Matthew 20:1-16

CHAPTER 16

THE HIRED LABORERS

Matthew 20:1-16. “For the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man who is a landlord, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.” The Jews counted the diurnal hours from six o'clock the year around. Hence this was the hour at which he hired the first lot. “And agreeing with the laborers for a denarion per day, he sent them into his vineyard.” “A penny a day,” E. V., is misleading, as alenation does not mean a penny, being a Roman coin, corresponding to the Grecian drachma, with no synonym nor equivalent coin in our currency. It was worth fifteen cents, and equivalent to about one dollar in our time and currency, as money at that time was worth about seven or eight times as much as it is now, because of its scarcity, the paucity of people, and the great productiveness of the earth. So these people received good wages.

“And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and I will give you whatsoever may be right. And they departed.” This lot were hired at nine o'clock, the first having been laboring three hours. “And again going out, about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.” So you see that he hired another group at twelve, and still another at three, and sent them into his vineyard. “And about the eleventh hour, having gone out, he found others standing, and says to them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say to him, Because no one hired us. He says to them, Go ye also into the vineyard. And it being evening, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last until the first. And those having come about the eleventh hour, received each one a denarion. And the first having come, thought that they shall receive more; and they also received each one a denarion. But having received it, they began to murmur against the landlord, saying, These last wrought one hour, and thou didst make them equal unto us bearing the burden and heat of the day. And he, responding, said to one of them, Comrade, I do thee no wrong; didst thou not agree with me for a denarion?

Take thine own and go. But I wish to give unto this last one as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do that which I wish with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.”

This last statement, which is quite axiomatic, referring to the call of the Gentiles and the final conversion of the Jews, is only a single item in this grand and comprehensive parable, which really applies to all the people, in all ages, who ever have or ever will hear the call of gospel grace. “For many are called, but few elected.” While this statement really follows as a logical sequence from the entire parable, it is a very comprehensive epitome.

a. The denorion here is a formal stipulation of wages, being a logical item in such a business transaction, and a necessary constituent. As to the times at which the five different lots were hired, you must recognize the fact that they did not arrive in the market-place previously to those respective hours; e.g., those hired at twelve, three, and five o'clock, not having been on hand when their predecessors were called, had no offer nor opportunity. Therefore this parable can not be used as an apology for people in gospel lands who hear the gospel all their lives, but willingly and overtly procrastinate, thus grieving away the Holy Spirit. It applies to heathen, and all others, who do not receive the gospel till late at night.

b. Now, we see at the conclusion of the day, the steward i.e., the Holy Spirit calls all of the laborers, and pays them their hire. Of course, the denarion was the mere stipulation, occupying its place as a constituency of the business transaction. But what is the misthos, “hire?” This is what we all receive in the finale of probationary life, and is so variant and comprehensive in its adaptation to the infinite diversity of the countless millions who, in some mysterious way, will move on and finally get to heaven, that we may safely conclude the misthos i.e., reward of all the laborers is God Himself.

c. This parable teaches the unity of salvation, all alike receiving the denarion, which is a mere representation of the misthos i, e., the rewards which they will get through the denarion. Does not this prove that all are equal in heaven? We certainly must answer in the negative. Heaven is a place of endless diversity, like this world (1 Corinthians 15), differing either from other, “as one star differeth from another.” This misthos, which we all receive, is God Himself, who of course is a Unit, yet He is infinite and inexhaustible. Now, while in eternity we all receive God for our reward, yet there is an infinite diversity of capacity on the part of humanity for this reception. Therefore we all receive God to our utmost capacity, which is by no means a constant quantity, but will increase through the flight of eternal ages, as God is everything to every immortal, intelligent spirit which that spirit is competent to receive. Hence you see the unity of the reward is in perfect harmony with the infinite diversity, as we see revealed in the parables of the pounds and the talents.

d. But what about those murmurers? They are easily explained. Of course, murmuring is sin, and the idea of people in heaven murmuring against God is revolting to contemplate. You find the solution of the mystery in file concluding statement, “Many are called, but few elected.” This reveals the whole secret. “Chosen,” E. V., is eklektoi, from ek, “out of,” and lego, “to select.” Hence it means the elect. Now, the plain solution in reference to the murmurers is the simple fact that they heard the call, but were never elected.

Consequently they never got into the kingdom. We are “elected through sanctification of the Spirit.” (1 Peter 1:2.)