What is the meaning of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard?

Response

This lengthy parable is exclusively found in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus shares the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) in reply to Peter’s inquiry in Matthew 19:27: “We have forsaken everything to follow you! So, what will be our reward?” Peter sought to understand the reward for those who sacrifice everything to follow Jesus. In response, Jesus elucidates this truth about the kingdom of heaven.

Cultivating, tending, and gathering grapes in first-century Israel was demanding work that necessitated strenuous physical labor under the scorching summer sun. Frequently, additional laborers were needed to complete all the tasks. The owner of this particular vineyard went to the marketplace at the crack of dawn (6:00 a.m.) to hire workers for the day. His offered payment of one denarius, equivalent to a Roman soldier’s daily wage, was indeed generous. The initial group of workers gladly accepted the generous wage.

Throughout the day, as more laborers were recruited, the specific wage was not specified, but the landowner assured to pay “whatever is right.” Evidently, the workers had enough trust in the landowner’s integrity to believe him at his word. In total, four groups of workers were employed, with the final group hired just an hour before the day’s end. When it was time to distribute the wages, the first group of workers observed the last group receiving a denarius and naturally assumed they would receive more since they had worked the longest. Their frustration towards the landowner surfaced when they realized they would all receive the same amount, despite receiving exactly what was agreed upon at the time of hiring. The landowner had to justify his actions to the first group, even though he had treated them completely fairly in accordance with the agreement.

The landowner, whoThe decision to pay all the workers the same was an act of mercy—not injustice—and reflects God, whose grace and mercy are abundantly shed upon those He chooses. “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:15-16). In the matter of salvation, His grace and mercy are given to those whose self-righteous works could never obtain it. We are all sinful and “fall short of the glory of God” «for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; », (Romans 3:23), but His grace is sufficient to redeem all who believe. Whether God calls someone early or late in life to partake of His grace, the glory and praise for our salvation belong to Him alone and in no way amounts to unfairness. Just as the landowner has the right to do what he wishes with his own money, so does God have the right to have mercy on whom He will have mercy.

The first group of workers in the vineyard resented receiving the same wage as the last group. Their attitude was similar to that of the Pharisees, who were incensed at Jesus’ teaching that others could inherit a heavenly kingdom they thought was reserved for them alone. They despised Jesus for offering the kingdom to poor, oppressed, weak sinners whom He made equal to them. In verse 15, the landowner asks, “Is your eye evil because I am good?” The “evil eye” was a Hebrew expression referring to jealousy and envy. God’s goodness and mercy produced in the self-righteous Pharisees the evil eye of envy. The rest of the workers received their wages without complaint or envy of others. Similarly, as Christians, we should rejoice when others come to the Savior, as we should rejoice in the service others render to Him. He is faithful to reward us for our service as HHe has promised, and how He rewards others should be of no consequence to us, nor should it affect our devotion to Him.

The message in verse 16, “the last will be first, and the first last,” is that no matter how long or how hard a believer works during his lifetime, the reward of eternal life will be the same given to all—an eternity of bliss in heaven in the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), whose life of service was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the same reward of eternal life as the apostle Paul. Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of eternal life will be achieved by all equally.