Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Matthew 20:1-16, Sproul - 6, Mohler - 12, MacArthur - 4
Matthew 20:1–16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, [4] and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ [5] So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ [7] They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ [8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ [9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. [10] Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. [11] And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, [12] 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.’ [13] But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ [16] So the last will be first, and the first last.” (ESV)
Background:
Matthew 19
Jesus teaches on divorce and remarriage to Pharisees testing Him. Jesus blesses little children. Rich young man asks Jesus about eternal life but turns his back on Jesus and chooses worldly possessions
Matthew 19:29–30 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. [30] But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (ESV)
Matthew 20:17-34
Jesus predicts his tortuous death, burial, & resurrection. Salome (wife of Zebedee, mother of James and John, maybe sister to Mary) asks about her sons sitting on Jesus’ left & right hand in the Kingdom. Jesus heals two blind men
1. God Chooses Who He Saves - He Finds, He Calls
Avoid the temptation to question God’s choice. The Master is in control.
Thank Him for choosing you!
2. God Commands His Workers - His Servants Listen & Obey
Avoid the temptation to be lazy or quit. Being idle in the marketplace describes lostness.
Work hard for the Lord, no matter your stage in life.
3. God Rewards As He Chooses - Our Worth Doesn’t Depend on Our Work
Avoid the temptation of jealousy. Covetousness is equal to idolatry.
Praise Him for His grace & your salvation. Stay grateful for God’s blessing.
Discussion Questions:
What is this parable all about? Who is in charge of the vineyard? Why is there an urgency? (v.1)
What is life all about? Who is in charge of the world? Why is there an urgency?
What are the differences between the workers? Why did some wait for work for so long? What do they have in common? How do they respond to the master? What is their reward? (v.2-9)
What are the differences between different Christians? What do we have in common? How do we respond to our Master? Why do Christians “work”? What is our reward?
What is the root issue that the workers struggle with when they receive their pay? How does the master respond to their complaints? (v.10-16)
What are some of the struggles that Christians have between one another? What do we receive as Christians when we come to faith? What do we receive as Christians when our work is complete?
What is God trying to teach us about Himself in this parable?
What Does the Bible Say about God’s Grace and Call?
https://www.trustworthyword.com/gods-grace-and-call
(Ephesians 1:4) even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
(John 6:37-39) All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. [38 ] For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. [39 ] And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
(Titus 3:5) he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
(Colossians 2:13) And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses
(Ephesians 2:1-10) And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2 ] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— [3 ] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. [4 ] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5 ] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— [6 ] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7 ] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8 ] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9 ] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10 ] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
(Romans 8:29-30) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Helpful Resources:
Rightnow Media: The Parables of Jesus by R.C. Sproul
What Do Jesus’ Parables Mean? By R.C. Sproul
Tell Me the Stories of Jesus: The Explosive Power of Jesus’ Parables by R. Albert Mohler Jr.
Parables: The Mysteries of God’s Kingdom Revealed through the Stories Jesus Told by John MacArthur