It's Never Too Late
Preaching
The Parables Of Jesus
Applications For Contemporary Life
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, 'You also go to the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Theme
Americans are steeped in an understanding of justice based on the democratic system of law which we enjoy in our nation. The so-called Protestant work ethic built this nation by encouraging hard work with the promise of reward for our labor. Justice in this context tells us that reward is based on our own effort; those who choose not to extend themselves in labor will not receive the compensation given to those who work longer or harder.
Human justice, as much as it has profited peoples throughout the centuries, cannot be applied to God. God observes with different eyes and listens with different ears to the pleas of his people. Our Creator wants us to be part of God's family. Although great benefit can be gained by joining early, the ultimate reward will be the same for all. What is important is to accept God's call. It is never too late to be with God!
Spiritual Food For The Journey
In mathematics the concept of "pi" is an example of a radical. It is a term which cannot be precisely or fully defined or known. We all learn in grade school that pi is 3.1416.... Pi cannot be fully known because it consists of an infinite string of numbers that come after the decimal point. Unlike the number 100 or even 50.50 which have a definite and very precise value, pi is not totally definable.
Placing limits on things, like the mathematical radical pi, is the human reality. Humans can go only so far in understanding the infinite. We have never seen or experienced anything that is infinite, and thus we can only guess at what infinity is. We know it is big, that it goes on forever. But this can lead to confusion, because we can only think on the finite level. When we place limits or boundaries on things it makes life more understandable; at least we can recognize that which we are trying to define.
God is infinite, that is what we have been taught since the time we first began to understand what others told us. The Hebrews believed that Yahweh was infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. Christians believe that Jesus is like the Father in all things and, therefore, is infinite. Jesus displayed compassion and love which were beyond human understanding.
Since God is infinite, how can we understand God? We make an attempt to understand God by placing limits on God. We set boundaries that God cannot exceed so as to make possible some understanding of the infinite. Theologically speaking, I suspect, there is a need to speak of God in some finite manner. Without some bounds God is unapproachable on an intellectual level.
Our propensity to place limits on the infinite can lead to problems, however, when we speak of our understanding of God. Human beings for centuries have been placing restrictions, limits, and boundaries on God. The Hebrews were a people who constantly wanted a sign that God was with them in their struggles. They were never satisfied. God wrought the plagues in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, provided water and food in the desert, and made Israel victorious in battle when they claimed the promised land. Yet, the Hebrews continued to look for signs. The limits of their faith placed restrictions on their belief in God's providence. The stories of the judges and prophets of ancient Israel describe over and over again the people's inability to believe that God truly is infinite and will never abandon his greatest creation, the human race.
People in the time of Jesus also wanted signs. God was again placed in a straightjacket, tied up, and not allowed to be infinite. The limited faith shown by the Pharisees and other "name" people of Jewish society was applied to their unbelief in Jesus. People were amazed each time Jesus performed something miraculous. It was only because people had little faith that the actions of an infinite God were so striking. As Jesus said to his followers, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6).
People today are still placing limits on God. It is only natural; it is the only way we can know something of God. Yet, we transfer our limitations on the concept of God to our faith. We refuse to believe that God truly can do all things. We constantly need to be reminded of Jesus' words, "For God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27b).
To believe in the infinite is a great challenge. Christianity is such a belief. To speak of God as a person, to draw a picture of God, or think of him standing before us is at best an approximation. It is the best we can do, however, and thus is important and useful. We cannot, however, hold such limitations on our faith and what God can do for us. God truly is infinite and thus capable of all things. When we speak with and listen to God in prayer, let us remember to keep the doors of possibility open. God knows our needs before we can even share them with him. Let us allow God's gift of compassion to be boundless, infinite. Let us allow God to be God, to be the source of all goodness, compassion, and love.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. We are all familiar with the term "late-bloomers." It refers to people who respond later in life to an invitation and manage in the end to accomplish great things. History has known some famous late-bloomers. Fortunately for us, early or late they followed the special invitation offered by God.
Anton Bruckner was a late-bloomer. Many people do not know the name of Bruckner, but those who listen to classical music certainly know him. Bruckner lived in nineteenth-century Austria as a butcher and part-time organist. He was a very simple man. He always shaved his head and wore old clothes so as not to be mistaken for a person of wealth. Although his life was simple it was full. Yet, at the age of 41 he heard a performance of Richard Wagner's famous opera Tristan and Isolde. The experience transformed his life. He decided he would dedicate himself to musical composition. By the end of his life he had completed, among many other works, nine symphonies, three of which are still regularly played by orchestras around the world.
The world knows Albert Einstein as a genius in the field of science. This is certainly true, but he did not start out that way. As a boy growing up in Germany many people thought him to be ignorant. He failed courses in mathematics; he was very rebellious. As a boy he showed little evidence of the ability he possessed. Yet, it was Einstein's Theory of Relativity and similar ideas which brought about the nuclear age in which we now live.
Saint Augustine, one of the finest Christian minds and greatest saints who ever lived, was also a late-bloomer. Augustine wandered about for thirty years trying to find himself. He tried different religions, including paganism and the religion of the holy man Mani, known today as Manichaeism. He was involved in a relationship which produced a son. Eventually, through the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, he was converted to Christianity. Saint Augustine's response to his conversion is a given in a famous line from his autobiography, The Confessions, "Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!" Augustine became a bishop and a great scholar. He was one of the most famous men who ever lived.
Each of these men received an invitation. One invitation was to music, another was to science; the third was an invitation to greater service of God. These invitations were always present, because they were gifts from God. Once the gift was found it became a permanent part of who these people were.
In the Gospel, a parable familiar to most of us, we hear of God's invitation. The invitation may come at different times, early, late, or sometime in between. Whenever the invitation is received, however, the reward is the same.
2. There is a legend which says that when Saint Joseph, his wife the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus were fleeing Israel to escape the clutches of King Herod, they stopped at a desert inn for food and water. Mary asked the lady of the inn for water in which to bathe her son. The lady provided the water and Mary bathed Jesus. The proprietor then asked if she might bathe her own son, suffering from leprosy, in the same waters used by Jesus. When she did the child was instantly made whole.
As time passed, the lady's son, named Dismas, matured into a strong man who became a thief and a murderer. He cared little for God or humans; he cared only for himself -- his desires and needs. He was a man devoid of compassion and many other positive virtues that most people possess. His life went in the opposite direction of Jesus, the one whom he had encountered without knowing it so many years before.
Many years later Dismas found himself in Jerusalem at the time of the Jewish Passover. Arrested for his crimes, he was convicted and sentenced to crucifixion, along with another criminal. Along the road to the mount called Calvary outside the city walls, another man joined the two convicted criminals, a certain Jesus of Nazareth who proclaimed that he was a king. Something told Dismas that this third man did not deserve to be there and to die in such an ignoble way. Something triggered his memory and he remembered his encounter with Jesus some 33 years ago. It was Jesus who had cured him; would he be willing to assist him again?
Saint Luke (23:39-43) tells us what happened: "One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.' "
A man whose life was by all standards a waste did not lose hope that Jesus might be able to save him. Such must be our attitude as well. Sometimes we feel that we have lost God's love and mercy, but such can never be the case, because God is all compassion and mercy. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard tells us that it is never too late to be with God!
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. All of us have received numerous invitations from the Lord to assist in God's work, to be present to others, to show the face of God to others. Have we accepted these invitations? Has our response been delayed? Have we rejected God's call outright?
2. Do we become jealous when we see people who enter the fold late? Do we ask ourselves why God would be merciful to such a person? Do we harbor anger as did Jonah against God for the mercy he demonstrated to the Ninevites?
3. Are we afraid to approach God because of past deeds that are inconsistent with the Christian message? Do we fear that Jesus can no longer love us because of the way we have rejected his call in the past?
4. Do we place limits on God? Do we not allow God to be infinite? Do we feel God must operate on the human level?
5. Do we believe that divine justice must triumph over compassion? Does the idea of equal pay or compensation for equal effort dominate our lives? Do we need to be converted to a broader understanding of God's infinite goodness in our world?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The scene depicted in this parable reflects life in the Galilean countryside at the time of Jesus. The vineyard was probably a large piece of property where the owner employed a certain number of workers throughout the year. Now at the time of harvest, probably September, additional laborers are required to harvest the crop of grapes rapidly. Workers generally gathered in town centers at the outset of the day hoping that they could secure work. Thus, it would not have been uncommon for laborers to be found at all times of the day. In the time of Jesus, a day's labor was generally ten hours with the pay one denarius, a daily subsistence wage for the average family.
The familiar scene which Matthew describes in the parable cannot, however, mask several unusual and, for many, troublesome aspects of this pericope. First, this passage stands in sharp contrast to rabbinic parallels present in the literature of the day. The one most frequently referenced speaks of a laborer who is so efficient that the owner removes him from the others after only two hours of work and pays him a full day's wage on the grounds that he has done more in this short span than others will do in a full day. What Jesus teaches in this parable is exactly the opposite -- God does not reward humans for efficiency, but rather out of overflowing grace. The equality of reward will be found in the Kingdom of Heaven. Listeners to this parable also noted that it was the landowner, not a servant, who went to the town to obtain workers.
Certainly the facet of the parable that was most troubling to those who lived in Jesus' day (and for us as well) is the apparent injustice that is done to those who have worked all day in the vineyard. The lesson of the parable is that grace supersedes impartial justice. The audience Jesus addressed was trained in the Jewish doctrine of merit, which maintained that people must accumulate to their credit numerous good deeds that could be converted into rewards before God. Matthew thus demonstrates the general doctrine that the rewards of God are not measured out according to number or the length of service. Rewards are subordinated to grace. The evangelist tells us that sacrifice and service will be honored by God, but the reward will far outdistance the work. Thus, God's action can only be seen as sheer grace. Although some may feel that their long and costly service qualifies them for a higher rate of pay (a greater reward in the Kingdom), we must acknowledge that all are eleventh-hour workers. None deserve the glorious future that God has prepared. God does not measure out a calculated portion of divine grace, but liberally grants gifts of forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, joy, and happiness.
The major difficulty for those who hear this parable is not the compassion demonstrated by God but the comparison made between those who came early and those who labored only a short time. The vineyard owner claims the right to pay his workers based on compassion, not on merit. Jesus certainly believed in justice, but divine compassion outshines divine justice. The point of the parable is that the owner deals not simply fairly but generously with the workers. Followers of Jesus must imitate such generosity, not begrudge it. Those who grumble base their contention on envy and a desire to weigh merit and reward neatly in adjusted scales. Free grace is measured against a bargaining spirit that expects something over and above the agreed upon wage for those who gained more merit by their longer service. The incomprehensible goodness of God itself becomes a stumbling block to those who refuse to relinquish human ideas of justice and merit. It does not matter how long and hard one has worked, only that one has been recruited and answered the call.
Matthew does not tell us if those who grumble about their pay are later convinced of the owner's right to do as he does or to recognize the generosity extended to all. This question the evangelist leaves with his readers.
Matthew places this parable in a strategic location in his Gospel to illustrate some important points. The parable's location immediately after Matthew 19:16-30, where Jesus instructs outsiders and then answers Peter's question of what will be received by those who forfeit the world for the Lord, is doubtless intended to serve as a corrective to the concept of rewards. It also demonstrates that the priority the apostles possessed in their relationship with Jesus does not give them precedence of reward. The parable is clearly addressed to those who were critical of Jesus' work and opposed the proclamation of the Good News, generally thought to be the Pharisees. Matthew seeks to justify the gospel message and its favoring of Christians, the newcomers to the historical religious scene, against its critics. The parable may also have served as a defense by Jesus against his association with tax collectors and sinners. Possibly, as well, Matthew might be targeting Jewish Christians who were resentful of new leaders in the community who came from pagan backgrounds. These people, although they came late, would be acceptable in the Kingdom of Heaven. The divine favor of Christians is not unjust to the Jews, who have worked in God's vineyard longer, but did so to receive the agreed upon wage.
Allegory has been used in the past as a means to understand this parable. In the Patristic Church Irenaeus taught that the various hours when workers were hired represented historical periods of time from Adam forward, the eleventh hour being the period between the ascension and the Parousia.1 Origen symbolized the time as different stages of human life at which people are called to Christianity. Others used allegory in time to trace how different people have been called to participate in and enjoy the divine plan. The start of the day represents the divine contract which was Israel's charter with God. At this time laborers were hired on set terms, namely the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. As the historical day continues more are called, just as God called the prophets to do the Lord's work and proclaim the divine message. This happens three times at three-hour intervals. The last group, enlisted at the eleventh hour, a significant break in the orderly three-hour pattern, is the Christian community, which answered the call just before the end of time.
Today's biblical exegetes hold strong reservations on the use of allegory in this parable, save the idea that the parable speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven. The owner, representative of God, demonstrates that the justice of the world -- namely greater merit for more work -- is inconsistent with God's plan of the triumph of grace. In the Kingdom of Heaven the principles of merit and ability must be set aside so that grace can prevail. To measure God's goodness by human standards does not do justice to either side. People must never fail to understand that God gives infinitely more than a just wage. God's goodness exceeds all human conception of graciousness. True Christians cannot find fault with God's grace or its measure to those who come at a late hour. The addition of converts to the church must be a source of joy; it must not be a matter of skepticism.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
This pericope is presented as the second of five consecutive Sunday readings that highlight the parables of Matthew. This passage is framed by two parables which bring it context, the unlimited forgiveness of God and the need to cast off self-righteousness. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard demonstrates, like the parable of unlimited forgiveness, that humans must not limit God. God's ways and actions are far beyond our conception, but this does not mean that we can limit God to what we can perceive, see, feel, hear, or experience in any way. Additionally, this parable serves as a good prelude to the parable to be presented next week, a warning against self-righteousness. Heritage and the past favor of God do not guarantee entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. What is necessary is a conversion of heart, not reliance upon past glory or greatness.
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard is unique to Matthew, but some of the ideas in the passage are found in other Gospels and canonical books of the Bible. Mark 10:31 speaks of the first being last and the last being first, an idea which Matthew intentionally reverses to make his point that coming late to the fold will in no way ill affect the reward that is rendered. This parable can also be paralleled in part to Luke's story of the Prodigal Son, where the grumbling of the day workers can be compared with the complaint of the elder son against his brother and his father (15:29).
The warning against those who grumble is found in similar terms in Luke 5:30, John 6:41ff, and 1 Corinthians 10:10. The whole parable is in some ways an exposition of Ecclesiastes 5:12: "Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep."
An implicit issue in this parable is the ancient understanding of bargaining with God. In ancient Rome humans bargained with the gods to obtain what they wanted. Sacrifice would be rendered with a certain expectation of return. This same idea is found in the Old Testament. In Genesis 28:18-22, for example, Jacob attempts to bargain with God. He asks for protection and sustenance, promising to reward God with a tithe of his income. Job also addresses this issue (1:9) with his words, "Does Job fear God for nothing?"
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Jonah 3:10--4:11. This passage from Jonah serves as an excellent support to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Jonah was successful in his assigned mission to preach repentance and conversion to the people of Nineveh, but with his task completed the prophet is upset that God is merciful. Like those hired first in the parable, Jonah is upset at the compassion God shows to those who come late into the fold. He goes off to be alone and brood, but God pursues him. The prophet must be taught a lesson by God concerning the triumph of compassion over perceived justice. Rather than rejoicing at what God did through his actions, Jonah selfishly believes God is not fair. Jonah bases his understanding on human justice, a finite and prejudicial justice. In the end God teaches Jonah, as Jesus through Matthew teaches us, that God does no injustice in demonstrating mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and kindness.
Second Lesson: Philippians 1:21-30. The Apostle to the Gentiles provides much food for thought in this powerful passage. Paul tells the Christian community at Philippi that he must persevere to bring joy and progress to the faith, even though he has a desire to be freed from this life and be with Christ. He then exhorts the people to conduct themselves in ways consistent with the gospel of Christ. They are not to be intimidated by opponents, for it is a special privilege to take Christ's part in suffering through a consistent promotion of the gospel message.
Paul's message relates well to the challenge presented in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The people are to act as Christ in welcoming those who come late to the banquet of life. Jesus did not begrudge any converts, but rather treated all with respect, whether they came at the beginning or the eleventh hour. The reward is the same for all; God does no injustice to anyone in demonstrating compassion. The care and divine justice of God must be the goal we set for our actions.
____________
1. The first four periods as outlined by Irenaeus were: Dawn -- the time of Adam; hours 9 to 12 -- the period of Noah to Abraham; hours 12 to 3 -- the period of Abraham to Moses; hours 3 to 5 -- the period of Moses to Christ.
Theme
Americans are steeped in an understanding of justice based on the democratic system of law which we enjoy in our nation. The so-called Protestant work ethic built this nation by encouraging hard work with the promise of reward for our labor. Justice in this context tells us that reward is based on our own effort; those who choose not to extend themselves in labor will not receive the compensation given to those who work longer or harder.
Human justice, as much as it has profited peoples throughout the centuries, cannot be applied to God. God observes with different eyes and listens with different ears to the pleas of his people. Our Creator wants us to be part of God's family. Although great benefit can be gained by joining early, the ultimate reward will be the same for all. What is important is to accept God's call. It is never too late to be with God!
Spiritual Food For The Journey
In mathematics the concept of "pi" is an example of a radical. It is a term which cannot be precisely or fully defined or known. We all learn in grade school that pi is 3.1416.... Pi cannot be fully known because it consists of an infinite string of numbers that come after the decimal point. Unlike the number 100 or even 50.50 which have a definite and very precise value, pi is not totally definable.
Placing limits on things, like the mathematical radical pi, is the human reality. Humans can go only so far in understanding the infinite. We have never seen or experienced anything that is infinite, and thus we can only guess at what infinity is. We know it is big, that it goes on forever. But this can lead to confusion, because we can only think on the finite level. When we place limits or boundaries on things it makes life more understandable; at least we can recognize that which we are trying to define.
God is infinite, that is what we have been taught since the time we first began to understand what others told us. The Hebrews believed that Yahweh was infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. Christians believe that Jesus is like the Father in all things and, therefore, is infinite. Jesus displayed compassion and love which were beyond human understanding.
Since God is infinite, how can we understand God? We make an attempt to understand God by placing limits on God. We set boundaries that God cannot exceed so as to make possible some understanding of the infinite. Theologically speaking, I suspect, there is a need to speak of God in some finite manner. Without some bounds God is unapproachable on an intellectual level.
Our propensity to place limits on the infinite can lead to problems, however, when we speak of our understanding of God. Human beings for centuries have been placing restrictions, limits, and boundaries on God. The Hebrews were a people who constantly wanted a sign that God was with them in their struggles. They were never satisfied. God wrought the plagues in Egypt, parted the Red Sea, provided water and food in the desert, and made Israel victorious in battle when they claimed the promised land. Yet, the Hebrews continued to look for signs. The limits of their faith placed restrictions on their belief in God's providence. The stories of the judges and prophets of ancient Israel describe over and over again the people's inability to believe that God truly is infinite and will never abandon his greatest creation, the human race.
People in the time of Jesus also wanted signs. God was again placed in a straightjacket, tied up, and not allowed to be infinite. The limited faith shown by the Pharisees and other "name" people of Jewish society was applied to their unbelief in Jesus. People were amazed each time Jesus performed something miraculous. It was only because people had little faith that the actions of an infinite God were so striking. As Jesus said to his followers, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6).
People today are still placing limits on God. It is only natural; it is the only way we can know something of God. Yet, we transfer our limitations on the concept of God to our faith. We refuse to believe that God truly can do all things. We constantly need to be reminded of Jesus' words, "For God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27b).
To believe in the infinite is a great challenge. Christianity is such a belief. To speak of God as a person, to draw a picture of God, or think of him standing before us is at best an approximation. It is the best we can do, however, and thus is important and useful. We cannot, however, hold such limitations on our faith and what God can do for us. God truly is infinite and thus capable of all things. When we speak with and listen to God in prayer, let us remember to keep the doors of possibility open. God knows our needs before we can even share them with him. Let us allow God's gift of compassion to be boundless, infinite. Let us allow God to be God, to be the source of all goodness, compassion, and love.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. We are all familiar with the term "late-bloomers." It refers to people who respond later in life to an invitation and manage in the end to accomplish great things. History has known some famous late-bloomers. Fortunately for us, early or late they followed the special invitation offered by God.
Anton Bruckner was a late-bloomer. Many people do not know the name of Bruckner, but those who listen to classical music certainly know him. Bruckner lived in nineteenth-century Austria as a butcher and part-time organist. He was a very simple man. He always shaved his head and wore old clothes so as not to be mistaken for a person of wealth. Although his life was simple it was full. Yet, at the age of 41 he heard a performance of Richard Wagner's famous opera Tristan and Isolde. The experience transformed his life. He decided he would dedicate himself to musical composition. By the end of his life he had completed, among many other works, nine symphonies, three of which are still regularly played by orchestras around the world.
The world knows Albert Einstein as a genius in the field of science. This is certainly true, but he did not start out that way. As a boy growing up in Germany many people thought him to be ignorant. He failed courses in mathematics; he was very rebellious. As a boy he showed little evidence of the ability he possessed. Yet, it was Einstein's Theory of Relativity and similar ideas which brought about the nuclear age in which we now live.
Saint Augustine, one of the finest Christian minds and greatest saints who ever lived, was also a late-bloomer. Augustine wandered about for thirty years trying to find himself. He tried different religions, including paganism and the religion of the holy man Mani, known today as Manichaeism. He was involved in a relationship which produced a son. Eventually, through the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, he was converted to Christianity. Saint Augustine's response to his conversion is a given in a famous line from his autobiography, The Confessions, "Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!" Augustine became a bishop and a great scholar. He was one of the most famous men who ever lived.
Each of these men received an invitation. One invitation was to music, another was to science; the third was an invitation to greater service of God. These invitations were always present, because they were gifts from God. Once the gift was found it became a permanent part of who these people were.
In the Gospel, a parable familiar to most of us, we hear of God's invitation. The invitation may come at different times, early, late, or sometime in between. Whenever the invitation is received, however, the reward is the same.
2. There is a legend which says that when Saint Joseph, his wife the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus were fleeing Israel to escape the clutches of King Herod, they stopped at a desert inn for food and water. Mary asked the lady of the inn for water in which to bathe her son. The lady provided the water and Mary bathed Jesus. The proprietor then asked if she might bathe her own son, suffering from leprosy, in the same waters used by Jesus. When she did the child was instantly made whole.
As time passed, the lady's son, named Dismas, matured into a strong man who became a thief and a murderer. He cared little for God or humans; he cared only for himself -- his desires and needs. He was a man devoid of compassion and many other positive virtues that most people possess. His life went in the opposite direction of Jesus, the one whom he had encountered without knowing it so many years before.
Many years later Dismas found himself in Jerusalem at the time of the Jewish Passover. Arrested for his crimes, he was convicted and sentenced to crucifixion, along with another criminal. Along the road to the mount called Calvary outside the city walls, another man joined the two convicted criminals, a certain Jesus of Nazareth who proclaimed that he was a king. Something told Dismas that this third man did not deserve to be there and to die in such an ignoble way. Something triggered his memory and he remembered his encounter with Jesus some 33 years ago. It was Jesus who had cured him; would he be willing to assist him again?
Saint Luke (23:39-43) tells us what happened: "One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, 'Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!' But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.' "
A man whose life was by all standards a waste did not lose hope that Jesus might be able to save him. Such must be our attitude as well. Sometimes we feel that we have lost God's love and mercy, but such can never be the case, because God is all compassion and mercy. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard tells us that it is never too late to be with God!
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. All of us have received numerous invitations from the Lord to assist in God's work, to be present to others, to show the face of God to others. Have we accepted these invitations? Has our response been delayed? Have we rejected God's call outright?
2. Do we become jealous when we see people who enter the fold late? Do we ask ourselves why God would be merciful to such a person? Do we harbor anger as did Jonah against God for the mercy he demonstrated to the Ninevites?
3. Are we afraid to approach God because of past deeds that are inconsistent with the Christian message? Do we fear that Jesus can no longer love us because of the way we have rejected his call in the past?
4. Do we place limits on God? Do we not allow God to be infinite? Do we feel God must operate on the human level?
5. Do we believe that divine justice must triumph over compassion? Does the idea of equal pay or compensation for equal effort dominate our lives? Do we need to be converted to a broader understanding of God's infinite goodness in our world?
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The scene depicted in this parable reflects life in the Galilean countryside at the time of Jesus. The vineyard was probably a large piece of property where the owner employed a certain number of workers throughout the year. Now at the time of harvest, probably September, additional laborers are required to harvest the crop of grapes rapidly. Workers generally gathered in town centers at the outset of the day hoping that they could secure work. Thus, it would not have been uncommon for laborers to be found at all times of the day. In the time of Jesus, a day's labor was generally ten hours with the pay one denarius, a daily subsistence wage for the average family.
The familiar scene which Matthew describes in the parable cannot, however, mask several unusual and, for many, troublesome aspects of this pericope. First, this passage stands in sharp contrast to rabbinic parallels present in the literature of the day. The one most frequently referenced speaks of a laborer who is so efficient that the owner removes him from the others after only two hours of work and pays him a full day's wage on the grounds that he has done more in this short span than others will do in a full day. What Jesus teaches in this parable is exactly the opposite -- God does not reward humans for efficiency, but rather out of overflowing grace. The equality of reward will be found in the Kingdom of Heaven. Listeners to this parable also noted that it was the landowner, not a servant, who went to the town to obtain workers.
Certainly the facet of the parable that was most troubling to those who lived in Jesus' day (and for us as well) is the apparent injustice that is done to those who have worked all day in the vineyard. The lesson of the parable is that grace supersedes impartial justice. The audience Jesus addressed was trained in the Jewish doctrine of merit, which maintained that people must accumulate to their credit numerous good deeds that could be converted into rewards before God. Matthew thus demonstrates the general doctrine that the rewards of God are not measured out according to number or the length of service. Rewards are subordinated to grace. The evangelist tells us that sacrifice and service will be honored by God, but the reward will far outdistance the work. Thus, God's action can only be seen as sheer grace. Although some may feel that their long and costly service qualifies them for a higher rate of pay (a greater reward in the Kingdom), we must acknowledge that all are eleventh-hour workers. None deserve the glorious future that God has prepared. God does not measure out a calculated portion of divine grace, but liberally grants gifts of forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, joy, and happiness.
The major difficulty for those who hear this parable is not the compassion demonstrated by God but the comparison made between those who came early and those who labored only a short time. The vineyard owner claims the right to pay his workers based on compassion, not on merit. Jesus certainly believed in justice, but divine compassion outshines divine justice. The point of the parable is that the owner deals not simply fairly but generously with the workers. Followers of Jesus must imitate such generosity, not begrudge it. Those who grumble base their contention on envy and a desire to weigh merit and reward neatly in adjusted scales. Free grace is measured against a bargaining spirit that expects something over and above the agreed upon wage for those who gained more merit by their longer service. The incomprehensible goodness of God itself becomes a stumbling block to those who refuse to relinquish human ideas of justice and merit. It does not matter how long and hard one has worked, only that one has been recruited and answered the call.
Matthew does not tell us if those who grumble about their pay are later convinced of the owner's right to do as he does or to recognize the generosity extended to all. This question the evangelist leaves with his readers.
Matthew places this parable in a strategic location in his Gospel to illustrate some important points. The parable's location immediately after Matthew 19:16-30, where Jesus instructs outsiders and then answers Peter's question of what will be received by those who forfeit the world for the Lord, is doubtless intended to serve as a corrective to the concept of rewards. It also demonstrates that the priority the apostles possessed in their relationship with Jesus does not give them precedence of reward. The parable is clearly addressed to those who were critical of Jesus' work and opposed the proclamation of the Good News, generally thought to be the Pharisees. Matthew seeks to justify the gospel message and its favoring of Christians, the newcomers to the historical religious scene, against its critics. The parable may also have served as a defense by Jesus against his association with tax collectors and sinners. Possibly, as well, Matthew might be targeting Jewish Christians who were resentful of new leaders in the community who came from pagan backgrounds. These people, although they came late, would be acceptable in the Kingdom of Heaven. The divine favor of Christians is not unjust to the Jews, who have worked in God's vineyard longer, but did so to receive the agreed upon wage.
Allegory has been used in the past as a means to understand this parable. In the Patristic Church Irenaeus taught that the various hours when workers were hired represented historical periods of time from Adam forward, the eleventh hour being the period between the ascension and the Parousia.1 Origen symbolized the time as different stages of human life at which people are called to Christianity. Others used allegory in time to trace how different people have been called to participate in and enjoy the divine plan. The start of the day represents the divine contract which was Israel's charter with God. At this time laborers were hired on set terms, namely the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. As the historical day continues more are called, just as God called the prophets to do the Lord's work and proclaim the divine message. This happens three times at three-hour intervals. The last group, enlisted at the eleventh hour, a significant break in the orderly three-hour pattern, is the Christian community, which answered the call just before the end of time.
Today's biblical exegetes hold strong reservations on the use of allegory in this parable, save the idea that the parable speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven. The owner, representative of God, demonstrates that the justice of the world -- namely greater merit for more work -- is inconsistent with God's plan of the triumph of grace. In the Kingdom of Heaven the principles of merit and ability must be set aside so that grace can prevail. To measure God's goodness by human standards does not do justice to either side. People must never fail to understand that God gives infinitely more than a just wage. God's goodness exceeds all human conception of graciousness. True Christians cannot find fault with God's grace or its measure to those who come at a late hour. The addition of converts to the church must be a source of joy; it must not be a matter of skepticism.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
This pericope is presented as the second of five consecutive Sunday readings that highlight the parables of Matthew. This passage is framed by two parables which bring it context, the unlimited forgiveness of God and the need to cast off self-righteousness. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard demonstrates, like the parable of unlimited forgiveness, that humans must not limit God. God's ways and actions are far beyond our conception, but this does not mean that we can limit God to what we can perceive, see, feel, hear, or experience in any way. Additionally, this parable serves as a good prelude to the parable to be presented next week, a warning against self-righteousness. Heritage and the past favor of God do not guarantee entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. What is necessary is a conversion of heart, not reliance upon past glory or greatness.
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard is unique to Matthew, but some of the ideas in the passage are found in other Gospels and canonical books of the Bible. Mark 10:31 speaks of the first being last and the last being first, an idea which Matthew intentionally reverses to make his point that coming late to the fold will in no way ill affect the reward that is rendered. This parable can also be paralleled in part to Luke's story of the Prodigal Son, where the grumbling of the day workers can be compared with the complaint of the elder son against his brother and his father (15:29).
The warning against those who grumble is found in similar terms in Luke 5:30, John 6:41ff, and 1 Corinthians 10:10. The whole parable is in some ways an exposition of Ecclesiastes 5:12: "Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep."
An implicit issue in this parable is the ancient understanding of bargaining with God. In ancient Rome humans bargained with the gods to obtain what they wanted. Sacrifice would be rendered with a certain expectation of return. This same idea is found in the Old Testament. In Genesis 28:18-22, for example, Jacob attempts to bargain with God. He asks for protection and sustenance, promising to reward God with a tithe of his income. Job also addresses this issue (1:9) with his words, "Does Job fear God for nothing?"
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Jonah 3:10--4:11. This passage from Jonah serves as an excellent support to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Jonah was successful in his assigned mission to preach repentance and conversion to the people of Nineveh, but with his task completed the prophet is upset that God is merciful. Like those hired first in the parable, Jonah is upset at the compassion God shows to those who come late into the fold. He goes off to be alone and brood, but God pursues him. The prophet must be taught a lesson by God concerning the triumph of compassion over perceived justice. Rather than rejoicing at what God did through his actions, Jonah selfishly believes God is not fair. Jonah bases his understanding on human justice, a finite and prejudicial justice. In the end God teaches Jonah, as Jesus through Matthew teaches us, that God does no injustice in demonstrating mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and kindness.
Second Lesson: Philippians 1:21-30. The Apostle to the Gentiles provides much food for thought in this powerful passage. Paul tells the Christian community at Philippi that he must persevere to bring joy and progress to the faith, even though he has a desire to be freed from this life and be with Christ. He then exhorts the people to conduct themselves in ways consistent with the gospel of Christ. They are not to be intimidated by opponents, for it is a special privilege to take Christ's part in suffering through a consistent promotion of the gospel message.
Paul's message relates well to the challenge presented in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The people are to act as Christ in welcoming those who come late to the banquet of life. Jesus did not begrudge any converts, but rather treated all with respect, whether they came at the beginning or the eleventh hour. The reward is the same for all; God does no injustice to anyone in demonstrating compassion. The care and divine justice of God must be the goal we set for our actions.
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1. The first four periods as outlined by Irenaeus were: Dawn -- the time of Adam; hours 9 to 12 -- the period of Noah to Abraham; hours 12 to 3 -- the period of Abraham to Moses; hours 3 to 5 -- the period of Moses to Christ.
