For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Episcopal Readings in the file for June 9, 2010, two weeks ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Episcopal and Presbyterian Readings:

Numbers 16:36-50

36 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 37 Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. 38 For the censers of these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives. Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the LORD and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites. 39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been presented by those who were burned; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar- 40 a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the LORD, so as not to become like Korah and his company-just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.

41 On the next day, however, the whole congregation of the Israelites rebelled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD." 42 And when the congregation had assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the tent of meeting; the cloud had covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 "Get away from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces. 46 Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, put fire on it from the altar and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them. For wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun." 47 So Aaron took it as Moses had ordered, and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped. 49 Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. 50 When the plague was stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (Numbers 16:36-50, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from June 25, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from June 28, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when comments were repeated from earlier as noted there.

At the close of yesterday’s reading, the two hundred fifty followers of Korah were destroyed. The narrator says, “And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense” (Num. 16:35). But the revolt is not yet completely put down, as we will see in today’s reading. (A note on the chapter and verse numbering: In the Hebrew Bible, Num. 16:36 NRSV is 17:1; 17:1 NRSV is 17:16 in Hebrew, cf. NRSV notes. This may explain some confusing references that follow. The chapter and verse numbering come together again in chap. 18.)

The LORD speaks “to Moses, saying” (Num. 16:36 = Heb. 17:1): “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide” (v. 37 = Heb. 17:2). The censers are to be “rescued” from the fire because of the holiness they acquired, even when presented before the LORD by the rebellious Levites. “For the censors of these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives,” says the LORD (v. 38a = Heb. 17:3a). Although improperly used, as holy vessels they must be retained. Rabbi J. H. Hertz says, “The censers had previously been private property, but they had, through the fact that incense had been offered in them, acquired sacredness, and must nevermore be used for a secular purpose” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p. 642, on Num. 17:2 [= 16:38 NRSV], following the numbering of the JPS translation of 1917 that follows the Hebrew text numbering). The LORD continues: “Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the LORD and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites” (v. 38b = Heb. 17:3b). And the LORD’s instruction is carried out by Eleazar the priest, who “took the bronze censers that had been presented by those who were burned; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar” (v. 39 = Heb. 17:4). As indicated by the LORD’s direction (v. 38 = Heb. 17:3), these hammered plates as covering for the altar became “a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the LORD, so as not to become like Korah and his company” (v. 40 = Heb. 17:5). This represents the first issue dealt with in what Nili S. Fox has called “the aftermath of Korah’s insurrection” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 317, on Num. 17:1-18:7 NJPS 1985, 1999 = Heb. numbering, cf. 16:36-18:7 NRSV).

The next issue, however, amounts to a wholesale revolt against Moses and Aaron. As the narrator continues, he says: “On the next day, however, the whole congregation of the Israelites rebelled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the LORD’ ” (Num. 16:41 = Heb. 17:6). Several years ago a Newspaper comic strip, named “Little King,” I believe, had this exchange between the king and his main advisor. Advisor: “The people are revolting!” Little King: “Aren’t they though!” (Sorry for the pun.) It’s in the Advisor’s sense that the people are revolting in today’s Old Testament lesson. According to Rabbi Hertz, “The disaffection had spread so far that many of the people resented the death of Korah and his followers, and held Moses responsible for it. This further shows that the complete suppression of the rebellion was a question of To be or not to be for Israel. The people are visited by an outbreak of plague” (op. cit., p. 643, on Num. 17:6-15 [Hebrew = English 16:41-50]). Moses and Aaron are approached by “the congregation” in what appears to be developing as a mob scene. “And when the congregation had assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the tent of meeting” (v. 42a = Heb. 17:7a). At this point the presence of the LORD intervenes, for “the cloud had covered it [i.e., the ‘tent of meeting’] and the glory of the LORD appeared” (v. 42b = Heb. 17:7b). Rabbi Hertz explains the phrase, “the cloud covered it,” saying that this was “as a symbol of protection to God’s loyal servants against the threatening mob” (ibid., on 17:7 JPS 1917 = 16:42 NRSV). The LORD’s message for Moses and Aaron is “Get away from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment” (v. 45a = Heb. 17:10a). At that, we are told, “they fell on their faces” (v.45b = Heb. 17:10b), which the Rabbi says was “in prayer and entreaty to God to spare the rebellious people; xvi, 22” (ibid., on this verse).

And Moses takes charge, directing Aaron to “Take your censer (hT!H4m1, machtāh), put fire on it from the altar and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them (Mh@yl2f3 rP2k1v4, w ^ekappēr ‘ ^a lēhem). For wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun” (v. 46 = Heb. 17:11). Of the “fire-pan” (JPS 1917 for hTAH4m1 (machtāh, “censer” NRSV), the Rabbi says, “lit. ‘the fire-pan’; i.e. the censer which belongs to the High Priest and which he used on the Day of Atonement (Lev. xvi, 12) when ministering in the Sanctuary.” Of the phrase, “make atonement for them [Mh,yl2f3 rP2k1v4, w^ekappēr ‘ ^a lēhem, cf. Yom Kippur],” the Rabbi says, “As we see from Lev. xvi, 12, 13, the use of incense played an important part in the Atonement ritual.” And of the phrase, “wrath [has] gone out from the LORD, the Rabbi says, “Wrath is spoken of as a Divine messenger that is to execute God’s punishment upon the guilty. It goes forth to kill, and slays as it proceeds” (ibid., on v. 11 JPS 1917 = 16:46 NRSV). And Aaron follows instructions. “So Aaron took it as Moses had ordered, and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped” (vv. 47-48 = Heb. 17:12-13). It is good to note some grace, even in this terrible time. “In contrast to the effects of Korah’s incense offering,” says David P. Wright, “Aaron’s offering has the power to stop God’s plague” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on vv. 47-48 NRSV). On the words, “between the dead and the living,” the Rabbi says, “Aaron hastens and takes up a position in front of Wrath. All behind have died: those in front have not been touched; they are living. Thus it is that Aaron stands between the living and the dead, and stays the plague” (op. Cit., on v. 13 JPS 1917 = 16:48 NRSV). The severity of the crisis caused by this rebellion is indicated by the number of the casualties: “Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Korah” (v. 49 = Heb. 17:14). This episode, which brings the rebellion itself to a close, is concluded as the plague is stopped, and “Aaron [returns] to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting” (v. 50 = Heb. 17:15). There is a further test, or demonstration, of the legitimacy of Aaron’s priesthood, but that is tomorrow’s reading.

Romans 4:13-25

God's Promise Realized through Faith

13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")-in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:13-25, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from June 28, 2009 (the Sunday closest to June 29, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from March 17, 2009 (Tuesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year One), when comments were based on earlier comments, including those of June 25, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from March 13, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year One), when comments were combined with revision and supplement from June 23, 2004 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), from March 1, 2005 (Tuesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year One), from June 26, 2005 (the Sunday closest to June 29, Year One), and from June 28, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two).

Paul continues to use Abraham as the primary example of justification/righteousness (dikaiosuvnh, dikaiosyne) not through the law but through faith, “For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith (dia; dikaiosuvnhV pivstewV, dia dikaiosynēs pisteōs)” (Rom. 4:13). Paul contrasts receiving the promise through the righteousness of faith with becoming “heirs” through adherence to the law. “If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void” (v. 14). Earlier in Romans chapter 4, the sequence of events in the Biblical story was the key to the argument (vv. 10-11); in the current reading sequence may still be a factor, but the decisive elements are the respective functions of law and grace. “For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation” (v. 15). But, “for this reason it [the promise] depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his [i.e. Abraham’s] descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham”(v. 16a). In a parenthetical explanation, Paul cites Genesis 17:5 to show that all of us, Gentiles as well as Jews, are descendants of Abraham: “for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations ( e[qnh, ethnē, often translated ‘Gentiles,’ e.g. 16:4)’ ” (vv. 16b-17a, in parentheses NRSV; cf. parentheses for v. 17a AV/KJV, and the longer text set off by dashes in TNIV). As Paul understood this promise, it applies to us as well, we who by faith in the promise are children of Abraham.

The faith that Paul is discussing is a faith in God’s promises for the future, including the future represented by the promised son Isaac. On the natural level, without a son, Abraham could not be “the father of many nations.” But Abraham believed in the promise, “in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (v. 17b). And so, “hoping against hope,” against impossible circumstances from the human point of view, Abraham “believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations,’ according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be’ ” (v. 18, citing Gen. 15:5).

The impossible circumstances, suggested by the words “hoping against hope” (v. 18), are spelled out. Abraham’s advanced age, and that of Sarah, make the hope of having a child through whom these descendants would come impossible from the human point of view, but Abraham “did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb” (v. 19). Specifically, he had faith in the promise of Isaac, which was as much as giving life to the dead, or calling into existence the things that do not exist (v. 17), because his body “was already as good as dead” and Sarah’s womb was barren (v. 19). If it is God who “gives life to the dead [and we might add, who in Paul’s lifetime has raised Jesus from the dead] and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (v. 17, cited above), then who would doubt that he will fulfill the promise of a son for Abraham and Sarah. “No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (vv. 20-21).

“Therefore,” says Paul, “his [Abraham’s] faith ‘was reckoned ( ejlogisqh, elogisthē, aorist [past] tense of logizomai, logizomai) to him as righteousness’ ” (v. 22, again citing Gen. 15:6; cf. Rom. 4:1-5, esp. v. 3). And Paul makes it clear that this applies to us as well as to Abraham. “Now the words, ‘it was reckoned ( ejlogisqh, elogisthē) to him,’ were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also” (vv. 23, 24a). This promise is available to us through Jesus Christ. Righteousness through faith “will be reckoned (logivzesqai, logizesthai, infinitive of logivzomai, logizomai) to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification” (vv. 24b, 25). We who come to God through the atoning work of Christ become heirs of Abraham and the promises to him, with particular reference to the hope of the resurrection, just as Abraham believed “in the God “who gives life to the dead” (v. 17).

For Paul here, the miracle of receiving Isaac from the dead, as it were, refers to the miracle of Isaac’s birth. The writer to the Hebrews has in mind the account of the sacrificing of Isaac–what the Jews call “the Binding of Isaac” (Gen. 22:1-19)–when he refers to Abraham’s receiving Isaac back as resurrection: “He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead–and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back” (Heb. 11:19). But, for Paul, the faith he describes is clearly based in the resurrection of Christ (Rom. 4:23-24, cited above).

Although Paul uses Abraham as the example and pattern for justification by faith, he does not refer to faith on Sarah’s part, but only mentions her as the passive partner (Rom. 4:19; cf. Heb. 11:11; contrast the inclusion of Jochebed [Ex. 6:20] in Heb. 11:23, “By faith Moses was hidden by his parents,” uJpo; tw:n patevrwn aujtou:, hypo tōn paterōn autou, lit. ‘by his fathers,’ but clearly the reference is to the actions of Moses’ mother, Exod. 2:2). Although Sarah’s laughter is chided when she overheard the promise to Abraham of a son (Gen. 18:9-15), it has been understood as joyous laughter mixed with some amazement. Abraham laughed earlier ( qH!74y09v1, wayyitschāq, v. 17; cf. Sarah’s laughter later, qH1c4T9v1, wattitschaq, Gen. 18:12) and also questioned the news, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?” (Gen. 17:17; cf. 18:12-13), but he was not chided. The pun on Isaac’s name is intended, for the name “Isaac” (qH!c4y9, Yitschāq) means “he laughs” (Gen. 17:19, NRSV note d, in the masculine form used with Abraham, v. 17). At the birth of Isaac, Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me” (Gen. 21:6), and expressed continued amazement (v. 7). A couple who taught music in a college where my wife and I were also teaching wrote and performed a song, a joyous song, “Sarah Laughed,” which celebrated Sarah’s rejoicing and enjoyment of her son Isaac.

Matthew 20:1-16

The Laborers in the Vineyard

20:1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matthew 20:1-16, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from November 26, 2009 (Thursday in the week of the Last Sunday after Pentecost, references for the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), when comments were repeated from November 9, 2008 (the Sunday closest to November 9, Year Two), when comments were repeated from November 29, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), when comments were repeated from November 12, 2006 (the Sunday closest to November 9, Year Two), when comments were repeated from June 28, 2006 (Wednesday of the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when they were combined and revised from earlier, from Wednesday, 23 June 2004 in an email sent June 21, 2003, for June 21-27, and from November 24, 2005 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23 Year One).

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16, found only in Matthew, follows Jesus’ discussion with his disciples, and with a questioner (“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” Mt. 19:16), about matters related to eternal life (Mt. 19:13-30). That discussion concluded with Jesus’ saying, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (v. 30; cf. Mk. 10:31, in a context similar to Matthew’s, and Lk. 13:30). This thought, repeated at the end of the parable (Mt. 20:15), seems to fly in the face of our logic and expectations. Why should those who worked only at twilight receive the same wage (a denarius) as those who worked all day (Mt. 10:8-10)? It would have been possible for the landowner to pay the workers based on their time worked. “Smaller coins existed,” say Elwyn E. Tilden and Bruce M. Metzger; “therefore payment could have been made on an hourly basis” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Mt. 20:9). Elsewhere, Tilden and Metzger say, “Penny, Greek ‘lepton,’ [was] the smallest Greek coin in circulation. There were two lepta to a quadrans (‘penny’ in Mt. 5:26; Mk. 12:42), eight to an assarion (‘penny’ in Lk. 12:6) and one hundred and twenty-eight to a denarius, the daily wage in Mt. 20:2” (ibid., on Lk. 12:59).

The parable compares “the kingdom of heaven” to “a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard” (Mt. 20:1). “Early,” say Tilden and Metzger, would be “approximately six a. m.” (ibid., on Mt. 20:1). We may be reminded of day workers lined up at various locations in Houston. The point of the parable, of course, is the initial agreement with the workers about the wage, and the way the payroll is handled at the end of the day. “After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage (dhnavrion, dēnarion, Latin denarius),” says Jesus, “he sent them into his vineyard” (v. 2). “A denarius,” says Dennis C. Duling, “was about enough to feed a large peasant family for one day” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on v. 2). “When he [i.e., the landowner], when out about nine o’clock (peri; trivthn w{ran, peri tritēn hōran, lit. ‘about the third hour [of the 12 hour daytime]’), he saw others standing idle in the marketplace” (v. 3). “Poor day laborers gathered in the marketplace,” says Duling, “hoping to find work” (ibid., on v. 3). So the landowner “said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went” (v. 4). “Whatever is right,” says Duling, means “whatever is just. No precise wage is stated (cf. v. 2)” (ibid., on v. 4). This act of adding laborers is repeated “about noon and about three o’clock” (peri; e{kthn kai; ejnavthn w{ran, peri hektēn kai enatēn hōran, lit. ‘about the sixth and ninth hour’) (v. 5). And finally, the landowner adds workers at the last hour of the day, so to speak. “And about five o’clock (peri; de; th;n eJndekavthn [w{ran], peri de tēn hendekatēn [hōran], lit. ‘about the ninth [hour]’) he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ ” (v. 6). There answer might seem to be obvious. “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard’ ” (v. 7). There are those, I suppose, who would accuse these of being lazy. Perhaps there was substantial unemployment (though the landowner had work for them).

But the point comes at the time for payment. “When the evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first’ ” (v. 8). “Evening,” says J. Andrew Overman, was when, “according to Jewish law (Lev. 19:;13; Deut. 24:14-15) laborers were to be paid on the same day as they had worked, before sundown” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mt. 20:8). The landowner’s procedure is methodical, “beginning with the last and then going to the first,” which may have been efficient, but clearly underscores the point of the parable. “When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage (dhnavrion, dēnarion, that is, a denarius)” (v. 9). The parable passes over those who came at 9:00 a.m., noon and 3:00p.m (i.e., the third, sixth, and ninth hours), to report on the “early birds,” who came at the beginning of the day. “Now when the first came,” says Jesus, “they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage ( [to;] ajna; dhnavrion, [to] ana dēnarion, lit. ‘a denarius each’)” (v. 10). The result of this action on the part of the landowner displeased these workers. “And when they received it [i.e., each his denarius], they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat’ ” (vv. 11-12). According to Overman, the statement, “ [you have] made them equal to us, presumes that justice requires distributing society’s goods in proportion to status and merit (see Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics 5.3-4)” (ibid., on v. 12). But the landowner “replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage (dhnavrion, dēnarion, that is, a denarius)?” (v. 13). “Friend,” says Duling, is “intended sarcastically (see 22:12; 26:50)” (ibid., on v. 13). On the word “agree,” he adds, “See v. 2” (ibid.). Clearly having the upper hand, the landowner says, “Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you” (v. 14). “The point of the parable,” say Tilden and Metzger, “is the willingness of the owner to exceed conventional practices, and his freedom to do so within the limits of agreement” (op. cit., on v. 14). “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” he asks. “Or are you envious because I am generous?” (v. 15). Although it might appear to be, Overman says that this is “not a general statement of economic rights, but rather an assertion of permission to exceed conventional expectation.” And he adds that “envious implies that the complaint is motivated by greed (Sir. 14:8-10)” (op. cit., on v. 15).

Whether we choose to agree with Overman’s observation may depend on whether we see the landowner as representing God in his sovereignty or rather see the parable as picturing an oppressive society in which the few control what becomes available to those living on mere subsistence. Our first reaction to the parable might be similar to that of the first workers hired, It’s so unfair! “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat” (v. 12). The parable is commonly interpreted as a picture of God’s dealing with his servants (i.e. us), and the conclusions drawn that though none of us deserve his grace, he freely gives to us more than we deserve beyond all measure (cf. comments by William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, The Daily Study Bible, v. 2, rev. ed. 1975, pp. 225-226, cf. pp. 221-226). Tilden and Metzger say, “The point of the parable is the willingness of the owner to exceed conventional practices, and his freedom to do so within the limits of agreement” (op. cit., on Mt. 20:14). In a sense, whatever God gives us is a gift, and we should not complain that others get more. A part of the Christian hope is that, for all of us, as we look ahead, there will be wonderful surprises. But questions have been raised as to whether the owner of the vineyard should be understood as representing God. Perhaps the disparity between the owner, who is able to act as he wishes, and the workers–all of them–who are at his mercy, highlights the condition of the working poor at that time. All of the workers, those who worked the whole day and those who worked for part of the day, including those who worked only the last hour, received “the usual daily wage” (Mt. 20:2, 9, 10, 13, cf. “whatever is right,” v. 4); but that was only a denarius, which, as noted above, according to J. Andrew Overman, was “enough to provide one day’s food for a family” (op. Cit., on Mt. 20:2). Perhaps the parable, like the one about the Dishonest Manager (Lk. 16:1-9) describes a hypothetical situation only in order to make a point. Is the point that in the Kingdom of God “many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Mt. 19:30; cf. 20:16)? Or is it a picture of disorder and inequality in the present world system, awaiting the coming of the kingdom to set things right?

Krister Stendahl sees the parable differently. The parable “is less concerned with Jesus and more with the reversal of order.” The parable “has its point” in verse 16, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Stendahl refers also to Mt. 19:30, “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprinted 1972, sec. 689 g, p. 799 on Mt. 20:1-16).

Nevertheless, Barclay finds important lessons here (based on understanding the owner of the vineyard as representing God):

It is in one sense a warning to the disciples. It is as if Jesus said to them, “You have received the great privilege of coming into the Christian Church and fellowship very early, right at the beginning. In later days others will come in. You must not claim a special honour and a special place because you were Christians before they were. All men, no matter when they come, are equally precious to God.” (op. cit., p 224).

He also sees “an equally definite warning to the Jews”:

They knew that they were the chosen people, nor would they ever willingly forget that choice. As a consequence they looked down on the Gentiles.Usually they hated and despised them, and hoped for nothing but their destruction. This attitude threatened to be carried forward into the Christian Church. If the Gentiles were to be allowed into the fellowship of the Church at all, they must come in as inferiors.

“In God’s economy,” as someone has said, “there is no such thing as a most favoured nation clause.” Christianity knows nothing of the conception of a herrenvolk, a master race. It may well be that we who have been Christian for so long have much to learn from those younger Churches who are late-comers to the fellowship of the faith. (ibid.)

Barclay adds further lessons: “the comfort of God” (p. 224), “the compassion of God.” “the generosity of God” (ibid., p. 225). He sums up with two lessons: “All service ranks the same with God,” and “All God gives is of grace. We cannot earn what God gives us; we cannot deserve it; what God gives us is given out of the goodness of his heart; what God gives us is not pay, but a gift; not a reward, but grace” (ibid., p. 226). “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is” (1 Jn. 3:2).

As noted above, for the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Episcopal Readings in the file for June 9, 2010, two weeks ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.
rdworden@hgst.edu
deanworden@comcast.net