Today the preacher based his sermon on a parable found in Matthew 22:1-16. This parable is sometimes called "The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard." The gist of the parable is that a landowner, or house master in some versions, who represents Jesus, the Good Shepherd, needs workers to harvest his grapes, that is to work in the vineyards. Early one morning the landowner went to the village market place to hire day workers. He found a group of men standing around, and after negotiating a little while, agreed to hire the men at the rate of one "denarius" for a day of labor.
Three hour later the landowner went to the market place again to find more workers. Here is where I noticed something for the first time in all the years I have been reading this parable. The landowner (Jesus) did not tell these new workers that he would pay them a denarius for their labor, but would pay them "whatever is right." I have to admit that I have always thought the landowner promised the new workers a denarius even though their work day would be three hours shorter than that of the original workers.
Three more time the landowner returned to the market place and hired more workers. By the time the landowner had hired the last group of workers, these last workers would only be able to work about one hour before the Hebrew "work day" was over. And notice, too, that the landowner did not even talk about how much he would pay these workers (Matt. 20:7).
Now when it was time to pay the workers at the end of the day, the landowner called his steward and told him to assemble the workers and pay them, starting with the last workers hired. This seems unusual, but the Good Shepherd has told us that when it is time for us to collect our heavenly reward, "the first shall be last, and the last shall be first." See Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16, Mark 10:31, and Luke 13:30.
Having assembled all the workers, the steward paid the men who were hired last a denarius. The men who had worked the full day were looking on and saw this, so they said to themselves that they would probably be paid more since they had worked much longer. Not surprisingly these men were very angry when the steward paid them only one denarius! They began grumbling among themselves until the landowner eventually confronted them.
The landowner asked the original workers why they were upset, after all, they had agreed to work the full day for one denarius, and the landowner had paid them in full. Further, the landowner asked them if it was lawful for him to distribute his own money as he saw fit. It WAS his money. If he wanted to pay the other workers a denarius, was that not his own affair? This situation is sort of reminiscent of the older brother's reaction when his younger brother, the "Prodigal Son" (Luke 15:11 and following verses) received a new robe, a golden ring, and a feast a la the "fatted calf."
The ways of the Good Shepherd are not our ways. It does not seem fair, from a human standpoint, that the workers who worked only one hour or only three hours made the same wage as the workers who had worked a full twelve hours, the Hebrew workday. But the Good Shepherd seeks workers (you and me) ceaselessly, just as the landowner continued seeking workers as long as the harvest was still on the vines. When a person becomes a Christian, whether early in his physical life, or later on in his years, the Good Shepherd will give us, as a reward, "what is right."
I, for one, am so glad that the Good Shepherd will grant me the same reward as someone who worked longer and harder than I did. You see, the point is that no matter whether we "work" for the Good Shepherd a long time, or for not quite as long, the Good Shepherd will give us "what is right." It is not that we have earned the reward, because nothing you or I can do will ever "earn" the reward, nor do you or I "deserve" a heavenly home. It is the Good Shepherd's desire that we all come to Him, whether sooner or later, and He will grant us that home with Him. That is why He died for us all.
Three hour later the landowner went to the market place again to find more workers. Here is where I noticed something for the first time in all the years I have been reading this parable. The landowner (Jesus) did not tell these new workers that he would pay them a denarius for their labor, but would pay them "whatever is right." I have to admit that I have always thought the landowner promised the new workers a denarius even though their work day would be three hours shorter than that of the original workers.
Three more time the landowner returned to the market place and hired more workers. By the time the landowner had hired the last group of workers, these last workers would only be able to work about one hour before the Hebrew "work day" was over. And notice, too, that the landowner did not even talk about how much he would pay these workers (Matt. 20:7).
Now when it was time to pay the workers at the end of the day, the landowner called his steward and told him to assemble the workers and pay them, starting with the last workers hired. This seems unusual, but the Good Shepherd has told us that when it is time for us to collect our heavenly reward, "the first shall be last, and the last shall be first." See Matthew 19:30, Matthew 20:16, Mark 10:31, and Luke 13:30.
Having assembled all the workers, the steward paid the men who were hired last a denarius. The men who had worked the full day were looking on and saw this, so they said to themselves that they would probably be paid more since they had worked much longer. Not surprisingly these men were very angry when the steward paid them only one denarius! They began grumbling among themselves until the landowner eventually confronted them.
The landowner asked the original workers why they were upset, after all, they had agreed to work the full day for one denarius, and the landowner had paid them in full. Further, the landowner asked them if it was lawful for him to distribute his own money as he saw fit. It WAS his money. If he wanted to pay the other workers a denarius, was that not his own affair? This situation is sort of reminiscent of the older brother's reaction when his younger brother, the "Prodigal Son" (Luke 15:11 and following verses) received a new robe, a golden ring, and a feast a la the "fatted calf."
The ways of the Good Shepherd are not our ways. It does not seem fair, from a human standpoint, that the workers who worked only one hour or only three hours made the same wage as the workers who had worked a full twelve hours, the Hebrew workday. But the Good Shepherd seeks workers (you and me) ceaselessly, just as the landowner continued seeking workers as long as the harvest was still on the vines. When a person becomes a Christian, whether early in his physical life, or later on in his years, the Good Shepherd will give us, as a reward, "what is right."
I, for one, am so glad that the Good Shepherd will grant me the same reward as someone who worked longer and harder than I did. You see, the point is that no matter whether we "work" for the Good Shepherd a long time, or for not quite as long, the Good Shepherd will give us "what is right." It is not that we have earned the reward, because nothing you or I can do will ever "earn" the reward, nor do you or I "deserve" a heavenly home. It is the Good Shepherd's desire that we all come to Him, whether sooner or later, and He will grant us that home with Him. That is why He died for us all.
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