M A T T H E W  20 V 1/16

 

This passage is a parable, the story Jesus told would have been clear to Jews.

A man who owned a vineyard needed men to help gather the grape harvest so he went to the market place, which acted as a labor exchange.  Each morning at 6,0am men would gather there hoping to be hired, desperate to be picked to enable to buy food for their family. and would be in attendance until the closing time at 6.0pm

The vineyard man arrived and hired some men, and later in mid- day went and hired more, and within the last few hours hired a third group of men.

In Palestine the grape harvest took place near the end of September until the rains began. This enabled some families to avoid starvation, for he men were in the lowest working class, so the reason for desperation was obvious.

When the work was completed, the owner paid each man the same amount of money, which offended the first workers who expected to have earned more than someone who worked for perhaps just an hour,  The owner replied he had engaged all and  whilst he had not stated payments all were doing he same work. One can imagine the scene if the same happened today,  with protests in abundance

We see God calling the nations into his church, and calls the families of the earth unto a visible church in his own way,  The Gentiles were taught by the Apostles. and missionaries went across the world proclaiming the gospel.  These ere brave men and women giving up good salaries, for they were clever people, ready to give their lives to serve God.  In a lesser capacity but with, the  same purpose, men and women sacrificed good offices to join and strengthen  the Church.

 God does not like boasting or pride. He holds out pardon and peace through Jesus Christ.

We learn that in the saving od individuals, God acts in his  own way.  This is a truth displayed in every Church as a ,matter of experience. We see Timothy called to repentance and faith in his first day.  We see another called  at  the end of life, and a thief on the cross equally justified and accepted. The doctrine may confuse the inexperienced, but is impossible to dismiss

Before we leave this parable, we must remember it is part of the Bible which is misinterpreted, salvation is not to any degree earned by good works. The distinction between Jews and Gentiles is not due to the Gospels.

All believers are though the righteousness of Jesus Christ. God loves all people and like the vineyard owner accepts all who seek him irrespective of age.  To believe however that one can delay until the last day is something that is completely amiss.  The longer people wait is to ignore the voice of Christ,  Ink yourself to the thief was not saved on the Cross,

 

We give thanks to God for His Holy gospel