Matthew 20

I have been tripped up on Matthew 20:1-16 It's the story of the vineyard owner and the workers. So I thought I'd tear it apart bit by bit and see if I could get the meaning.

I at first read this scripture and was displeased because I did not understand the meaning. Finally after thinking through, reading a few commentaries, prayer and meditating I concluded some main points. However, I hate how when I go deep into a passage of scripture and I tell someone a revelation that has taken my heart a good 4-5 days to figure out, and their response is "well, yeah, obviously Abby" oh goodness. It has to be revealed to you by God in revelations. We can read the bible a million times over. Know the sermon on the mount like the back of our hand. Know the 10 commandments. However, if we're not convicted by the holy spirit what's the point in knowing the good things to do? Or if we do the good things but are not experiencing the intimacy of God, what keeps us motivated, especially during the hard times? I know a ton of scripture, I know the right way to live before God. I know that I am supposed to be a servant to others. I've known that since first grade Sunday School. But was I living my life in the example of Jesus' servant hood. No! Why? Because I had no real motivation to do it other than that it was a good thing to do. Until reading this passage.

Matthew 20
Parable of the Vineyard Workers
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

(Wow, okay so the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. That automatically means, this is important stuff, or rather, an important piece of information. God is the land owner.)


2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

(an agreement of wage was initiated. The land owner promised a payment. God promises us the Kingdom of Heaven if we choose to accept His son and work for Him. Work meaning, servant hood, righteous living, holiness)

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.

(A life lived without God is nothing. It's idle. People just standing around doing nothing.)

4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day.

(Once hired, there was something to do. There is work to be done. And they are then guranteed the promise of salvation by the grace of the landowner aka. God)

5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

(Without God giving them purpose, something to live for there was no knowledge of the work.)

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first.

9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage.
God's grace.


10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage.

11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner,


12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage?


14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you.

15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’


16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

God's promised (through grace) salvation/the kingdom of heaven to all of the workers. A fair payment for their work. But that's all He promised.

This is a parable in direct answer to Peter's question in the previous chapter. "We have given up everything to follow you, what then shall we receive?"

This parable is not only talking about the realities of both Jews and Gentiles receiving the Kingdom, it's also speaking of the fact that God is in debt to no man.