Audio Download

Matthew 20:1–34 The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

[Study Aired September 8, 2025]

Today we shall review the parable of the laborers in the Lord’s vineyard. In this study, we shall also take a look at Jesus foretelling of His death for the third time in this Gospel of Matthew. The latter part of the study focuses on John and James’ mother’s request for Jesus to let her children sit on His right and left side of His throne. The study ends with the healing of the two blind men that Jesus met after leaving Jericho. 

Laborers in the Vineyard

Mat 20:1  For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 
Mat 20:2  And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 

The householder is God the Father who works through His son Jesus Christ. Therefore, we can say that Jesus is the householder who is inviting people to come and work in His vineyard. The vineyard signifies the house of Israel, which means the Lord’s children. 

Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

The laborers represent those who are called by the Lord to help His children to know Him. Although it is the Lord who does the work of making us come to know Him, He does it through those He had called and chosen. The work of the laborers is therefore to reap the harvest. 

Luk 10:2  Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 

Reaping the harvest means that the work of preparing the soil (our hearts) had been done, and the sowing and growing of the seeds had taken place. What is needed is harvesting the fruits. That means making known to God’s people what it takes to become His children.

It is instructive to note that the Lord is hiring labourers in every generation after His creation. Those hired early in the morning represent the Lord’s messengers until the time of the people of Israel in Egypt. These laborers or messengers included Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph as demonstrated in Hebrews chapter 11 which deals with the men of faith from the beginning of creation. 

Heb 11:4  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. 
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 

Now let’s turn our attention to what these messengers were promised by the Lord – they were going to receive a penny a day. This penny a day was for their subsistence and not the reward or the joy that is set before us. Those laborers who were called last were the first to receive the penny a day. The last set of laborers are those who came to believe in Jesus Christ. This gives us a clue as to what the penny a day means. All the Lord’s messengers before Christ were not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. 

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

From the word of the Lord, the penny a day therefore refers to everlasting life as shown in the following verse:

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Everlasting life is what makes us know Christ, that is, to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.   

We, His elect are the Lord’s workers who received everlasting life first. That is to say that we are given to know the only true God and Jesus Christ. All the other laborers of the Lord’s vineyard shall also be given everlasting life to come to know Christ later. This will be done through us.

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Mat 20:3  And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 
Mat 20:4  And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 
Mat 20:5  Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 

The laborers called on the third hour represent the Moses, Aaron, Joshua, etc. who were called during the time that the Israelites were undergoing suffering during their sojourn in Egypt. The number three represents the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment. The people of Israel were going through suffering as part of the process the Lord uses to bring them to Himself.  

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. 

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.  

The sixth hour represents the period in the life of the people of Israel where they lived as mere men. As we are aware, the number six is the number of mankind. The sixth hour therefore signifies the time that the Israelites settled in the land of Canaan until the captivity of Babylon. The messengers sent during this period represent those sent in the sixth hour.

Isa 1:2  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 
Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 
Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 

Jdg 21:25  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. 

The Lord’s messengers or laborers during this period were Gideon, Sampson, David, Isaiah, etc.

Heb 11:32  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: 
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 

The number nine signifies the Lord’s judgment, and therefore the ninth hour shows us the period stretching from the time the Lord came to judge the people of Israel and Judah who were taken captives by their conquerors until the coming of John the Baptist. The Lord’s messengers or laborers during this period included Jeremiah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Malachi, John the Baptist, etc. 

Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 
Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 
Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 

Mat 20:6  And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 
Mat 20:7  They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 

The number eleven refers to the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh. It is we, His elect, whose flesh is being destroyed by the Lord’s judgment of our old man. The laborers called at the eleventh hour therefore signify all of the Lord’s elect in every generation after John the Baptist, who are being judged in this age for the destruction of their old man or flesh. We are the last to be called to serve the Lord. When the Lord came to appoint us as His laborers, we were lying idle in the churches of this world and therefore were not worthy to be hired in the service of the Lord. However, the Lord showed us mercy  by calling and choosing us.

Mat 20:8  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 
Mat 20:9  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 
Mat 20:10  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 
Mat 20:11  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 
Mat 20:12  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 
Mat 20:13  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 
Mat 20:14  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 
Mat 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  

The laborers who were called at the eleventh hour were the first to receive a penny each. As indicated earlier, the penny a day represents the everlasting life which is what the Lord has given first to us, His elect, so that we can know Christ. All of the Lord’s laborers shall also receive this everlasting life in the fullness of time so that they can also know Christ. 

To the carnal mind, we may think that the Lord has not been fair to our co-laborers in the Lord since they had worked all day long and we, His elect, just came in the eleventh hour and received the same penny a day first. We can see that we, His elect, have been favored by the Lord. 

Joh 4:36  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 
Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 

The truth of the matter is that the Lord has the prerogative to do what He wants to do with His creation, and therefore we cannot fault Him for favoring us, His elect.  

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

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

This verse is the conclusion of the fact that we, His elect, are first to receive everlasting life. We are therefore the few who are called and chosen in this age. What a privilege that the Lord has bestowed on us to be called His sons in this age!!

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

Mat 20:17  And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 
Mat 20:18  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 
Mat 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again. 

It is when we begin to know who Christ is in the spirit that we are given to know about the suffering Jesus endured resulting in the destruction of His flesh. Being raised the third day means that Jesus went through the process of spiritual maturity through judgment and is the first man to be resurrected after death. His resurrection was what made Him perfect. 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

As He is, so are we. We are also going through this process of spiritual maturity through judgment as our flesh or old man is gradually being destroyed. This destruction of our flesh is what guarantees the fact that we shall be perfected when we are raised from the dead during the first resurrection. 

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

The devil wants us to reject the idea of suffering which is the requirement for the death of our flesh and our being raised on the third day. In a way, he had been successful in deceiving us during our time in the churches of this world, when we taught that Jesus has already suffered for us and therefore we are not meant to suffer. Without suffering and death of our flesh in this age, there is no first resurrection.   

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

A Mother’s Request

Mat 20:20  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. 
Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. 
Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 

The mother of John and James coming to Jesus to worship Him was to present her request to Jesus regarding her two sons. She wanted her sons to sit on thrones with Christ in the fullness of time. The mother of John and James represents the church system of this world or Babylon who wants to reign with Christ but does not have an inkling as to what we have to go through to reign with Him. 

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 
Luk 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 

John and James being two means they signify the Lord’s witnesses. As the Lord’s witnesses or elect, we were in Babylon before He came to us to drag us to Himself. During our time in Babylon, we were not given to know that we were to drink the cup that Jesus drunk and to be baptized with the same baptism of Jesus. In other words, we did not know that to reign with Christ, we must fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh for His body’s sake. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

This affliction is the Lord’s judgment of our old man or flesh, which is the cup we must drink and the baptism we must undergo in this age. John and James saying to Jesus that they were capable of drinking from this cup and being baptized with the same baptism of Christ shows our state when we were in Babylon. We had confidence in the capability of our flesh. However, it takes the Lord’s spirit to show us that of ourselves, we can do nothing.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.    

In verse 23, the Lord saying that John and James shall indeed drink of His cup and be baptized with His baptism implies that John and James were the Lord’s elect who were destined to be judged in this age. 

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 

Jesus also made it clear to us in verse 23 that it is God the Father, who determines who should sit on thrones with Christ. The Lord’s elect are those called and chosen before the foundations of this world to sit on thrones with Christ to reign over the nations and to judge the world in an age to come. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 

Mat 20:24  And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 

As indicated in previous studies, the disciples of Christ were not converted when they were with Christ during the Lord’s ministry here on earth. It was after His death that the disciples became converted. 

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 

This implies that the disciples were carnal or ruled by the flesh. An indication of this was their anger because of John and James’ discussion with Christ about sitting on thrones with Him.  

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

Jesus used the occasion to show us some of the principles of the kingdom of God. As we are aware, our earthly leaders bear rule over us as we serve them. However, in the kingdom of God, those who want to be leaders must rather serve the brethren. Our Lord Jesus set an example for us to follow, by humbling Himself to the status of a servant for our sake. Our brother Paul also followed the same example by becoming a servant in order to gain the more.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 
Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

1Co 9:19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  

Humbling ourselves and serving the Lord’s people is not what we see in the churches of this world. The leaders behave just like the leaders of this world who bear rule over the people. 

Jesus Heals Two Blind Men

Mat 20:29  And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 
Mat 20:30  And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 
Mat 20:31  And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 
Mat 20:32  And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 
Mat 20:33  They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
Mat 20:34  So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. 

These verses recount how the Lord has shown mercy to us, His elect. The two blind men represent the Lord’s witnesses when we were minding our own business and were spiritually blind. Through the multitude, which signify the church system of this world or Babylon, we heard about our Lord Jesus Christ as shown in verse 30.  However, we faced great opposition from our brothers and sisters in Babylon, when we wanted to see Him as He is. Here we see that the key role of the church system of this world is to keep the Lord’s people blind as shown by their opposition to the two blind men from getting close to the Lord. However, if we are called and chosen, then like the two blind men, the more we are frustrated by the church system of this world from seeing Christ, the more we raise our voice to Him to show us mercy. This mercy we have received is at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon as shown in the following verses:

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

In the fullness of time, the Lord in His mercy, came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. The brightness of the Lord’s coming is His opening our eyes to see and our ears to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 

In verses 32 and 33, the Lord asking us about what we want Him to do for us and our response being that we want to see, is to show us what the Lord is doing in this age. He is opening the eyes of His elect in this age so that we can see and hear the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 

In verse 34, we can see that it is the Lord’s compassion on the two blind men which moved Him to open their eyes. It is this compassion, which has kept us in Him to date and will continue to keep us until we are perfected by the first resurrection. 

Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.  

Amen!!