The principle not of work but of grace (Matthew 20:1-16) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

The principle not of work but of grace (Matthew 20:1-16)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce       Christian Arts Ministries

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard, He agrees to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing, He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right. So, they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around, He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.”  When the evening came, the master of the vineyard said to his steward, call the workmen and pay them their wages, beginning from the last ones to the first. When the first ones came, they supposed they would receive more. And they themselves also received each a denarius. And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, saying, these last ones worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the scorching heat. But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I am doing nothing unrighteous to you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last one even as I have given to you.  Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous? So, the last will be first, and the first will be last.  (Matthew 20:1-16)

 Ø  Understanding and insight

 

Chapter 20: 1-16 the workmen imply the disciples; the vineyard is the kingdom. Moring here is 6 am, denoting the earliest part of the church age, when Christ came to call His disciples into the kingdom. Third hour is 9 am the second part of the church age. Sixth is 12 noon, denoting the middle part of the church age. The ninth hour is 3 pm means the fourth part of the church age. Eleventh hour is 5 pm, denoting the fifth part of the church age. Evening fell is 6 pm, denoting the end of the church age.

The subject is the reward of willingness to serve, whether one comes early or late, Christ is not teaching economics. A DENARIUS FOR THE DAY is a good and normal wage for a rural worker. Additional workers were hired at about 9 am, noon, 3 pm, and 5 pm. This is the point of the parable; God’s grace and generosity know no bounds, and man’s ideas of merit and earned rewards are irrelevant.

This is against the natural and commercial concept. It indicates that the wages paid to the last workmen are not according to their work but according to the gracious wish, and good pleasure and grace of the Lord of the vineyard. These first workmen included Peter, who made a deal with the Lord in Chapter 19:27-29. They didn’t know Rom.9:14-15,20. There is no unrighteousness with the Lord. He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. Who were they to reply against the Lord?   

Peter’s natural concept, representing that of all believers, was commercial; he did not know the Lord’s gracious wish. Verse 13 denoting the agreement the Lord made with Peter in 19:27-29. Verse 14 was a strong answer to Peter from the Lord, indicating that the Lord had given him what he thought he deserved. But the Lord has the right to give the same wages to the last workmen according to His own wish, in the principle not of work but of grace. This shattered Peter’s natural and commercial mind and corrected his concept.

Verse 15 in dealing with the Lord in 19:27, Peter’s concept was altogether commercial, according to the principle of work not grace. In His answer to Peter, the Lord strongly indicated that His reward to His followers is not a commercial matter but a matter according to His desire and grace. For the disciples to gain the kingdom of the heavens they have to leave all and follow the Lord; but what He will give them as a reward is more than they deserve. It is not according to the principle of commerce but according to the Lord’s good pleasure. This is an incentive, stimulus and encouragement to His followers. The last are the latest workmen and the first are the earliest ones. In working, the earliest come first, but in receiving the reward, the last become the first. It is in this way that the Lord makes the last first and the first last.