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Lesson Six                                  

The Parable of the Workers

                                 in the vineyard

Introduction

Do you ever feel like you harder than others? How do you feel when your boss (teacher, parents)doesn’t seem to notice?

Selected reading

Matthew 19:30; 20:1-16; Ephesians 2:8-9

【Mat19:30】 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
然而有许多在前的将要在后，在后的将要在前。

【Mat20:1】 'For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.
因为天国好像家主，清早去雇人，进他的葡萄园作工。
【Mat20:2】 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
和工人讲定一天一钱银子，就打发他们进葡萄园去。
【Mat20:3】 'About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.
约在巳初出去，看见市上还有闲站的人。
【Mat20:4】 He told them, `You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.'
就对他们说，你们也进葡萄园去，所当给的，我必给你们。他们也进去了。
【Mat20:5】 So they went. 'He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.
约在午正和申初又出去，也是这样行。
【Mat20:6】 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, `Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
约在酉初出去，看见还有人站在那里。就问他们说，你们为什么整天在这里闲站呢？
【Mat20:7】  '`Because no one has hired us,' they answered. 'He said to them, `You also go and work in my vineyard.'
他们说，因为没有人雇我们。他说，你们也进葡萄园去。
【Mat20:8】  'When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, `Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
到了晚上，园主对管事的说，叫工人都来，给他们工钱，从后来的起，到先来的为止。
【Mat20:9】  'The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.
约在酉初雇的人来了，各人得了一钱银子。
【Mat20:10】 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.
及至那先雇的来了，他们以为必要多得。谁知也是各得一钱。
【Mat20:11】 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.
他们得了，就埋怨家主说，
【Mat20:12】 `These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, `and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
我们整天劳苦受热，那后来的只做了一小时，你竟叫他们和我们一样吗？
【Mat20:13】 'But he answered one of them, `Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?
家主回答其中的一人说，朋友，我不亏负你。你与我讲定的，不是一钱银子吗？
【Mat20:14】 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.
拿你的走吧。我给那后来的和给你一样，这是我愿意的。
【Mat20:15】 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
我的东西难道不可随我的意思用吗？因为我作好人，你就红了眼吗？
【Mat20:16】 'So the last will be first, and the first will be last.'
这样，那在后的将要在前，在前的将要在后了。（有古卷在此有因为被召的人多，选上的人少）

【Eph2:8】 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信，这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的。
【Eph2:9】 not by works, so that no one can boast.
也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。

Questions for discussion

1.      In this parable, what does Jesus compare the Kingdom of heaven to? (Matthew 20:1)

2.      What did the landowner agree to pay the men he hired first? (Matthew 20:2) What did he agree to pay those he hired later on during the day? (Matthew 20:3-7)

3.      Why do you think the landowner gave identical wages to all the workers? (Matthew 20:8-10)

4.      How did those who had been hired first react to this? Why do you think they were unhappy? (Matthew 20:11-12)

5.      What was the landowner’s response to toe grumbling workers? (Matthew 20:13-15) Do you think he was unjust or generous?

6.      What do you think this teaches us about God’s Kingdom? What does it teach us about God’s grace?

7.      Read Ephesians 2:8-9. What does this have to say about God’s generosity?

A time to reflect

1. How would you have felt if you had been one of those hired first? Last?

2. Do you ever resent God’s generosity to others?

3. Are you grateful for the grace God has shown to you?