Matthew 20:1-16
It’s too bad that the best known part of this passage is the final line. It’s not that it’s a bad line. Just that there’s so much more in the parable itself.
Remembering it’s a parable to tell of the nature of the kingdom of heaven, what it teaches should be quite unsettling to many modern minds (and hearts). We learn early - like, in kindergarten - that equality and fairness are of the utmost importance. So much so, that we equate them. Fairness and equality are pretty much synonyms in society.
But not in the kingdom of heaven.
We really need to pound this one in.
We just read last week the story of Jesus walking with Peter, who turns to look at the disciple behind him, wondering, “What about him?” It’s such a question of comparison. Jesus outright rejects it. “What’s that to you? You follow me.”
We deal so much with money that the equality of so many considerations becomes deeply embedded in our moralities. But in the kingdom, beyond equality - and even beyond the appearance of fairness - is the phenomenon of need. What does someone need? (…to live life to the fullest?)
But take caution, this story can be misused. Someone who has more of the world’s resources could say - and they have said - that God has given them the abundance of what they have. This could be true.
But when one’s access to the resources of creation begin to detract from the ability of others to live life to the full, you can be assured it ain’t the economy of God.
Matthew 20:1-16
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. After he agreed with the workers to pay them a denarion, he sent them into his vineyard.
“Then he went out around nine in the morning and saw others standing around the marketplace doing nothing. He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I’ll pay you whatever is right.’ And they went.
“Again around noon and then at three in the afternoon, he did the same thing. Around five in the afternoon he went and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you just standing around here doing nothing all day long?’
“‘Because nobody has hired us,’ they replied.
“He responded, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and moving on finally to the first.’ When those who were hired at five in the afternoon came, each one received a denarion. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each of them also received a denarion. When they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, ‘These who were hired last worked one hour, and they received the same pay as we did even though we had to work the whole day in the hot sun.’
“But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I did you no wrong. Didn’t I agree to pay you a denarion? Take what belongs to you and go. I want to give to this one who was hired last the same as I give to you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you resentful because I’m generous?’ So those who are last will be first. And those who are first will be last.”
Prayer
God,
Help me to understand your differencing of equality, fairness, justice, and righteousness. Help me to know your heart according to what you determine to be right. I’m sure I’ll disagree sometimes. So help me out with that, too.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.