Parable Of The Workers In The Vineyard Explained | Parables of Jesus Explained | Matthew 20: 1-16

The parable of the workers in the vineyard shows us an illustration of what the kingdom of heaven is like. Found in Matthew 20: 1-16, the parable of the workers in the vineyard explained that even the last one will be first, and the first one will be last. What does this mean? Well Jesus uses the parable of the workers in the vineyard as a metaphor for those who choose the put their faith in Him.

This idea of the last one first and the first one last in the parable of the workers in the vineyard exposes our human tendency to demand "fairness." When the workers who only worked in the vineyard for a few minutes received the same amount of pay as those who worked all day, and received their pay first, the other workers got angry. Wouldn't you? However, Jesus is explains in the parable of the vineyard workers that those of us who have been believers for a long time, have no right to demand special treatment over new believers or those new to the faith. God has already been tremendously generous towards us with His grace and mercy, and therefore we have no cause to be jealous when He does the same for others.

So enjoy The Parable of the Workers In The Vineyard Explained!

Matthew 20 New Living Translation (NLT)
Parable of the Vineyard Workers
20 “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay the normal daily wage[a] and sent them out to work.

3 “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. 4 So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. 5 So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing.

6 “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’

7 “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’

“The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’

8 “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. 9 When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. 10 When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. 11 When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, 12 ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’

13 “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? 14 Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. 15 Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

16 “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”