196 The Lavish Unfairness of God

The Parable of the Vineyard workers is an amazing example of the lavish unfairness of God. In this parable Jesus includes the Gentiles which was unthinkable for the Jews. This story takes on increased importance when we remember it is following what Jesus taught in chapter 19 regarding Peter's question, "What will we get, we have left everything?" This story is about rewards rather than the Gift of Eternal life. Jesus again predicts his death. But they still don't get it as James and John's mother comes with her request. Jesus then heals two men who are blind and they follow him.

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Matthew 20 NLT Serving Others

Parable of the Vineyard Workers

20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. 3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 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.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

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. 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.”

Rewards rather than the Gift of Eternal Life

This parable is in response to Peter’s question (19:27): Will we be rewarded for our work for the Kingdom? Thus this parable is about rewards. It is not about receiving eternal life, which is a gift. Salvation is completely free, however the NT teaches very clearly that there will be different rewards for believers (Luke 19:15-26; 1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12). The scandal of this parable is that we are all equal recipients of God’s extravagant rewards which far outweigh the effort we put out. Jesus states that these rewards are in the order of a 100-fold (19:29).

Reversal of Justice

“Many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). This parable is about the reversal of the justice of the Kingdom of this World by the justice of the Kingdom of Heaven. This seemingly paradoxical statement highlights the surprising nature of God’s generosity. Later in the chapter, James and John will vie for first place demonstrating that they had paid no attention to this parable and Jesus will say:

26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The “first” are the Jews. The “last” are the Gentile believers.

The Jews who expected the rewards did not think non-Jews could have any rewards (Ephesians 3:3-6). In their thinking the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes, the Rich and the Priests would to be rewarded while tax collectors, prostitutes and Gentiles would be punished. The Jews had been called into God’s service 2000 years before and it was unthinkable that the Gentiles could be rewarded with them.

The disciples considered themselves to be the “first” and all the others as the “last.”

Peter and the other disciples started serving the Lord from the very beginning of Christ’s ministry. Jesus promised them great rewards. That Paul and Barnabus and Silas could be rewarded equally or beyond them was an enigma for their political brains. That was 2000 years ago. What about believers today? The parable would be teaching that believers of any age, whenever they have lived, can be rewarded as well for their faithfulness to the Lord.

The witness of the thief on the cross, which has inspired uncountable numbers of believers, may very well turn out to be one of the most powerful witnesses ever made. In which case the thief will be richly rewarded.

This scandalous reversal of expectation, of our sense of justice, and even of our hopes, is a central piece of the New Testament. It is Jesus, who is first and last (Revelation 1:17), who tells us that we need not fear; for in the One who is both first and last, the first and the last will be brought together when they arrive to be with Jesus in heaven.

Jealousy among the Workers

“Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?” or “Is your eye evil because I am good?”—the master’s final rebuke (Matthew 20:15)—points to envy or jealousy, a sin rooted in discontent with God’s goodness to others. Saul envied David when he saw him prosper (1 Samuel 18:9). Envy grieves at others’ blessings, challenges God’s justice, and violates love for God and neighbour.

The first group of workers in the vineyard resented receiving the same wage as the last group. Their attitude was like that of the Pharisees, who were incensed at Jesus’ teaching that others could end up with the rewards they believed belonged to them. They despised Jesus for rewarding poor, oppressed, weak sinners whom He rewarded equally with his presence and miracles.

In verse 15, the landowner asks, “Is your eye evil because I am good?” The “evil eye” was a Hebrew expression referring to jealousy and envy. God’s goodness and mercy produced in the self-righteous Pharisees the evil eye of envy. The rest of the workers received their wages without complaint or envy of others. In the same way, as Christians, we can rejoice when others are rewarded out of the grace of God.

He is faithful to reward us for our service as He has promised, and how He rewards others should be of no consequence to us, nor should it affect our devotion to Him.

Jesus Again Predicts His Death

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.Taking them aside because hurting people were always pressing into his presence and Jesus had no privacy when he could teach his disciples. 18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.

It is amazing that Jesus had these detailed insights into the immediate future. Attempts at arresting him had occurred before and this may have given him insights into what he could expect.

19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

These might have been standard procedures for criminals under the Roman crucifixion process. This is not an attempt to minimize the role of inspiration in Jesus’ life. It is to recognize the insights that unselfishness brings to the individual. What was not standard was his resurrection,

This information was unbelievable to the disciples. They did not want to believe it and blocked it out of their consciousness. Jesus had, after all, raised the dead, healed the sick and cast out demons. He appeared to be invincible. When all occurred as predicted, they reacted as if Jesus had never informed them. When the women reported that Jesus had risen the disciples did not believe their report. The comments on chapter 16 highlight this unbelief by the disciples and others. Jesus told his disciples several times he was going to be executed but it never registered with them (20:19-20; 26:2).

Jesus Teaches about Serving Others

20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

How jarring this change of topic must have been for Jesus. He is trying to prepare the disciples for the crisis of their lives which is also his great crisis and he is confronted with mundane selfishness.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” 22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”

Perhaps Jesus is referring to the two thieves who will be crucified with him, one on his left and the other on his right.

24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Ever since we ate from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil we have believed hierarchies are needed to bring order to society. This structure results in competition and violence. It is alien to the Kingdom of Heaven. Who of us could have imagined that the one thief who believed in Jesus could bring hope to so many despairing sinners over the last two millennia?

Ransom—this is a metaphor from slavery or brigandry when one could purchase another’s freedom from labour or capture. We need freedom both from the toil sin brought on us and because our hearts are captured by selfishness. The unselfish, gentle response of Jesus to his rejectors, tormentors and executioners has generated new motives in our hearts. The mind of Christ appears to our surprise within us periodically. It is the miracle of the new birth. How blessed we are. Verse 28 is the clearest statement by Jesus of the order in heaven. In heaven the desire to serve others is the modus operandi. In this respect the image of God seems to be stronger in women as most women desire to serve their families above their own needs. Jesus will now walk his talk and minister to two blind men.

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Why did they follow Jesus? They could have reasoned that if he could give them sight he could do much more for them. They could also have followed Jesus out of gratitude for his compassion or empathy for them. We do not know the motives of their hearts in the same way we often do not discern our own motives in following Jesus. To be people of integrity we must examine our motivations.

Ian Hartley, March 2025