The standard practice for paying day laborers is to pay first those individuals who were hired at the beginning of the day, and then to continue down the line until you have paid the last people … those who were hired for less than the full day. But the parable that Jesus was sharing (Matthew 20:1-16) with those who had gathered to hear him was a story which has reversed this long standing practice. Can you imagine being one of those individuals who was hired at the very start of the day? Just after the sun rises you are sent into the field to harvest the crop. When the day’s work is finished and you have lined up to receive your day’s wages, you discover that the owner is going to make you wait until all of the others have been paid. How dare this owner to pay first the ones who have only work a single hour before he has paid you. It is an insult that you are made to wait until those who have not worked a whole day are paid before you … and on top of that they are paid a full day’s wage! If this is true, than the owner must be prepared to pay you so much more … for it would only be fair!
But no … You discover that there is an additional insult; for he is going to pay you the same exact wage as he has paid those who have worked far less than a full day! Being forced to wait until the lazy ones are paid may have seemed insulting, but now to have the added insult that they have been paid the same as you … this is truly unbearable.
However, at the end of the parable the owner does share a very interesting point with them. He reminds them that not only did he pay them what he had promise to pay them, but that what he paid the others was not any of their business. He was reminding them that he had not cheated them, that the payments where made with his treasures, and that he had the right to give away his treausers as he wanted.
After studying this parable, some of us have discovered an additional point to be shared with you. Had any of those who were hired at the beginning of the day, or any of us, ever consider the fact they had a reward that was in additional to their promised daily wage? They had the assurance of a day of being paid a full day’s wage. They knew that they would be able to feed themselves and their loved ones for another day. Those who were hired at the end of the day, most likely only believed that they would a chance to come back the next day.
With these thoughts behind us now, we can look more closely at what the real intent of the parable is about. It is all too easy for some within a faith community to believe that there should be special rewards and or privileges for those who have been faithful members for so many years. After all, if I’ve been a faithful Christian since I was baptized as a child, then I should have a set of honor at God’s banquet table in heaven. There are those who may even believe that since their grand-parents where founding members of their local house of worship, then they must be entitled to special considerations. Some individuals even might feel that “outsiders” should not have full membership rights … maybe if their children grow up in the church, then they might be allowed some of the benefits.
Jesus reminds us in this parable that at the end of our time here on earth there will be only one reward … there is no gradation in reward … everyone who has been a faithful believer in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit … everyone who is judged by God as being faithful, will receive eternal life in the presence of God. That is the reward.
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