Jesus uses the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, also known as the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard or the Parable of the Generous Employer, which can be found in the book of Matthew, to simply imply that any laborer who accepts the invitation to the work in the vineyard (representing the Kingdom of God), no matter how late in the day, will receive an equal reward with those who have been working the longest.
This parable is too clear and almost not up for debate. But in this article, I'm going to decipher it anyway, and prepare my readers for the connection between this parable and the narrow gate in Matthew 7:13 as well as its connection with the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-27.
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’" —Matthew 20:1-7
It is quite obvious that the landowner who represents God in this parable, is literally hiring anyone who wants to be hired. This resonates very well with Romans 2:11 where Paul states that God does not show favoritism. What does that exactly mean? The answer is in the same context, in Romans 2:9-10.
Apostle Paul says that there will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew(metaphor for a true believer), then for the Gentile(metaphor for an unbeliever). but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew(metaphor for a true believer), then for the Gentile(metaphor for an unbeliever).
"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’" —Matthew 20:8-16
A denarius which is declared to be the wages of the workers in this parable obviously represents the gift of God or eternal life. How do we know that? Because it is given equally to all workers regardless of their works or performance, but only and only upon their willingness to work or their acceptance of the offer.
This obviously resonates very well with what Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.
"But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last." —Matthew 20:13-16
The answer of the landowner is quite fascinating to me and resonates very well with Romans 9:20 in conjunction with Romans 11:35. In other words, who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?
And who is in a position to question what God decides to do or not to do? And the answer is imply no one! As Paul says in Romans 11:36, For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.
As we can see, many who are last, will be first which very clearly means that just because the majority of people do not find the narrow gate for most of their lives, it does not mean that they will never find it. I personally believe that the majority of people will eventually find the narrow gate, but most of them will find it in the very last days of their lives.
I know that this triggers a lot of those who claim to be Christian, some of whom may not even be saved yet in my opinion; only God knows. The cause of their trigger is of course the same as the landowner's generosity towards his hired workers, in the parable that we just read. But these triggers will never change God's generosity, mercies, decisions and plans!
Many are quick to say that if this is the case, why should I work for God now? I will wait until my deathbed and then will say a quick prayer and will make it to heaven! But that would be a huge strawman of what the Bible actually teaches.
First of all, you do not know when you're going to die. You could die instantly without getting a chance to say the little prayer that is apparently going to save you.
Second of all, God knows the heart and will not answer prayers that are not genuinely from the heart. You may want to consider Proverbs 1:22-33 in this case. I have actually written a separate article about this point which can be found HERE.
And last but not least, working for God and/or in God's Kingdom is a beautiful privilege that comes with lots of blessings and rewards, both in this life and the afterlife! In my next article, I am going to explain more about these blessings and rewards by deciphering the Parable of the Ten Minas in Luke 19:11-27.
