What a contrast between our Gospel and Epistle (1 Corinthians 9:24 to 10:5) readings for today! The Apostle Paul speaks of the Christian life as an athletic competition, while in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, our Lord Jesus Christ rejects the idea of competition in the Kingdom of God. How should we understand this?
It's not that hard. According to Paul, the Christian life is one of self-discipline, preparation for the fight or the race. There is no room for laziness or indolence. However, the key to winning a race is not to worry about the runner on your left or right. The key is focusing on the finish line and the prize. The preparation is for endurance, perseverance, to finish race as quickly as you can, without fainting or falling.
Likewise, in the metaphor of a fight, our battle is not against our fellow human beings, rather against the devil and his angels, as our external opponents, and our own sinful nature as the opponent within. That is to say, our life on earth is one of trials, difficulties and temptation. Often the life of an unbeliever will seem easier, without trials and difficulties. But this kind of life is the course of least resistance because the devil is not worried about unbelievers. They have already lost the prize.
What is this prize? Eternal life with Christ. In fact, Christ already has won this prize for us on the cross, once for all time. But for us to realize the fulfillment of the promise of salvation in Christ, we must remain constant in the faith through the hearing of the Word and receving of the sacraments. The devil's work is to trick us into surrendering to our sinful nature. In this way, we may lose the prize, that is, the gift of eternal life.
In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, the gift of eternal life is the worker's wage. The owner of the vineyard went out early in the morning because in that time, workng hours were from six in the morning to six in the evening. What was his main concern? His grapes were ready to harvest and without enough workers to harvest them right away, he would lose his investment.
So the vineyard owner went out repeatedly to the town plaza to look for workers. He contracted with the first workers for one denarius for the whole day, the normal wage for hourly labor at that time. He offered to pay the rest "what was right."
That is to say the vineyard owner did not promise anyone more than one denarius. He did not trick anyone. At the end of the day, the vineyard owner was very happy to have harvested all of his crop, and feeling generous, he decided to pay everyone the full wage.
When of the first to be hired murmured against him, the vineyard owner said, "Friend, I am the boss, the owner of this vineyard. The property is mine, the money is mine. If I have enough to pay everyone the same wage, who are you to question my generosity and mercy?"
The workers' wage equals the prize of which the Apostle Paul speaks: eternal life with Christ. We receive eternal life as a gift from a merciful God. In truth, because of our sins, we deserve not eternal life, but eternal condemnation. We are justified by faith alone, and saved by grace alone.
Therefore there is no room in the Christian lfe fro pride or envy. The sure promise of God for all is for forgiveness of sins and no more. We cannot say we who have worked for years in the Lord's vineyard deserve more blessings that those who have been members of Christ's body for a shorter period of time. We all are equal in the kingdom of grace. We all are sinners and we all are justified to to the same degree as everyone else.
We have the same purpose and goal. So let us thank God for His mercy, making us righteous through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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