Verses 1-2 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
The parable Jesus told in this chapter is a continuation of Chapter 19, specifically verses 27-30. Remember that the disciples were concerned that they had left everything to follow Jesus and they were worried that they would not receive anything for their sacrifice. It explains the “first and last” statement Jesus made.
The Greek word translated as “householder” is “oikodespotes” and it means the master of the house. The Greek word for “penny” is “denarion” and it was the pay for a day’s wages. Remember that Jesus used agricultural stories to make a spiritual point. In this story the laborers were hired to work for a day in a vineyard and some were promised a penny. This was backbreaking work, especially if the grapes were being harvested.
Verses 3-4 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
The Jewish day started at 6AM so the third hour would have been 9AM. These workers were not told what they would earn, but they wanted to be workers in this master’s vineyard.
Verses 5-7 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
Again at 12noon and 3PM the master went and found willing workers for his vineyard. The workers hired first had already put in 9 hours of work. Finally, at 5PM the last laborers were hired. Again, the amount of the wages was not disclosed before these laborers started working. Under the world’s system, those who worked the longest should get paid the most. But God’s kingdom is contrary to that of the world.
Verses 8-9 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
The “even” would have been around 6PM and it would have been time for the laborers to walk home before it got too dark. The last hired laborers were summoned by the steward to receive their pay and they received a days wages even though they had only worked for about an hour. They must have been very surprised to receive so much money.
Verses 10-12 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
In the world’s system, it would be natural for the laborers who worked 12 hours to expect more money than that received by those who worked less hours. And in the world’s system the master’s actions would have seemed to be unfair labor practices. In Jesus’ story the first hired laborers were unhappy and they grumbled and questioned the master’s actions.
Verses 13-16 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
The master of the vineyard kept the agreement he made with the laborers and it was not their business how he decided to treat others that worked for him. It was his vineyard, his business and his money to use as he chose. The master did not sin, but the grumbling laborers were sinning: discontentment, complaining, arguing, and perhaps even anger in their heart. The last laborers which included those hired from 9AM on did not grumble, but took their wages and went home.
Application: It has been said before but needs to be repeated that when reading Scripture it should first be read for the natural sense and then for the spiritual sense. The parable Jesus told in the natural is about a vineyard owner and his hiring practices and the laborers’ response to these practices. In the spiritual sense there are many lessons to be learned. God is the master, the vineyard is His world and all that is in it, and the laborers are those that were called and chosen to follow Jesus and work for the Kingdom of God. God repays all His laborers equally. There is no hierarchy of position in His Kingdom. It is a privileged to work for Him. Different people will be coming and going in the vineyard as they work for God. There should be no jealously among the laborers. God’s promise of life eternal in Heaven is all the wages anyone needs: it is enough. No laborer is above another. The pastor in the pulpit is no more important than the least valuable (by the world’s standard) person sitting in the pew. The Master is good and will keep His promises. There will be laborers that become dissatisfied. If a laborer in the Kingdom of God becomes dissatisfied, he/she can leave.
Verses 17-19 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
The number 12 in the Bible represents Godly government. Jesus had many followers, but He always mentored the 12 disciples as they were the ones who would be entrusted to establish the Church and to spread the Gospel throughout all the Earth. Just as there were 12 tribes that made up the Old Testament kingdom of Israel, these 12 disciples would be the foundation of the spiritual Kingdom of Israel which is made up of all people who put their faith in the LORD Jesus Christ.
Jesus plainly told His disciples of His future death and resurrection from the dead, but they had been taught by the Jewish religious leaders that the Messiah would come and establish an earthly kingdom and rid the people of Roman domination. So they apparently remained in denial until the night Jesus was arrested. The Gentiles were anyone who were not Jewish.
Verses 20-21 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
The mother of the disciples James and John was also expecting Jesus to establish an earthly government or kingdom and she was looking out for her sons. She wanted them to have positions of honor.
Verses 22-23 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Jesus did not chastise her. He merely told her she did not fully understand what she was asking for. History records that her son James was martyred and her son John was persecuted and exiled. They wanted to be like Jesus and they were. No one knows who will be sitting next to Jesus on His throne until taken to Heaven. This writer will be satisfied just to get there. How about you?
Verses 24-28 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
All groups have internal struggles and disagreements and the disciples were not immune to the temptations of the flesh. They wanted to be honored also with positions of authority alongside Jesus. They were not spiritually in tune to what Jesus was going to accomplish but were looking at the natural, physical things of this world. But Jesus used this controversy to teach a lesson. Again the things of God’s Kingdom are backwards or contrary to the things of this world. To be great in God’s Kingdom, one must be a servant to others. One needs to be like Jesus who served all who came to Him while He walked the soil of the Earth.
Verses 29-31 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
The saying, “seeing is believing” was not the mind set of these two blind men. They could not see, yet they knew and believed that the man who was passing by them as they sat in the dirt by the side of the road begging for alms so that they could stay alive was indeed the LORD, the Son of David, the Messiah. They, without seeing Jesus perform miracles, believed that He could and would give them their sight.
Application: The two blind men cried out to Jesus. They did not worry about the people gathered around Jesus hearing their cries. They did not let their pride get in the way of receiving help. When facing difficulty, does the Christian believer cry out to Jesus, or does the believer try to find answers in the systems of the world? When sick, does the believer cry out to Jesus for healing and for wisdom to know what to do or does the believer make an appointment to see a doctor? When facing financial difficulties does the Christian believer cry out to Jesus or does the believer look to a bank or bankruptcy court? When discouraged with the job opportunities, does the Christian believer cry out to Jesus or does the believer look to the educational institutions for a change in career? Think about it.
Verses 32-34 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. (Matthew 20)
Jesus already knew what these men needed and wanted before they asked. But He wanted them to voice the words. This healing involved the asking for a healing, the faith of the disabled, the touching of the men, and the emotion of compassion towards the blind men and their suffering.