The Parable of the Vineyard Understood

Matthew 20:1-16 (King James Version)

“For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”

The parable of the vineyard is so antithetical to our American morals. We are told, “Work hard and you will earn your reward,”, “The early bird gets the worm”, “First come, first serve”. We practically invented the theory of survival of the fittest. So it seems foreign to us that Jesus could tell a story where people that work all day in the vineyard are rewarded the same as those who only worked an hour.

I had never heard this parable as a child. When I can across it in my Sunday school curriculum for the first time, I could not process the story myself, let alone teach it. I was very lucky that we were using a curriculum that told me exactly what to say. I couldn’t quite grasp unequal work, equal pay. I understood that it was the wine maker’s prerogative, but why would he do such a thing.

As I recommend to others and to my students at the time: I though on the scripture, I prayed on the scripture, I read and talked to others about the scripture.

I realized that I was looking at the parable backwards; I was focusing on what we could do to receive the reward instead of focusing on the winemaker giving the reward. The reward, eternal life with God, is given by God to all whom ask. It is wonderful that some live a good long Christian life. It is good that some come to God in the middle of their life. But, it is also good to come to God at the end of your life. Even if it takes your entire life to come to him, the reward is the same.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (King James Version)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

There is no reason to be jealous or angry at another’s reward for we are all receiving the finest reward. No longer is there a beginning or an end of the line. No first and no last, but an eternity in heaven for all that believe in the Lord.