Can God's mercy contradict to His own justice ? (the vineyard story)?

Question

Matthew20:8—20:12

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. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house. 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.

Answer 1

I don't think you should have stopped there, but read the entire passage, which continued with:

13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

I guess, I am not seeing how this is contradictory with God's mercy or justice. Christ died for everyone. Our gift is salvation, and because of it, heaven's gates are opened.

In this parable, the "pay" is eternal life. Some of God's children are born into Christianity and they work through it their entire lives. Others are introduced into saving faith while they are mature adults. While still others only find Christ on their deathbed. We should not grumble because one person has been Christian longer than another and is therefore somehow entitled to a bigger chunk of heaven. It only matters, that we ARE Christian and when the day is done, God will pay us not what we earned (for the wage of sin is death) but what Christ has credited to us. Eternal life.

Answer 2

chuang tzu says that if a man in a boat were floating down a stream and was suddenly bumped into by another man in another boat, he would get mad and perhaps shout at the other or gruble and get frustrated. yet if a man floats down a stream in a boat and was suddenly bumped into by a boat with no one in it, he would probaly not be that concerned, but why would he say to make our own boats empty?

i think the story is more about the jealousies and resentments of the workers than it was giving equall pay to all, but i could be wrong, the men knew what their pay was going to be when they started the job, but they still got upset and jealous.

Answer 3

Hey it is a parable, a made up story..ITS NOT TRUE!!! Get over it, don't go reading it as a sign of God's judgement or intent, and more then the author of the "Chicken Soup" stories, represents the voice of mankind.

Answer 4

if there was a god ,god's mercy or even god's justice then one would have to incorporate mercy into and as part of justice for how can one claim justice anywhere without mercy.

Answer 5

NO, because before they accepted the work, they where told how much they where going to get paid.

Answer 6

I have no idea.