PASSAGE OF THE LABORERS OF THE VINE
When we read this passage,
our proclivity is to think that the owner of the vine was unrighteous. After
all, by our logic, who works more deserve to gain more.
Nonetheless, the first
thing that we need to observe is what Jesus told about this passage:
·
Mat 20:1 -> “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.”.
The standard of justice of
this world is different of the standard of justice of the Kingdom of Heaven.
It’s sufficient to think that, here, who commits a crime ought to pay for their
own mistakes and delicts. Nonetheless, spiritually, we sin and, however, it was
Jesus who paid for our crimes.
What happens is that:
·
in the Kingdom of the Earth
people earn pursuant to what they do. The payment is a debt (as it was in the
Old Testament):
o Rom
4:4 -> “Now to the
one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.”.
·
In the Kingdom of the
Heaven people earn pursuant to Jesus’ grace and mercy. People receive from
Jesus without being worth of it, only for believing in His perfect justice and
get pleasure in His salvation (Ps 13:5; 18:35; 20:5; 21:1; 40:16; 51:12; 70:4; 119:81,123,166,174)
to the point of manifesting it for the glory of His name:
o Rom 4:5 -> “And to the one who does not work but
believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,”.
In other words, we should receive with gratitude the blessing that He
prepared for us instead of expecting in Him the blessing that our soul longs
for. The pleasure isn’t only in the aftermath and reward, but in the process,
in virtue of knowing that we are doing something very important and for the
privilege of staying close to the Owner of the Vineyard (see John 3:29) and His
other laborers.
·
In the Kingdom of the
Creator, what is important are people who believe in Him and get pleasure
in hearing and serving Him with love:
o Luk 17:20,21 -> “And being asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God
cometh, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the
kingdom of God is within you.”.
·
In the Kingdom of men,
what is important are the works (the outcomes) and the reward which comes with them.
Based on this, now, it’s
easier to figure out this passage. One of the great problems with us is that we
are used to misjudging people. We don’t care about their motivations or what
they are undergoing, but only in their actions. If we tried to seek in Christ
to know it, as well as Jesus’ will for them, we could find the way more
excellent (the love – 1Cor 12:31) to sort out the problems.
So, let’s know better this
owner of vineyard.
1 – Why he went out to
hire laborers for his vine?
Certainly, it wasn’t
because he needed it in order to increase his gains. Otherwise, why he would
hire workers at the ninth and eleventh hour? What difference would this do?
The only explanation is
that there were many laborers who needed this job in order to nurture their
house and the owner of the vineyard wished to bless the more quantity of people
doable.
2 – Why, then, didn’t he
simply give money for them?
Because he desired to
bless only those who got pleasure in working. The more the person delighted in
being useful, the higher the priority in being blessed. Hence Jesus said:
·
Mat 20:16 -> “So the last shall be first, and the first shall
be last; for many are called, but few are chosen."”.
3 – What did the owner do
in order to find out their disposition in working?
First, he went out to hire
laborers at specific moments, coping with them in a singular way.
With the first laborers,
he established an employment contract. They went thinking only on the wage:
·
Mat 20:2 -> “After agreeing with the laborers for a
denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.”.
With the second, third
and fourth laborers, he promised to give what was righteous. That is to
say: the went trusting his justice:
·
Mat 20:3-5 -> “And going out about the third hour he saw
others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into
the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.
Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.”.
With the workers of the
last hour, the owner didn’t promise anything (although there are versions
which equal them to the previous laborers). They went chiefly for the privilege
of working:
· Mat 20:6,7 -> “And
about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to
them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no
one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ “.
Next, he went to pay each
one, starting for the last.
·
Mat 20:8 -> “And when evening came, the owner of the
vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages,
beginning with the last, up to the first.’”.
Why did he act like this?
Because, as it was said formerly,
he delighted in gracing, first, those who have more esteem in doing what is
good.
You can ask: “why the last
workers had more disposition in working”?”.
Understand! When the owner
went out to hire laborers, why did he find only a little group at first? Where
were the others?
Well, certainly, they
weren’t vagabonds. Otherwise, they would stay at house or in a revelry. It’s
doable that they tried to find work in other farms while they were going toward
the market place. After all, the distance of the marketplace until the house of
each one varied. It was more convenient to find service close to their house.
The workers of the last
hour spent all their day trying to find a work. They only went to the market
place when there wasn’t any more option remainer.
They could go to their houses earlier after a frustrating day. But no! They stayed
full of expectance that, even for one hour, they could be useful for someone.
Note that the owner made
no promise to them. Besides, what could they expect in receiving for working
for such a short time? Nonetheless, for them what was important is the
privilege of going to their home knowing that they could be a blessing, even if
for few moments.
The other laborers,
although were ready to work, desist of searching for a service earlier.
To be clearer: when each
laborer arrived at the marketplace and didn’t find anybody to hire them, they went
to the closer farms to find service instead of staying idle in the market
place, waiting someone go there to hire them.
Therefore, the owner found
each laborer only when they desisted to find a service. So:
·
The laborers of the third
hour desisted early;
·
The laborers of the sixth
hour delayed a bit more until desisting;
·
The laborers of the ninth
hour only gave up after 9 hours of searching.
·
The laborers of the last
hour, even in the last moment, didn’t lose their hope.
Hence the owner paid
starting from the last to the first. The later was the time that the owner delayed
to find these workers in the market place, the greater was their effort in
order to find work.
Have a good day being the
first in serving and the last in expecting reward and, certainly, not only you
will be blessed, but will be a blessing while hoping in Jesus’ justice.
So, don’t think in judging
the Creator when you don’t comprehend His kindness toward the sinners:
· Mat
5:44,45 -> “but I say unto
you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may
be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the
evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.”.
On the contrary:
· Mat
5:48 -> “Ye therefore
shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Therefore, if you are the
victim of some evilness, stay in prayers, recalling that:
· Luk 18:7,8 -> “And
shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day and night, and yet
he is longsuffering over them? I say unto you, that he will avenge them
speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the
earth?”
May you be sure that the
Creator will judge your cause at the right time. However, what kind of faith
the Creator will find in you? Do you think that the Creator should act pursuant
to your standard of justice?
Unfortunately, in the past,
Israel wished this:
· Eze 18:25 -> “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not
just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways
that are not just?”.
· Eze 18:29-32 -> “Yet
the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel,
are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? “Therefore I
will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares
the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be
your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have
committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die,
O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares
the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” “.
Perhaps you are asking:
“but, what is the problem with our sense of fairness?”.
1 – Our fairness is
emotional, based on what we are feeling, in our concepts and values, and not in
the principles of the Holy Scripture.
2 – Our fairness is
selfish, based on what we will gain.
The first laborers thought
they had the right of receiving more. Unfortunately, many believers think this in
regard to the Creator. Nonetheless, it is unfeasible the Creator bless someone
more than He bless. After all, He blesses us with affluence:
· Luk 6:38 -> “give, and it will be
given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will
be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to
you.”.
· Joh 3:34 -> “For he whom God has sent
utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.”.
· Joh 10:10 -> “The thief comes only to
steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it
abundantly.”.
The limit is only in us:
·
Joh 16:12 -> “I still have many things to say to you,
but you cannot bear them now.”.
·
2Co 6:11-13 -> “We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians;
our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are
restricted in your own affections. In return (I speak as to children)
widen your hearts also.”.
Spiritually, Jesus’
blessing is like the manna, which is granted pursuant to what each one can eat
(2Cor 8:14,15). This was the Creator promised to give us. Don’t think to
receive more, unless you are with alacrity to use everything to be a blessing
in the life of more people. In this case, you will overflow rivers of living
water from His grace and multiple wisdom (John 4:13,14; 7:37-39; Eph 3:10;
1Peter 4:10).
But remember:
·
Luk 12:48 -> “... Everyone to whom much was given, of him
much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will
demand the more.”.
3 – Our fairness is
self-centered, based on what we deserve (and the worst: comparing our level of
acceptance and reward with that received by other people). In this case, when
the Creator is gracious, kind toward our enemies, our lean is to get
astonished.
It is not in vain that the
Creator made of the Kingdom of Heaven a society, so that we can care about the
others when they suffer (the idea is that, if a member suffers, everyone
suffers with them – 1Cor 12:21-26).
Without this, the
suffering of one person wouldn’t hurt us. This would make us delight in
vengeance of those who we consider worthy of feeling pain.
Nonetheless, we should
find delight in the kindness of the Creator, regardless if people deserve or
not.
By the way: the last
people who we imagine that could receive salvation, can be the first to be
saved.
So, have a good day aiming
that the Lord of Vineyard can bring more laborers for His great harvest (Luke
10:2).
Keep in mind: the
important isn't the time worked. What import is to obey the calling (Mt 24:13),
fulfill the mission, regardless the time of the mission (fulfilling the mission
with fidelity, we will receive the same reward, inasmuch as all of us did the
same thing: we were faithful to the Creator and His will for us).
The truth is that nobody
has any merit:
·
Rom 3:9 -> “What then? Are we Jews any better off? No,
not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are
under sin,”.
·
Rom 11:32 -> “For God has consigned all to disobedience,
that he may have mercy on all.”.
Therefore, the Creator has
no obligation of giving account for His acts:
·
Rom 11:34 -> “ “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he
might be repaid?” “.
Especially because we don’t have
anything. All belongs to Him (Ps 24:1):
· Rom 11:36 -> “For from him and through
him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”.
Therefore:
·
1Co 4:7 -> “For who sees anything different in you?
What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you
boast as if you did not receive it?”.
Recollect that the first workers
thought that they had something. Nonetheless, all their gift was, first of all,
given by the Creator. All of us came to this world without nothing (although we
are born with a closed hand, as if we had brought with us something precious,
in fact, the hand of all baby comes empty).
While we don’t believe
that we are unworthy of anything good, we will always try to be better than
Jesus, seeking to fix all that is, before our eyes, unrighteous. In this case,
the same question that Jesus made to the apostles is up to us:
·
Joh 6:67 -> “So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as
well?” “.
Will we go away from His
presence trying to sort out the things by ourselves and in our way, or will we
really believe that He is the unique Savior?
·
Joh 6:68,69 -> “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to
whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have
believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.””.
The question of Peter is
very pertinent: “to whom shall we go”? In the case of the workers of the first
hour: “if they knew, formerly, that the owner would deal with them as he did,
what they would do? They would work for whom? Or would they stay without
provision for their family? Remember that the workers of the last hour didn’t
find any service, despite all effort.
So, have a good day
staying with Jesus by the privilege of hearing His voice and learning direct
from Him.
In the end: we are
rewarded, not in according to our labor, but in according to His generosity. Jesus
is the focus (His grace, mercy, goodness) and praised be the Lord Jesus for
this! After all, considering that all of us are bad (Mat 19:17; Mark 10:18;
Luke 18:19; 11:13) and our works is filthy rags (Isa 64:6), if we receive in
according to our capacity, strength, etc., we only would receive evil.
Unfortunately, the first
laborers didn't see the privilege of being used (employed) for something good.
At the same way, many people don’t perceive that, serve the Creator is much
better than living a meaningless life.
Therefore, only doesn't
work for Jesus who don't wish. The Lord of the vineyard (Church) go to the
square of this world several times, so that everyone unbusy can have the chance
to work in His vineyard instead of serving the sin:
·
Rom 6:20-22 -> “For when you were slaves of sin, you
were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at
that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those
things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have
become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end,
eternal life.”.
And, for our relish, the
Holy Scripture is clear:
·
Mat 22:14 -> “For many are called, but few are
chosen.”
It comes the question:
“why doesn’t call everyone?”.
Well, the Creator call
those who doesn't desire to be unbusy:
·
Mat 11:28 -> “Come to me,
all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”.
Recollect that the
laborers were in the square hoping that someone came hire them. Many people
don’t receive Jesus’ calling because they refuse to go to the right place.
Others, although were
invited, will be ousted because they don’t nurture a good heart:
·
Mat 20:12-15 -> “saying, ‘These last worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the
scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no
wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you
and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not
allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my
generosity?’ “.
If we don’t clean our
heart and purify our mind to the point of living the goodness of the Creator in
relation to the evildoers, we won’t take part in the few chosen.
Invitation, work and
reward are linked. We will only be approved if we accept the invitation, work
with fidelity and hoping for the right reward (Eph 1:18; 4:4), but, above all,
looking on the importance of the work that we are doing, the value of serving
the boss as if we are serving the Creator (Col 3:23) and the privilege of
helping our coworkers.
COMPARING THIS PASSAGE WITH THE LAST
12 HOURS OF CHRIST IN THIS WORLD
1 – The zero hour (6 in
the morning, as in the gospel of John):
At this time, the owner of
the vineyard came out to hire laborers for one denarius. This is the time when
Israelites rejected Jesus as their King (Messiah):
·
Joh 19:14 -> ““Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was
about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried
out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I
crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.””.
2 – The third hour (9 in
the morning):
This was the first time
that the owner went out to hire laborer in exchange of what is just. This was
when Jesus was crucified:
·
Mar 15:25 -> “And it was the third hour when they
crucified him.”.
At this time, people used
to sacrify the burnt offering of the morning. The
Israelites used to pray three times a day (Daniel 6:10,13) and this is the
first prayer’s period:
·
Exo 29:38,39 -> “Now this is what you shall offer on
the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.
One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at
twilight.”
3 – The sixth hour
(midday):
This was the second time that the owner went out to hire laborer in
exchange of what is just. It was when the sun darkened:
·
Mar 15:33 -> “And when the sixth hour had come, there was
darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.”.
·
Luk 23:44 -> “It was now about the sixth hour, and there
was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,”.
This was the second period of prayer of the Israelites:
·
Psa 55:17 -> “Evening and morning and at noon I utter my
complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.”.
·
Act 10:9 -> “The next day, as they were on their journey
and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to
pray.”.
4 – The ninth hour (3 in
the afternoon):
This was the third time that the owner went out to hire laborer in
exchange of what is just. This was the occasion that Jesus said His last four
sentences and died:
·
Mar 15:34 -> “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a
loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?””.
·
Luk 23:44-46 -> “It was now about the sixth hour, and there
was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's
light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus,
calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my
spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.”.
This was the occasion of the burnt offering of the evening and the
third period of prayer of the Israelites:
·
Exo 29:38,39 -> “Now this is what you shall offer on
the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly.
One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at
twilight.”
·
Act 3:1->
“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the
ninth hour.”.
5 – The eleventh hour (5 in the afternoon):
This was when the owner of the vineyard came
out to hire laborers without any promise. This was when Jesus’ body was removed
of the cross by Joseph of Arimathea:
·
Mar 15:42,43 -> “And when evening had come, since it was the
day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a
respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom
of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”.
6 – The twelfth hour (6 in the evening):
This was the time to pay the laborers. This
was when Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and others finished of burying Jesus, applying
in His body a mixture of myrrh and aloes ( about seventy-five pounds in weight)
and bound it with linen cloths and with the spices (as is the burial custom of
the Jews) (John 19:39,40) and, then, closed the tomb.
