Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Afflictions » General references to
For I consider that our present sufferings do not deserve to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us [i.e., in the future life].
Verse Concepts
We are afflicted in every way, but are not crushed; [we are] perplexed, but not to the point of despair;
Verse Concepts
Afflictions » Man is born to
natural Death » Regard, as at hand
Distress » Sorrow » Common to all men
Employee » Character of unrighteous
"Listen to another parable [i.e., a brief story used to illustrate His teaching]: There was the owner of a farm who planted a vineyard and built a fence around it. He constructed a grape squeezing device, built a [lookout] tower [near it], leased it to tenant farmers and then went to another country. And when the season for harvesting the grapes approached, the owner of the farm sent his slaves to the tenant farmers to arrange for delivery of his crop. But the tenant farmers took the farm owner's slaves and beat one, killed another and stoned another. read more.
The owner of the farm then sent additional slaves and they were treated the same way. Then later on he sent his own son to the tenant farmers, saying, '[Surely] they will treat my son with respect.' But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir [to the vineyard]. Come on, let us kill him so we can take over his inheritance.' So, they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When the owner of the vineyard returns, what [do you think] he will do to those tenant farmers? They answered him, "He will bring terrible destruction on those evil men and will lease the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will deliver the crops to him each harvest time."
The owner of the farm then sent additional slaves and they were treated the same way. Then later on he sent his own son to the tenant farmers, saying, '[Surely] they will treat my son with respect.' But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir [to the vineyard]. Come on, let us kill him so we can take over his inheritance.' So, they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When the owner of the vineyard returns, what [do you think] he will do to those tenant farmers? They answered him, "He will bring terrible destruction on those evil men and will lease the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will deliver the crops to him each harvest time."
"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a farmer who went out early one morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer's pay for a day's work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to $60-$84 in 1994, based on $5-$7 an hour for a twelve hour day. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament]. He went out about nine o'clock in the morning and saw other unemployed laborers standing [around] in the open shopping market. read more.
He said to them, 'You men also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So, they went to work. [Then] he went out again about noon and again at three o'clock in the afternoon and made the same offer. [Finally] he went out [once more] at about five o'clock in the afternoon and found [still] other men standing around. He said, 'Why have you been standing around all day and not working?' They replied, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You men also may go to work in my vineyard.' And when evening came the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers [in] and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [one hired, then] to the first.' So, when those hired about five o'clock in the afternoon came in, each one received the usual pay for one full day's work. [See note on verse 2]. Then when those who were hired first came [to get paid], they expected to receive more money [than those hired later], but each one received the usual pay for one full day's work also. And when they received it, they complained to the farmer, saying, 'These men [you hired] last have worked only one hour and you gave them wages equal to ours when we carried the heaviest load of the day's work and [put up with] the scorching heat [all day long].' But he answered one of them, saying, 'Friend, I have not done anything wrong to you. Did you not agree with me to accept the usual pay for one full day's work? Take what belongs to you and go on your way. I want to give this last person [hired] the same wages I gave you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my own money? Or, is it that your eye is envious because I choose to be so generous?'
He said to them, 'You men also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So, they went to work. [Then] he went out again about noon and again at three o'clock in the afternoon and made the same offer. [Finally] he went out [once more] at about five o'clock in the afternoon and found [still] other men standing around. He said, 'Why have you been standing around all day and not working?' They replied, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You men also may go to work in my vineyard.' And when evening came the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers [in] and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [one hired, then] to the first.' So, when those hired about five o'clock in the afternoon came in, each one received the usual pay for one full day's work. [See note on verse 2]. Then when those who were hired first came [to get paid], they expected to receive more money [than those hired later], but each one received the usual pay for one full day's work also. And when they received it, they complained to the farmer, saying, 'These men [you hired] last have worked only one hour and you gave them wages equal to ours when we carried the heaviest load of the day's work and [put up with] the scorching heat [all day long].' But he answered one of them, saying, 'Friend, I have not done anything wrong to you. Did you not agree with me to accept the usual pay for one full day's work? Take what belongs to you and go on your way. I want to give this last person [hired] the same wages I gave you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my own money? Or, is it that your eye is envious because I choose to be so generous?'
The person who is [only] a hired hand, and not the shepherd, [and] who does not own the sheep [himself], sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. So, the wolf attacks the flock and scatters [the sheep]. [The reason] he runs away is because he is a hired hand and does not [really] care about the sheep.
natural Life » Described as » Short
natural Life » Described as » Full of trouble
Man » The days of man
Man » Man being born into trouble
Man » Has but few days
Select readings » The brevity of life
Sin » Mankind being sinful in nature
And you [Gentiles] were once [spiritually] dead because of your shortcomings and sins. You practiced such things when you lived according to the evil ways of this world, and according to the ruler of the [spiritual] powers of the air. [Note: This refers to Satan, whose influence permeates life around us]. He is the [evil] spirit who is now at work in people who are disobedient [to God]. All of us [Jews] also once lived among such people, fulfilling the improper cravings of our physical being and doing what our bodies and minds desired. In this natural [unconverted] state we were deserving of [God's] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind].
Trials » General references to
For I consider that our present sufferings do not deserve to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us [i.e., in the future life].
Verse Concepts
We are afflicted in every way, but are not crushed; [we are] perplexed, but not to the point of despair;
Verse Concepts