What Can We Say. Patricia Datchuck Sánchez writes:

“Like most scriptural texts, this parable also should be evaluated and appreciated with regard for its various levels of development. At its initial or basic level, the parable defended Jesus’ missionary methodology of reaching out to extend the blessings of the kingdom to tax collectors and sinners. Whereas his contemporaries believed these to be pariah with no claim to salvation, Jesus’ words and works indicated that sinners were not only on equal footing with the righteous but were in fact the ones to whom God manifested special love and mercies.” Continue reading →

¹ “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.  ² After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.  ³ Going out about nine o‘clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,  ⁴ and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’  ⁵ So they went off. (And) he went out again around noon, and around three o‘clock, and did likewise.  ⁶ Going out about five o‘clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’  ⁷ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’  Continue reading →

Long (Matthew, Westminster Bible Companion) writes concerning the rich man story, which also applies to our text: “… we must realize that, when the young man encounters Jesus, two very different worlds collide: this world, with all its prevailing customs and values, and the radical new way of life called for in the kingdom of heaven.” [p. 220]

This radical life comes at a price. Peter understands that and so he asks, “what about us who have already given up everything,” Jesus points to the life within the kingdom and then concludes that the called-for reversal will also be evident in the order of blessing on entering the kingdom: “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mt 19:30) Continue reading →

¹ “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.  ² After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard….

In the Matthean narrative we are firmly ensconced in the midst of Jesus’ instructions, not of the crowds, but of the disciples, preparing them for not only his death and resurrection, but also for their mission to world. In other words Jesus is preparing them to be disciples – and preparing them to serve the new People of God being formed. Continue reading →