The Narrow Path Ministries

I am currently teaching through the parables. Two weeks ago I taught the parable of the talents and the parable of the minas/pounds. Yesterday I taught the parable of the workers paid equally. In between I spent a lot of time thinking about them and trying to reconcile them in my mind. I haven't listened to Steve's tapes on these parables yet, but I feel like I've made some progress in understanding them and wanted to see if anyone had some additional insights.

First, I believe we are saved
BY GRACE
Acts 15:11
Ephesians 2:5
2 Timothy 1:9
THROUGH FAITH
Luke 7:50
1 Timothy 2:15
Ephesians 2:8
THAT WORKS
James 2:14-19
James 2:20-24
Galatians 5:6

In interpreting the parable of the workers paid equally, we must determine whether it is focused on the GRACE, FAITH or WORKS component of our Christian lives. I believe the parable's of the talents/minas/pounds are focused on our works. Their theme is the activity (or inactivity) of the workers. This parable, in contrast, is focused on the generosity of the landowner. Therefore, I believe this parable is about grace. This theory accounts for why the workers in the former parables are given different rewards (since their levels of work were different) whereas the workers in the latter parable were all given the same pay (since they were all equally dependant on the giver's generosity).

I believe the work-day in the parable represents all of history, or at least the church age. The end of the day, when the workers are given their denarius, I believe that represents Judgment Day. We are all given, if we accepted Christ's employment offer, enough to make it past Judgment Day (we receive a 'Judgment Day's wages, if you will).

So this parable, to me, is about God's generosity which we all need equally whereas the talent/mina/pounds parables are about our works or lack thereof and the resultant levels of rewards in heaven.

Any thoughts? Correction?

It seems to me that all 3 aspects are employed in both parables.

The workers of the vineyard received a job for the day by the sheer graciousness of the owner. They had faith that they would be paid if they worked and therefore, they worked.

The two servants in the parable of the talents received gracious rewards because they were faithful and had in mind the interests of the master, working toward that end. The one received punishment because he lacked faithfulness, but was rather interested in saving his own hide. The one who does no work for his master, has no faith and therefore has no saving grace either.

I think the 3 are inseperable in both cases. But I think you might be right about the emphasis of each parable.

I always understood the "day" to represent an individual disciple's life time. Whether a person repented, and came under the authority of Christ early in life, and served him for many years, or whether a person repented in his last years, and served Christ only a few years, or months, or days, both individuals will receive the same wage---- one denarius, that is, permanent life with God. As long as a person is on the path to completion or perfection, and doesn't turn back from it, he is justified ---- whether he has served a short time, or a very long time.

Is my understanding way out in left field?

I agree Paidion. It can apply to individual lives. I think this parable, along with the thief on the cross, speaks most directly to the issue of 'death bed conversions'

thanks for the comments both of you

God bless

Christopher wrote:But I think you might be right about the emphasis of each parable.

I agree; but I would tend to disagree about the specifics of the workers in the vineyard. I think the workers who are paid what they are deserved represent the lost; those paid what they don't deserve (a whole days wage for a small part of the day) represent the redeemed.

We all deserve condemnation. Some get what they deserve, some (by God's grace) don't.