The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Matthew 20:1-16
Matthew 20:1-16
The parables of Jesus are some of my favorite sections of the Bible. They are "earthy" in the sense they present truth in a way that I can relate to everyday life. The most profound truths are embedded in the simplest of stories. As stories, they contain what could be called "Narrative Power". Narrative power is the power of a story to 'pull you in' (so to speak), and allow the reader to see herself within the story. By identifying with the story, it becomes real to us. In essence, it becomes our story.
In this parable there are three groups of people with whom the owner of the vineyard interacts. Certainly the vineyard owner is God the Father, and Jesus clearly alludes that the first group of workers (those hired in the earliest portion of the day) are Peter and the other initial disciples. The third group of workers (those hired at the latest portion of the day) are presumably those disciples who come long after the initial twelve. In this parable, Jesus is issuing a warning to the first group: do not become puffed up and begin to think you are more deserving than the last group.
All well and good. I get it, and up until that point the story makes sense to me. However, lately I have begun meditating on the silent middle group. In the middle of the day, the vineyard owner meets a group of people and puts them to work. They have no speaking role so we don't hear their voices or comments. Presumably they were with the other two groups (those hired in the morning, and those hired in the late evening) when it is time to collect their pay from the vineyard owner. Even here this group is silent. The first group doesn't complain about them, and they don't join the first group in complaining about the third group.
As contemporary Christians, who are we to identify with? Certainly not the first group, as we clearly are not one of the original twelve disciples. In the several sermons I have listened to on this passage, most seem to identify modern day Christians with the last group. Thus, the sermons are celebrations that Christ stands ready to accept all who come to Him. However, I do not think that is what the story is trying to communicate (even though that is a truth). Christians today are the middle group hired in mid-day.
The middle group remains silent because they have no bragging rights, but they also have the privilege of watching this scene play out. They hear the vineyard owner rebuke the first group, and see Him give lavishly to the third. Within this story there is a subtle message: if the original twelve are not allowed to become 'high-n-mighty', we certainly are not allowed to.
In this parable there are three groups of people with whom the owner of the vineyard interacts. Certainly the vineyard owner is God the Father, and Jesus clearly alludes that the first group of workers (those hired in the earliest portion of the day) are Peter and the other initial disciples. The third group of workers (those hired at the latest portion of the day) are presumably those disciples who come long after the initial twelve. In this parable, Jesus is issuing a warning to the first group: do not become puffed up and begin to think you are more deserving than the last group.
All well and good. I get it, and up until that point the story makes sense to me. However, lately I have begun meditating on the silent middle group. In the middle of the day, the vineyard owner meets a group of people and puts them to work. They have no speaking role so we don't hear their voices or comments. Presumably they were with the other two groups (those hired in the morning, and those hired in the late evening) when it is time to collect their pay from the vineyard owner. Even here this group is silent. The first group doesn't complain about them, and they don't join the first group in complaining about the third group.
As contemporary Christians, who are we to identify with? Certainly not the first group, as we clearly are not one of the original twelve disciples. In the several sermons I have listened to on this passage, most seem to identify modern day Christians with the last group. Thus, the sermons are celebrations that Christ stands ready to accept all who come to Him. However, I do not think that is what the story is trying to communicate (even though that is a truth). Christians today are the middle group hired in mid-day.
The middle group remains silent because they have no bragging rights, but they also have the privilege of watching this scene play out. They hear the vineyard owner rebuke the first group, and see Him give lavishly to the third. Within this story there is a subtle message: if the original twelve are not allowed to become 'high-n-mighty', we certainly are not allowed to.
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