12/08/2025
The Parables of our Lord Jesus!
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”
Matthew 20:1 NKJV
XI - The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard!
The Laborers In The Vineyard (Mt 20:1-16)
The lengthy parable about the laborers in the vineyard is found only in the Gospel of Matthew. Our Lord Jesus tells the parable in response to Peter’s question in Matthew 19:27.
“Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?””
Matthew 19:27 NKJV
Peter wanted to know what reward would be given to those who give up everything to follow the Lord Jesus. In response, our Lord Jesus explains this parable about the kingdom of heaven.
Planting and harvesting vineyards in first-century Israel was strenuous work requiring hard physical labor in the heat of summer. Often, additional laborers were required to get all the work done.
The owner of this particular vineyard went to the marketplace at the first hour of the morning to find workers for the day. His offered wage of one denarius, a Roman’s soldier’s pay for a day, was generous indeed. The workers in the first group were more than happy to work for the generous wage.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.”
Matthew 20:1-2 NKJV
As the day progressed and more workers were hired, the specific wage was not mentioned, but the landowner promised to pay “whatever is right.” Apparently, the workers were sufficiently confident of the landowner’s character that they trusted him at his word.
“And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.”
Matthew 20:3-4 NKJV
Altogether, four groups of workers were hired, the last group just one hour before the end of the day. When the time came for the wages to be paid, the first group of workers saw the last group being paid a denarius and were naturally thinking they would be paid more since they had worked the longest.
“Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.”
Matthew 20:5-10 NKJV
Their anger against the landowner spilled forth when they saw they would all be paid the same, even though they got exactly what they had agreed upon when they were hired. The landowner was forced to defend his actions against the first group, even though he had dealt with them in perfect fairness according to the contract.
“And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’”
Matthew 20:11-12 NKJV
The decision of the landowner to pay all the workers the same was not an act of injustice, but rather an act of mercy.
It only shows how merciful God is to those whom He wants to show His mercy.
“For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”
Romans 9:15-16 NLT
The first group of workers in the vineyard feels bitter for receiving the same wage as the last group. 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.
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’”
Matthew 20:15 NKJV
The rest of the workers received their wages without complaint or envy of others. In the same way, as Christians, we should rejoice when others come to the Savior, as we should rejoice in the service others render to Him.
God is faithful to reward us for our service as He has promised, and how He rewards others should be of no consequence to us, nor should it affect our devotion to Him.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.”
Romans 12:15-16 NKJV
So the parable of the laborers in the vineyard teaches us there is no room in the kingdom of heaven for those with either a mercenary spirit or an envious spirit.
Our attitude toward our service to our Lord Jesus Christ should be one of gratitude and not of
Commercialism.
THE REPLY GIVEN BY JESUS - Mt 19:28-30
First, an assurance...
Specifically, to the apostles - Mt 19:28
In the "regeneration", they will be judging the twelve tribes of Israel
This promise could refer either to:
Their role as apostles in the gospel age following Pentecost - cf. Mt 16:19
A special role following the return of Christ when He comes to judge the world - cf. Mt 25:31ff
Generally, to all disciples - Mt 19:29
In this life, a "hundredfold" houses, brothers, sisters, etc.
In the age to come, "everlasting life" - cf. Mk 10:29-30
I.e., those who give up all will receive more than enough in return
But then, a warning - Mt 19:30
"But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
A rather cryptic warning, one repeated again in Mt 20:16
[Since this warning both precedes and follows the parable we are studying, it is evident that the parable was told to explain the warning! And since the warning was first given in response to Peter's question, any explanation of the parable should be based upon the setting that preceded its telling.��With this in mind, let's proceed to consider...]
THE PARABLE AND ITS MESSAGE
THE PARABLE SUMMARIZED...
Early in the morning, a landowner hires laborers to work for an agreed upon wage - Mt 20:1-2
Later, at different hours of the day, he finds more and hires them also, for a fair but unspecified wage - Mt 20:3-7
At the end of the day, they are all paid equally, which irritates those who had worked all day - Mt 20:8-12
The landowner responds to the complainers...
I treated you fairly, for you received according to our agreement - Mt 20:13-14a
I wish to pay the others the same - Mt 20:14b
Do I have not the right? - Mt 20:15a
Are you envious, because I am gracious? - Mt 20:15b
Jesus concludes by repeating the warning - Mt 20:16 (some manuscripts add another warning: "For many are called, but few chosen")
THE MESSAGE OF THE PARABLE...
Many and varied have been the interpretations; for example...
The various bands of workers are the O.T. saints; those called at the eleventh hour are the apostles
The workers first called are the Jews, those called last are the Gentiles
The parable represents the whole gospel age up to Christ's return, and the workers are groups saved at various periods
It refers to different periods of a person's life in which he may respond to the Lord: some responding early, others late in life
Since this parable is in response to Peter's question, I suggest...
That the first workers represent the apostles and others like them
Who are called by Christ through the gospel early in life
And who therefore may labor long and hard in the "vineyard" (i.e., the kingdom of God)
The other workers represent those who are called by Christ via the gospel at various times
Some of whom are called late in life
Who do not have opportunity to do as much for the Lord
In light of this interpretation, the main point of the parable is...
What everyone receives will be more than "fair" ("Did you not agree with me...?")
No one has the right to question the "generosity" of the Lord ("Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?")
Those who may serve long and hard should not be "envious" if others receive the same reward ("Is your eye evil because I am good?")
Therefore no one should serve the Lord with a commercial or mercenary spirit!
The very danger Peter was close to falling into by the question he raised!
A danger to which we are all susceptible!
Perhaps I should stress that this parable is NOT saying that those who purposely put off obeying Christ until the last moment can be saved!
If that were the point, the parable would have been worded differently
Notice that those who responded at the late hour of the day had not been working "Because no one hired us" - Mt 20:7
They accepted the offer as soon as they heard it, though late in the day
-- They were not people who turned down many opportunities to accept the offer to labor in the vineyard, only to accept at the last hour!
Whether one can be saved at the last moment after lifelong rejection of the gospel is another question
One which only the Lord can rightfully answer
However, notice what is said of those who remain in a condition of rejecting the gospel:
They judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life - cf. Ac 13:46
They are storing up for themselves wrath in the day of wrath - cf. Ro 2:4-11
CONCLUSION
It is my understanding that the proper application of this parable is this...
When we are called by the gospel to obey Christ, we should respond at once!
For some, we may hear the invitation early in life
Others may not come to know of the gospel until late in life
As laborers in the vineyard (i.e., the kingdom), we should work diligently in whatever time we may have left
We may be blessed to offer a full life of service to the Lord
Or we may only have a short time
We should do whatever we can without a commercial or mercenary spirit (e.g., "Do I get more because I gave more?")
With this parable, we learn more about those in the kingdom of heaven...
Just as the parable of "The Unmerciful Servant" teaches us there is no place in the kingdom of heaven for "an unforgiving spirit"...
So the parable of "The Laborers In The Vineyard" teaches us there is no room in the kingdom of heaven for those with either "a mercenary spirit" or "an envious spirit"!
My fellow Christians, what is our attitude toward our service to Christ?
One of gratitude?
Or one of commercialism?
-- There is only one attitude that is acceptable!
For those who are not yet Christians...
Why not let the gracious spirit of the "landowner" revealed in this parable encourage you to accept the grace of God in humble obedience to His gospel?
Why not live out the rest of your life in grateful service to Him?
