MATTHEW 20 - Workers in Vineyard

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** Whether God calls someone early or late in life to partake of His grace, the glory and praise for our salvation is His and His alone and in no way amounts to unfairness

• Planting, maintaining and harvesting vineyards in first-century Israel was strenuous work requiring hard physical labor in the heat of summer

• In the parable, the landowner hired more workers as the day progressed and the specific wage was not mentioned

• When the time came for the wages to be paid, the first group of workers saw the last group would all be paid the same, even though they got exactly what they had agreed upon when they were hired

• The landowner, whose decision to pay all the workers the same was an act of mercy—not injustice—represents God, whose grace and mercy are shed abundantly upon those of His choosing

• God says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’  <G72>

• Relationship with God is based on His generosity; God relates to us in grace, not on the basis of our works

• The person who serves actively because he thinks this is the way to make points with the Lord is doomed

• The person who is so active in church may very well be drying up spiritually, and spending his or her energies in an unproductive way  <R1795>

• The same gift of salvation is available to all who are willing to receive it, regardless of WHEN they become saved -- either early or late in life  <B299>

Matthew 20:1-7 NIV

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. [2] He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. [3] “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. [4] He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ [5] So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. [6] About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ [7] “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

Matthew 20:14-16 NIV

[14] Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. [15] Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' [16] “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Romans 9:15-16 NIV

[15] For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” [16] It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy.

** Regardless of the length of time we are dedicated to the Master, the reward for agreeing to follow Him is the same; this passage emphasizes that the 'first shall be last', just like the repentant thief on the cross will enjoy the same heavenly benefits as those who spend a lifetime dedicated to God  

Matthew 20:8-10 NIV

“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ [9] “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. [10] So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.

Matthew 20:16 NIV

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

** We don't have the right to complain how God makes decisions or chooses reward; our negative response to others receiving a reward is an indication of our evil heart

Matthew 20:12-15 NIV

‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ [13] “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? [14] Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. [15] Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

** Those who strive to be first here on earth will be last in heaven and conversely those who are willing to be last here will be honored by being first in heaven; another reminder this world is not the end of the story

• Those who appear to be first in the spiritual lineup, based on their strict religion, their benevolence or their active involvement in church affairs, won’t be first when Judgment Day arrives

• Those at the head of the line on Judgment Day to receive rewards, will be simple folk who have heard Christ’s message and have taken it to heart

• Individuals who have taken to heart and abide by Jesus’ commands (as outlined in Matt 18) to seek out and the lost, seek harmony within the body of Christ and be ready to forgive others will be rewarded  <R1795>

Matthew 19:30 NIV

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Matthew 20:16 NIV

[16] “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

** Jesus revealed what is to happen to Him; Christ must suffer and die on the cross

Matthew 20:17-19 NIV

Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, [18] “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death [19] and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

** The preparation and events in a Jewish wedding serve as a typology of Christ’s coming for us, with Christ as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride!  <F60>

Matthew 22:2 NIV

[2] “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.

• The bridegroom promised the bride the wedding covenant would be fulfilled = God promised our union with Him in His Word

Romans 11:26-27 NIV

[26] and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. [27] And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

• The breaking of bread and drinking from the cup was to seal the betrothal of new covenant; the bride would drink from the cup if she agreed to the marriage proposal = Jesus’ last supper with His disciples confirmed His covenant with us

Luke 22:19-20 NIV

[19] And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Matthew 20:23a NIV

[23] Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup…”

• The breaking of bread and drinking from the cup was not to be done again until the wedding feast = Christ will not partake of the bread & wine until the fulfillment of God

Luke 22:14-16 NIV

[14] When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. [15] And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. [16] For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

• The groom paid the price showing the bride his love for her = Christ paid the price in full on the cross showing us there is no greater love

1 Peter 2:24 NIV

[24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

• The groom prepared a bridal chamber for his bride by building a room addition on his father’s house = Jesus went to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house where there are many rooms

John 14:2 NIV

[2] My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

• The father was the only one who knew the day & hour the groom would retrieve his bride = likewise, only God the Father knows the day & hour when Christ will come for us

1 Thessalonians 5:2 NIV

[2] for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

• The groom would come in the middle of the night to pick up his bride and the groomsmen would shout his arrival by blowing the trumpet (shofar) = Christ will come in a similar fashion as a thief in the night with the shout of a trumpet (the Trumpet of God for the Church)

• The bride was lifted up by her groom and taken away = Christ will lift us via rapture to be taken to His Father’s house

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NIV

[16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

• The groom would take his bride to the chamber to consummate the covenant and celebrate for a period of seven days = likewise, the Church will celebrate our reunion with Christ for a period of seven years during the Tribulation

Daniel 9:27 NIV

[27] He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. ”

• The bridal couple lived in their new home after the wedding celebration = we will live in the new Jerusalem with our Savior

Revelation 21:2 NIV

[2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Luke 22:29-30 NIV

[29] And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, [30] so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

** Despite Christ's teaching on 'the last shall be first', a mother asked that her children be elevated to sit next to God in heaven; Jesus used this situation to emphasize again that followers of Christ are to serve, and replied that God reserved these positions for those who suffer with Him and for whom He already prepared them

• Jesus tried to explain that a high position in the secular world means having authority to lord over people

• On the other hand, Jesus came to be a Servant and, like a slave, put the good of another before His own

• Greatness in the kingdom of Jesus includes stopping for the needs of others, as Jesus did to heal the blind men who called after Him  <R1795>

Matthew 20:20-23 NIV

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. [21] “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” [22] “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. [23] Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

Matthew 20:26-28 NIV

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--- [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:30,33-34 NIV

[30] Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” [33] “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” [34] Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

** Scripture clearly communicates the 'standard will' for every follower of Christ, to:  <H9996>

• Rejoice

• Pray

• Give thanks

• Proclaim the gospel

• Make disciples, and

• Become a slave for Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Luke 4:43 NIV

[43] But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

Matthew 28:19 NIV

[19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 20:26-28 NIV

[26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--- [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

** Being followers of Christ means we are not to follow the world's paradigm but rather Christ's example of servanthood

Luke 22:24-26 NIV

[24] A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. [25] Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. [26] But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

Luke 22:27 NIV

[27] For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Matthew 20:26 NIV

[26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

** Solomon’s love for God was demonstrated by his obedience to the Lord and by Solomon’s request that God give him ‘a discerning heart’

• Solomon was only about 20 years old when he became king and asked for a ‘discerning heart’ and wisdom to govern the Israelites

• This pleased the Lord and Solomon received both wisdom and wealth as a result

• The servant’s heart that Solomon displayed pleased God, who throughout Scripture gives servanthood the highest priority  <R1795>

1 Kings 3:5,7-9 NIV

[5] At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” [7] “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. [8] Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. [9] So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

1 Kings 3:10-13 NIV

[10] The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. [11] So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, [12] I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. [13] Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for---both wealth and honor---so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

1 Kings 4:29-30 NIV

[29] God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. [30] Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.

1 Chronicles 22:5 NIV

[5] David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.

1 Chronicles 29:1 NIV

[1] Then King David said to the whole assembly: “My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God.

Matthew 20:26-28 NIV

[26] Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--- [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

** Be specific with the requests you bring to God, for He has compassion on those who are hurting

Matthew 20:30-34 NIV

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” [31] The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” [32] Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. [33] “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” [34] Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.