The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, September 21st: Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Matthew 20:1-16)

NEVER TOO LATE FOR WORKERS IN THE VINEYARD

This week’s gospel reading is the parable of the “workers in the vineyard.” As Jesus told the story, a landowner hired men early in the morning to work in his vineyard. Then throughout the day the landowner kept hiring addition workers and sent them to work also. At the end of the day the owner paid the guys who worked only an hour or two a full day’s wage. When the men who had been working all day received the same pay, they were quite upset.

The landowner replied to their grumbling, “I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?….Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?”

Then Jesus summed up the parable: “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

The standard interpretation is that this parable is a metaphor for eternal salvation. Someone who puts his faith in Christ at a young age and then lives a godly Christian life for many decades will receive eternal life. Another person might live a sinful, godless life for many decades, but then experience a “death bed conversion” and ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness moments before dying. This person will receive the exact same thing as the other person: eternal life in Heaven.

If someone complains that this arrangement is unfair, Jesus probably would reply, “Am I not free to do as I wish with my gift of eternal life? Are you envious because I am loving and merciful and generous?”

Scripture is very clear that our immortal souls will spend eternity in one of two places: either Heaven or Hell; either the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Satan. There are no other options. And Scripture is very clear that we can choose our eternal fate at any time during our lives—but not a moment after we die. By then it will be too late.

Jesus told this parable to encourage us. I suspect most people who bother to read this parable and take it to heart already believe that Jesus is Lord. (I say this because I don’t know of anyone who spends a lot of time reading the Bible and meditating on the words of Christ, but who is an unbeliever.) So I think the encouragement Jesus offers us with this parable is not so much for ourselves, but for our loved ones. If you’re like me, you probably have a bunch of friends and loved ones who fall into one of three different categories: 1) atheist, 2) agnostic, or 3) sort-of-believe-but-too-busy-to-think-about-it-right-now.

This parable encourages us to keep praying that our loved ones will see the light someday. As long as they’re still breathing, they have a shot at Heaven. As long as they believe and repent and ask for the Lord’s mercy—even if it’s done with their very last breath—they will receive the full wage: eternal life in Heaven. I don’t know about you, but that truth comforts me…a lot.

Oftentimes the parables Jesus told have multiple interpretations. I’m not sure if the following interpretation is “standard” or not, but I was thinking about it the other day. In the Bible the image of a vineyard is often used to signify the kingdom of God. And the workers often signify believers who are doing God’s work on earth, including and especially the work of bringing new people into the kingdom.

Possibly the parable this week not only refers to people who come to believe in Jesus late in life—the standard interpretation—but also refers to believers who have never evangelized and who start to do it late in life.

Many, many people sincerely believe that Jesus is Lord, and have wholeheartedly put their faith in Him. But these people never, ever share their faith with others. They are convinced that particular job should be done by the professionals: priests, preachers, pastors, nuns, deacons, evangelists, and Billy Graham.

The old expression, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” possibly indicates that the more time passes the less likely people will change their ingrained habits and begin to share their faith with others.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe Jesus is saying to us this week, “Hey, it’s never too late to get in the game. There’s no age limit. There’s no retirement village here. I don’t care how old you are or how little time you have left here on earth, everyone can pitch in and help spread the Good News.”

I suspect Jesus is just as pleased with a person age 82 who shares the Gospel with a friend for the first time ever, as He is with someone who goes to Bible College and preaches the Good News for decades beginning at age 22.

As this week’s gospel reading tells us, both workers will receive a full reward. Why? Because Jesus is unfair? No, it’s because Jesus is loving and merciful and generous.

OK, that’s enough chit-chat. Let’s get to work.

©2008