Mt 20: 1-16 - Verse by verse, what does this parable explain about the Kingdom of God?
Here we have a very interesting parable with several messages about the Kingdom of God, explaining the period that was inaugurated by Jesus when He came to Earth and will end when He returns.
1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
Firstly, we see that the landowner went out very early in the morning to call the workers (the children of God) to address the problem he had, which is that Jesus came to hire us for the work.
2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
The people called by the landowner, in the case of the Kingdom of God, Jesus, received a specified amount as agreed upon and went to the vineyard to do what needed to be done (Mark 16:15).
3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle;
Jesus then called more people to work. Why did He have to call more people? Simply because those who were already there were not able to handle the work.
4and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Again, the landowner (Jesus) calls workers to do what needs to be done and informs them that He will pay what is just.
5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
And so He did several times, always bringing in more people to do the work because the previous workers (Christians and children of God) were not able to finish the job.
6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
At 5 p.m., which in Jewish time is the beginning of the last hour of the day, the vineyard owner again goes out and questions why there are still idle people who are not doing what needs to be done.
7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard.
So more workers (children of the Kingdom) are called at the last hour to solve the problem because all the previous workers (Christians and children of God) were not able to finish the job.
8And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
In the end, with the work completed, the foreman calls everyone for settlement, starting with those who arrived last because they were the ones who ensured that the total task was completed.
Remember that this time will end; we are now in the time of grace, where the Kingdom is being proclaimed and offered to all. But this time will come to an end, and another time will come when there will be a settlement of accounts.
9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
So, these last workers received the same amount that had been agreed upon with the first workers.
10And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11And when they received it, they murmured against the householder,
However, when the first workers, who had been there since the beginning, came to receive their payment, they started complaining because they had worked longer than the last ones.
12saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 13But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
The vineyard owner then explains that He is paying exactly what was agreed upon and not what each one thinks is right. Here we have an important point to emphasize: God's justice is different from what is considered just by humans. God sees our hearts and our effort, how much we have grown, and how much we have produced, not just the time.
14Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee.
The vineyard owner reinforces that He will pay, and is paying, what is just according to His assessment of the work that was done.
15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good?
Continuing with the sermon, God/Jesus, as the owner of everything, gives to each according to their ability and their results. Complaining and being envious won't help; we have to rise up and do what is being asked of us in our hearts.
16So the last shall be first, and the first last
The workers who came in at the last hour are the ones who are solving the problem, and they will be the first in the Kingdom of God.