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Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard



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Parable of the Servants in the Vineyard
Matthew 20.1-16
114 I Want To Be A Worker
Servant’s Song
PRAY
Record!
Kids:
Promise candy x5
Have the first come to the front and sing v1 of Jesus loves me
Have the second sing from their seat
Have the third read, not sing, from their seat
Have the fourth state “Jesus loves me”
Just give away the fifth
Ask them if this is fair and compare it to the parable
Read Matthew 20.1-16
Adults:
1. Other scriptures we will not examine tonight that are applicable to this parable: Leviticus 19.13; Deuteronomy 24.14-15; 1 Samuel 30.21-25; Proverbs 28.22, 27; Luke 11.34-36; Matthew 9.37-38; Mark 10.31/Luke 13.30
2. Structure of the Parable
3. Why might the following difficulties be included in the parable?
The time involved in going back and forth from vineyard to market:
The time is specified to show time passing, but not to be construed as an exact measurement.
Not seeing later laborers while on previous trips:
Not everyone will be willing to follow the Master immediately.
Equal pay:
This is the point of the parable- the reward is the reward.
All difficulties that can be found with the parable, except that of the equal pay, are immaterial to the point of the parable. Parables use things of this world to illustrate a point, usually a singular point. The point of this parable is not of these bits of side information, rather that God will reward equally.
4. Note the use of the word “eye”, and lack thereof in the ESV. The NASB best renders the statement “Or is your eye envious because I am generous?” The use of the eye is metaphorical in this statement, as Jesus has used a similar metaphor in past sermons, see Matthew 6.22-23. The Bible applies this same metaphor in other places as well. Compare Proverbs 22.9 and 23.6
5. This parable typically has two interpretations of merit. Discuss them.
Interpretation 1: The time frames are successive ages of the world (Adam-Noah; Noah-Abraham; Abraham-Moses; Moses-Christ; Christ-present) or the time frames are stages of life: childhood, adolescence, the prime of life, old age, point of death.
Interpretation 2: The parable is directed against envy, greed, boasting, or any such thing among Jesus’ disciples.
Category
Job
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