, servants and slaves. The despot comes from this Greek word. The master possesses complete authority and control. He is like a benevolent dictator.
“When Jesus says, “the kingdom of heaven is like an owner of an estate …” he means something like this, “What happens when the reign of God in its final phase—see on 4:23; 13:43—is unfolded, on judgment day, may be compared to what took place, in the following story-illustration, between an owner of an estate and his employees, when the latter at day’s end received their ‘reward’ for the work they had accomplished,” states Dr. Hendriksen.
This master went out (ἐξέρχομαι; exerchomai) or initiated an act. This act occurred early in the morning; perhaps even before the breaking of dawn. What he planned was to hire laborers or workers for his vineyard. A vineyard (ἀμπελών; ampelon) is an orchard of grapevines; either in a garden or a field. We may correctly conclude this house lord was a wealthy man; having a vineyard and having the money to hire laborers to work his vineyard.
The master and the laborers agreed to a denarius a day. A denarius (δηνάριον; denarion) was a common laborer’s wage for one long day’s work (Matt. 20:2, 9; Mark 14:5; Luke 10:35; 20:24; John 6:7; Rev 6:6). Upon this mutual agreement, the master sent the laborers into his vineyard.
“One point, however, is clear: these men who consent to go into the vineyard and to do the work that is required of them are definitely working for wages, not also for the joy of working at such a good place for such a noble owner and for such a worthy purpose. The one and only thing mentioned with reference to these laborers in verse 2 is that the estate-owner “came to an agreement” (cf. 18:19), made a wage contract, with them! So, imbued with this mercenary spirit, these men go off to work in the vineyard,” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.
More to come. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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