Power and Purpose

Septuagesima 2020

Rev. Stephen E. Stults

St. Paul’s Anglican Church

Feb. 9, 2020

Our Gospel selection from Matthew 20 is a powerful and purposeful statement about God.  It tells us, in a way that is counter to our earthly mindset, how God operates.  It also gives us a hint of the unspeakable glory and mercy of God.  It may remind one of Isa. 55:8, when the LORD informed Israel: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” In fact, if a person does not possess the enlightening Spirit of God, one might be tempted to judge God according to our standards, rather than the opposite.

In the parable, Christ tells us about the “the Householder” who hires workers for his vineyard. He hires some early in the morning, agreeing with them for a denarius, which was the standard daily wage in ancient times.  He then returns to the marketplace and hires others until he has hired workers for the entire day, even up to the last hour of the day. Each time he hires them, he tells them “Whatsoever is right I will give you.”

It was the custom in ancient Israel for the landowner or employer of day labor to pay his workers at the end of each day; not to do so was considered a grievous offense.  The prophets decried those who kept back the laborers due by defraud or waited until the morning to pay their help. Recalling that the most workers were living literally hand-to-mouth, this daily wage would provide funds for supper or for lodging for that day. Being unfair here was not only deceitful, but it was also cruel as an unjust employer might deprive his workers of their daily food.

Christ often used parable language to teach, as we all know. He did that so those for whom His word was designed would speak to their soul, while others, who did not have a mind for God, would simply disregard his message.  Thus, as always in the parables, we need to examine the various characters in the story to gain the maximum understanding of it.  We will also realize the genius of God’s Word and its ability to communicate with us on several levels simultaneously.

 First, we recognize that the “Householder” is God, who manages his “vineyard” with great care, even seeing to its administration personally.  This parable is proof text that tends to invalidate the concept of the Deist God. Recall that this idea, which was very popular in the 18^th century, claimed that God created the world and then let it run, like a watch, while He gazed on it with benign indifference.  We believe that this parable rather shows the opposite, as we see God intimately involved with the details of His world.  Note however, that it still allows for the mysteries of free will at the same time. 

We also note that the vineyard symbolizes the world.  It also encompasses Israel.  Our Lord often used the concept of vineyards allegorically to represent Israel, as in the two vineyard parables in Matthew 21. which also echo the first chapter of the prophet Isaiah. In Matthew 21, our Lord told the parable of the two sons assigned to work in the vineyard, and then He related the parable of the vineyard, created by a tenant king, who later sends his servants to receive its produce. 

Using Israel as a vineyard was to demonstrate that it was something special and precious to the Lord; it presented a stark contrast to Israel’s ingratitude in return.  You may be aware of the great amount of work it takes to run a successful vineyard. First, the grapes must be planted, pruned, and nurtured to maturity.  After that, comes the laborious harvest and the processing of the grapes into juice.  Then, the fermentation and the long aging process which eventually produces drinkable wine.  It is very labor and time intensive.  Eventually, with sound management and stewardship, good wine is produced.  We Christians see the obvious analogy in our lives.  God the Great Vintner plants us, prunes us, and matures us over time with His Holy Spirit.  If we are “good soil”, we are expected to produce good fruit, which is expressed in the time, treasure and talent we return to God in His Church and in the daily outliving of the Christian existence here on earth.

The crux of the parable occurs when the time comes to “settle up.”    In this case, each worker comes for his wage and each receives a penny.  From the ones hired first to the ones hired last, each receives the same amount.  This is where the parable runs counter to our expectations as humans and our preconceived notions of justice.  Perhaps we can identify with the workers hired first. They have worked all day and yet see the ones hired in the last hour paid the same as they.  They feel a burning sense of injustice and begin to complain. In the calm way of those who are just, the householder says to them, in Mat 20:13-14: “But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.”

Two things happen here: first, he confronts the workers with the just agreement that they made with him at the beginning, “didst not thou agree with me for a penny?”  Next, he declares his sovereignty over the situation by saying: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” This statement declares God’s absolute sovereignty over His Creation.  As Lord Acton once said, “Man proposes, God disposes.” Thus we have man’s ideas of fairness contrasted with God’s benevolent authority.  Man creates ideas of justice, while God dispenses actual justice.

Looking deeper into this parable, it goes much further.  This story speaks to us about the very nature of grace and salvation itself.  If it were not so, those who labor in the Christian way all their life and lead blameless lives would expect more salvation than those called in old age, or even on their deathbed. We must avoid that mindset.  Our works do not save us, only the mediating work of Jesus Christ.  God in His mercy grants to all those called in His Grace eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. 

On this Septuagesima Sunday, we are now on the threshold of that blessed and solemn season of Lent. There is no better time to get our spiritual house in order. We have passed through the joyous and busy times of Christmas and Epiphany, celebrating the Incarnation and Birth of our Lord and Savior.  Now, it is time to reflect on the deep mysteries of Christ’s ministry of salvation for us, accomplished on the Cross.  We will reflect on our own unworthiness as well, while prayerfully making progress towards the solemn days of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.   

As Christ Himself promised us in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  Peace in this world is an illusion.  Life is a struggle. Yet, in the midst of all of it, we Christians can have peace, true, deep abiding peace, because He who is greater than we has already won the battle.  In Him is our confidence, our joy, our rest and our eternal salvation.

Mat 20:16: “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”

AMEN