Thematic Bible: Character of unrighteous
Thematic Bible
Employee » Character of unrighteous
Man born of woman, lives a short life that is full of trouble.
Verse Concepts
Listen to another illustration. A master of a house made a vineyard, and put a wall around it. He made a wine press and built a tower. Then he rented it to workers and traveled to another country. When the time for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the workmen, to get the fruit. The workmen attacked his servants, striking one with a stone and killing the other. read more.
He sent other servants more in number than the first. They did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'Certainly they will respect my son.' When the workmen saw the son, they said, 'Let us put him to death and take his heritage, for someday he will own this property.' They took him out of the vineyard and killed him. When the lord of the vineyard returns, what will he do to the workmen? They all said: He will put those cruel men to death. Then he will find other workmen who are worthy and who will give him fruit when it is ready.
He sent other servants more in number than the first. They did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'Certainly they will respect my son.' When the workmen saw the son, they said, 'Let us put him to death and take his heritage, for someday he will own this property.' They took him out of the vineyard and killed him. When the lord of the vineyard returns, what will he do to the workmen? They all said: He will put those cruel men to death. Then he will find other workmen who are worthy and who will give him fruit when it is ready.
Is this not the struggle of all humanity? A person's life is long and hard like that of a hired hand. It is like a worker who longs for the day to end, like a servant waiting to be paid. I am allotted months of futility, long and weary nights of misery.
So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired man.
Verse Concepts
The kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day. Then he sent them into his vineyard. He went out the third hour and saw others in the marketplace doing nothing. read more.
He said to them: 'Go to the vineyard with the others. I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went to work. He went out the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same. The eleventh hour, he saw others doing nothing. He asked: 'Why are you here all the day doing nothing?' They said: 'No man has given us work.' He told them to go work with the rest in the vineyard. When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: 'Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.' Those men who went to work at the eleventh hour were each given a penny. Those who worked longer, expected to be paid more. They were also given a penny. When they got it, they protested against the master of the house. They said: 'The last ones have done only one hour's work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.' He told them: 'I do you no wrong. You made an agreement with me for a penny. Take what is yours and leave. I wish to give to the last workers the same as to you. Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?'
He said to them: 'Go to the vineyard with the others. I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went to work. He went out the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same. The eleventh hour, he saw others doing nothing. He asked: 'Why are you here all the day doing nothing?' They said: 'No man has given us work.' He told them to go work with the rest in the vineyard. When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: 'Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.' Those men who went to work at the eleventh hour were each given a penny. Those who worked longer, expected to be paid more. They were also given a penny. When they got it, they protested against the master of the house. They said: 'The last ones have done only one hour's work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.' He told them: 'I do you no wrong. You made an agreement with me for a penny. Take what is yours and leave. I wish to give to the last workers the same as to you. Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?'
The hired man owns no sheep. He is not the shepherd. He sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep. The wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He leaves because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep.