Matthew 20:1-16: What will I get?
Matthew
19:16-30 is the background for the interpretation of the parable in
Matthew 20:1-16. It’s all about heart, about motivation and about
trusting in God to do the right thing. The young rich man (rich because
he was blessed by God) came thinking he loved and served God because God
was worthy of it and (perhaps, maybe even probably) he learned that it
was God’s blessings he truly cared for. Jesus taught him that if he
wanted to come closer to God he needed to distance himself from the
blessings. The young man discovered something about himself; he was a
poor rich man and now even poorer since he walked away.
At
that point Jesus began to speak of the seduction of wealth (19:23-26)
and this didn’t sit well with Peter (19:27) for it sounded like there’d
be no reward for faithfulness when in truth the OT spoke of blessing
that would come on those faithful to the God of the covenant (compare
Deuteronomy 28). Should Peter conclude that God promises come up short?
Jesus in 19:28-30 makes it clear that God will do the right thing and
that he fulfils his promises. That might have settled Peter’s little
heart but there was something Peter and his companions needed to know
(19:30), many who are first will be last and the last first. The parable
makes that point (20:16).
I don’t see any reason to think the parable is dealing with Jews in contrast to Gentiles. I see nothing in Matthew’s’ context to suggest that and I see a lot that speaks of the motivation for service. See Matthew 20:1-16.
- The Master doesn’t say that all that are first shall be last.
- The
parable doesn’t say all were paid the same amount. (Ten dollars for ten
hours work is not the same wage as ten dollars for one hour’s work. The
protesters didn’t think they were all paid equally.)
- The
parable teaches that the earlier workers didn’t go to work until they
had haggled out an agreed pay with the owner. They got what they
bargained for. (This was usual in labour-markets.)
- The
parable teaches that the late-comers only came late to work because
they had not been hired. It wasn’t because they didn’t want to work or
that they were lazy.
- The
parable tells us that they went eagerly to work without haggling,
depending on the word of the owner that he would do what is right.
I think we’re being taught the difference between a heartfelt desire to please God and a mercenary spirit. That’s what I think.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.