Post by Josh on Feb 8, 2007 20:41:53 GMT -8
12/26/05:
Ah, mom always said "life isn't fair!"
Here's the perennial parable for the justice-obsessed (not, not Justus-obsessed-- well, maybe).
I think it's a great example of how Scripture can have so many meaningful layers. Of course initially it's a parable about God welcoming the Jewish sinners and the Gentiles into his kindgom of a later date, anticpating all of the hostility that would generate among the traditional Jews.
But think of how much it applies to questions like, "How could __________ really be forgiven on death row?" or "What about me?? I've been faithful all these years and he _________________!"
I have to wonder, however (going back to the original intent), if the 'sinners' and Gentiles are in view in verse 7 (the eleventh hour), then what does that say about Jesus' perspective on the nearness of Paytime? It seems He thought it was coming quite quick.
Is this Paytime not the final Judgment, but the beginning of Christ's kingdom in the 1st Century? That might make sense, because they are all given a denarius, and later we have parables about what different people do with the money entrusted to them. They are then later 'judged' in relation to what they have done with done with the money.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't think "midnight" here means the end of the world and final judgment.
In fact, one might say, it means the beginning of the Kingdom.
One other side note: my cousin Marcus and I were discussing this verse in relation to the Lion, the Witch,and the Wardrobe:
In verse 20:28: The Son of Man [came] to give his life as a ransom for many.
Who exactly was this ransom being paid to?
Ah, mom always said "life isn't fair!"
Here's the perennial parable for the justice-obsessed (not, not Justus-obsessed-- well, maybe).
I think it's a great example of how Scripture can have so many meaningful layers. Of course initially it's a parable about God welcoming the Jewish sinners and the Gentiles into his kindgom of a later date, anticpating all of the hostility that would generate among the traditional Jews.
But think of how much it applies to questions like, "How could __________ really be forgiven on death row?" or "What about me?? I've been faithful all these years and he _________________!"
I have to wonder, however (going back to the original intent), if the 'sinners' and Gentiles are in view in verse 7 (the eleventh hour), then what does that say about Jesus' perspective on the nearness of Paytime? It seems He thought it was coming quite quick.
Is this Paytime not the final Judgment, but the beginning of Christ's kingdom in the 1st Century? That might make sense, because they are all given a denarius, and later we have parables about what different people do with the money entrusted to them. They are then later 'judged' in relation to what they have done with done with the money.
I guess what I'm saying is I don't think "midnight" here means the end of the world and final judgment.
In fact, one might say, it means the beginning of the Kingdom.
One other side note: my cousin Marcus and I were discussing this verse in relation to the Lion, the Witch,and the Wardrobe:
In verse 20:28: The Son of Man [came] to give his life as a ransom for many.
Who exactly was this ransom being paid to?