Agree With Me
Matthew 20:1-16
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a
day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour and saw
others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and said to them, ‘You also go into the
vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about
the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out
and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here
idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also
go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the
laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ 9 And when those
came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But
when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise
received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they ] complained against the
landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them
equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one
of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a
denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the
same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your
eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are
called, but few chosen.”
Landowner went out early in the morning to seek laborers
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning
to hire laborers for his vineyard.
There was an agreement as to what was right
2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers
Around 9:00am he saw others standing idle in the marketplace
(argos=barren)
He repeated this at noon and 3:00pm
At 5:00pm he saw more people who were ‘standing idle all day’. This
apparently concerned the landowner
6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and
said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?
They were hired with the same promise of receiving ‘what is right’
The landowner orchestrated the payout in a manner that those who
were hired first were able to see how much the one-hour workers
received
8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call
the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’
Based on what they saw, they supposed the terms of their
employment had changed. The work performance of the one-hour
workers had now become the standard.
. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more…
But weren’t they right? Were their complaints legit?
12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them
equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’
When in doubt, go back to the origin
13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend… Did you not agree with me
Luke 15:31
31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.
Romans 11:19-21
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted
in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith.
Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He
may not spare you either.
Isaiah 59:21
21 “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit
who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart
from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of
your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and
forevermore.”
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