Matthew 20 - 22

Workers And Wedding Guests

Today's reading covers a variety of subjects.  Chapter 20 starts with the parable of workers. The owner of a vineyard needs help and hires people agreeing to pay them a full day's wage.  Throughout the day he continues to hire more workers even up until the eleventh hour of the day.  When the day is done and he pays his workers, those hired last receive the same pay as those hired first which causes the early hires to be upset. The response of the owner provides the explanation of the parable, a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven. "Friend, I haven't been unfair! Didn't you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 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?" (vs. 13-15).

The owner's answer touches on several issues: fairness, agreements, pay, ownership, jealously, and kindness.  The landowner represents the Lord. The workers are a type of the believer. The work is doing His will. The pay represents the blessings of God.  The jealous attitude is typical of a person who, once blessed, starts to feel they deserve a blessing, instead of realizing a blessing comes from the grace of God. The Lord is sovereign, able to do what He wants to whom He wants.  Those that have recently converted will receive the same reward of eternal life as those who have served Him for forty years.  Instead of being jealous, the worker should be happy that he was paid a fair wage and that others were blessed.

The other notable parable is the one in chapter 22 about the King who prepared a great wedding feast and invited honored guests. This too is a Kingdom parable.  The Jews were invited to God's Son Jesus' marriage but rejected the invitation and treated the prophets horribly.  The Lord then sent His servant (ministers) to the highways to compel all they could find, good and bad (church goer and sinner) to the wedding feast. However one guest was found at the table without the proper garment (the Word of God) and was ejected.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.