Hey friend! I'm Liz
Since parables are like the multiverse, it can take some exploring to figure out Jesus was trying to get at by telling any particular one. A helpful ‘tool’ can be to read what is placed in the biblical text around that parable: What's the bigger story it’s connected to?
On one side of our parable, “The Worker and the Vineyard,” we have the story of the Rich Young Ruler, who asked Jesus what good work he had to perform to get into heaven. He declared that he kept every single commandment.
All of them. Perfect. A prime candidate for “Kingdom of Heaven” citizenship. Looking for more verbal affirmation, he asked:
“What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matt 19:20-22 ESV). And he was pretty sure Jesus was going to give him a high-five of awesomeness.
The story goes on to say that the disciples who heard this whole transaction were distraught: “Who then can be saved?” they asked.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26-27).
The Ancient Hebrews didn’t believe that heaven was a far off separate-from-earth place that you entered upon death…
Heaven was a place in the here and now where the Shalom of God manifested above and beyond the more damaging ways of our man-made kingdoms. It was “Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is heaven.” Right here, right now, allow the realms of heaven to join in, flood, overthrow, forgive and grace its way through yours.
“The Ancient Hebrews didn’t believe that heaven was a far off separate-from-earth place that you entered upon death…”
LIZ MILANI
Powerful, two minute reads that have helped change the script in thousands of people's lives.
All of them. Perfect. A prime candidate for “Kingdom of Heaven” citizenship. Looking for more verbal affirmation, he asked:
“What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matt 19:20-22 ESV). And he was pretty sure Jesus was going to give him a high-five of awesomeness.
The story goes on to say that the disciples who heard this whole transaction were distraught: “Who then can be saved?” they asked.
Next, Jesus sets his listeners up, because right before he tells the story (our parable) where those who get hired last get paid the same as those who were hired first, he says this:
“Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Bookmark that point.
On the other side of our parable in question, the mother of a couple of the disciples (brothers), asks Jesus that in God's new Kingdom, could her sons be the ones to sit either side of him, next to his big shiny throne, a place she feels they’ve earned since they've given up so much to follow him…
Jesus replied: “You don’t really know what you’re asking… Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man (talking of himself) came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:20-28)
Hyperbole was a tool relied heavily upon by the oral tradition of Ancient Hebrews. They often made grand statements to make a point, to push an audience over the line… to show how ridiculous or absurd an idea was, to get people thinking in the right direction.
I think this is what Jesus was trying to do with these stories.
He’s saying: Rich Young Ruler, disciples, helicopter mother of disciples: this kingdom is different. It’s not like the one you know. It’s not about earning and achieving and succeeding and reaching. It’s not about ranking and winning and fairness. It’s not even about greatness and un-greatness.
The bigger theme in all these stories is that in a world where we all want to be the one who wins, can we handle it when everyone does? Do we even want them to? Can we embrace unfair generosity?
Written by Liz Milani
This parable provoked a lively chat in our little house. We played each role out. Today it was great for the bookends of the parable.
We came up with perhaps a too literal view:.the first – God's chosen people rejected Jesus (some anyway) and we gentiles were called as equal as children therefore last BUT as more of God's chosen people come to Christ (my teen Pentecostalism) they will be first. It's the circle of life! It's more like a mobius spiral where wherever we are rejoin in the Kingdom.