A Right Attitude in Service
September 14, 2022
Commentary
Jesus told a parable in which a landowner, during the period of grape harvest, had need of extra laborers, so he kept going out and hiring additional workers throughout the day (vv. 1-7). Early in the morning he hired workers who insisted on a contract and agreed to work for a penny a day which was an average day’s wages in that time. Those hired at the sixth, ninth, and eleventh, hours did not bargain for a definite wage but agreed to take whatever the owner thought was right.
At the end of the day the vineyard owner paid the workers all the same wage (vv. 8-10). When those who were hired in the morning found out those who were hired later in the day received the same amount of money as they did, they complained (vv. 11-12). They had no argument, because they had agreed to work for a penny, and they received what they asked for (vv. 13-15).
The lesson for Christ’s disciples is obvious (v. 16). We should not serve Him because we want to receive an expected reward, and we should not insist on knowing what we will get. God is generous and gracious and will always give us better then we deserve. This parable had nothing to do with salvation, for nobody works for his salvation. Nor is the parable talking about rewards, for we are not all going to receive the same reward (I Cor. 3:8). It is emphasizing a right attitude in service. The Lord can and does distribute His gifts as He wills. Grace cannot be earned or deserved, so God is completely free to distribute His favor as He chooses.
Application
When I live a good clean moral life, should it bother me when those who don't get the same benefits as I do in this life? I need to remember that God is the one before whom all accounts will be settled.
Matthew 20:1– 16 (NET)
1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. 4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. 6 And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 8 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. 10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 11 When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 13 And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. 15 Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”