From Jim McGuiggan... Matthew 20:1-16: What will I get?

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.