Workers Paid Equally (20:1-16)

The Gospel According to Matthew
Jesus for President (Part 54: The Workers Paid Equally)

Should you be angry because I am kind? (NLT)

The Kingdom of heaven is like…

A landowner= God
Hired men= God's people
Vineyard= The world
Denarius (day's wage)= The Promised End/Wage
*Jewish day ran 6am-6pm. The workers were employed at 6, 9, 12, 3 & 5pm

20:1-8a is a very typical (true to life) setting (we have only hints, here, about the generosity of the owner and the fruitfulness of the vineyard). Only at 20:8b do we find something out of the ordinary and only in 20:10 does a ‘problem’ become evident.

1. The owner of the vineyard seems to have wanted the 12-hour shift employees to observe his generosity to the 1-hour shift employees (20:8b-9)

2. Having observed the owners generosity, the 12-hour shift employees expected special treatment due to the duration of their service (20:10)

3. When the 12-hour shift employees did not receive special treatment, they began to grumble against the landowner about the equal treatment (20:11-12)

4. The owner kindly reminded the 12-hour shift employees that no injustice had been done. They were receiving what had been promised (20:13)

5. The owner kindly reminded the 12-hour shift employees that he had the right to be generous with his own money (20:14-15a)

6. The owner kindly rebuked the 12-hour shift employees that they shouldn’t be angry about his generosity (20:15b)

In essence, then, the message of this parable is that same as the message of the OT book of Jonah, or Luke's parable of the Prodigal Son, or Peter's experience with the Gentiles in the middle of the book of Acts. In all 3 cases God is on a mission to welcome 'outsiders' but those who had previously been 'outsiders' now think too highly of themselves to be as gracious as God. In all 3 cases they were angry because God was gracious.