Message: The Owner of the Land / Mt. 20:1-16

Jesus’s parable about the Kingdom of God in today's Gospel reading may be difficult to understand from today’s perspective. The worker’s demand for more pay for longer hours seems reasonable and fair. Moreover, it can be challenging to understand the behaviour of the landowner who pays the latter workers first. However, if we look a little deeper into the historical background of Jesus’s time, the message of the gospel will be revealed brightly before us.

During Jesus' time, nearly 90% of Jewish people lived in rural areas and small towns, and most of them were involved in farming. However, the majority of them were peasants because their land was owned by the higher classes of the Roman Empire.

About 60 years before the birth of Jesus, Rome occupied Palestine, which led to radical changes in land ownership. All the land came under the control of the Roman Emperor, who distributed it to a few elites, nobles, and politicians. As a result, the most of Jews became poor peasants and some even slaves. Furthermore, they faced the burden of heavy taxes. They had to pay roughly 40% of their income in taxes every year.

In this bleak situation, Jesus' parable conveyed a message of hope, serving as a reminder to the Jews about who the true owner of the land was. In particular, the landowner in the parable probably offered the opportunity to recall the love and care of God the Creator, as reflected in the Law that they received from God a long time ago. 

After the Exodus from Egypt, God gave the Hebrews the Law, which guided them to live in harmony with both people and creatures in their new land. They equally shared the land except for the Levites, who were tasked with performing ritual duties. Although the exact size of the land allocated to each of them is not known, it was large enough for their living (Leviticus 25:19). During this period, every household owned land, so there were no peasants or labourers.

What is most interesting is the regulations about the sabbatical year and Jubilee. According to the Law, they must refrain from farming in the seventh year, known as the sabbatical year. During this year, the produce from the field must be the food for the socially disadvantaged, as well as livestock, and wild animals (Leviticus 25:7).

Moreover, every 50th year, which follows seven cycles of seven years, is to be observed as a Jubilee. The central aspect of the Jubilee is the redistribution of land. Some people may encounter unexpected disasters or become involved in criminal activities, leading to the sale or loss of their land. Over time, this could result in a wealth imbalance where fewer people own more and more land. To prevent this kind of situation, the Law mandates that each individual return to their original land every 50 years. (Leviticus 25:10) 

Regarding today’s text, the most significant part of the Law is the regulation on how to treat those without land before the Jubilee. The Bible says: “If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you, you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you” (Leviticus 25:35-36).

The Hebrew word “אָח” (ah), translated here as kin, does not just mean blood relatives but also means individuals from one’s own tribe or other Israelites. In other words, according to the Law, landowners must support those without land by allowing them to work on their property. In this regard, the relationship between a landlord and a worker under the Law is different from the modern concept of the employer-employee relationship governed by an employment contract.

These regulations are based on faith as shown in the following verse: “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants. (Leviticus 25:23) The true owner of the land is God. No one can claim ownership of the land as God's representative. The land is God's gift to everyone and all creation. As God's steward, we are the tenants of the land not only for our families but also for the poor and the living creatures.

The landowner in today’s text is a person who put into practice God's hope and love revealed in the Law. He provides an opportunity for those without land to work in his vineyard and ensures that all workers receive an equal wage, sufficient for their daily living. His intent is not to employ workers for his own gain or prosperity. Instead, he stands as a supporter who shares God’s grace and care with those who are in despair, enabling them to face another day. 

 The landowner goes to the market at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and each time he meets people who are looking for a job (v. 7). This means that other landlords did not provide job opportunities to them. Based on this observation, we can also infer that the later workers likely came from more distant locations. Initially, they might have sought a job near their residences, but when things didn't work out, they had no choice but to go farther and farther away. They desperately needed a daily wage, so they couldn't give it up even into the late afternoon. Imagine how those who couldn't find work by 5 o'clock felt like. They must have been in deep despair and helplessness. As they thought of their families waiting for them at home, an overwhelming sadness would have engulfed them. At that moment, the compassionate landowner approached them and extended an opportunity for the job. 

We can see the landowner’s generosity once more at the end of the story. The landowner provides wages earlier to those who started to work late. Why? Because they have to travel longer distances to return home. He shows consideration for those who came from afar. In this way, the last becomes first. With a heart like God's, the landowner shows greater compassion to those in need.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) said, “Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” In the kingdom of the Roman Emperor, the land was for the privileged few. To them, land was not a gift but merely a tool for their own greed. Even though the Roman Empire collapsed long ago, many people have continued to exploit labour, violate human dignity, and destroy the creation for the sake of their own empire. There have also been times when our United Church lost sight of its duty as a faithful steward of God and made mistakes. The Orange Shirt story serves a valuable message that makes us reflect on our past.

It is evident that we cannot and do not need to adhere to the biblical laws regarding land literally. The covenant was bestowed as a gift to the Hebrew people thousands of years ago, who lived in a different economic, cultural, and ecological context than ours today. Nevertheless, the vision of God the Creator for the world, as articulated in the Law, should find fulfillment today through our prayers and actions.

We have to hold the hands of those who are struggling due to gloomy economic and political circumstances, especially those who are facing financial and housing challenges stemming from wars and global inflation. Our calling is to share God’s peace and grace with those who find themselves in despair and loneliness. We need to convey God's care to them, saying, “It’s not your fault. It is not because you're not capable. You are God’s masterpiece created in God’s image. God, our true landowner, will never forget you. God, who makes the last to the first, is focusing on you at the moment. For God and us, you are more precious than anyone else.”

God is calling us to be faithful stewards and compassionate landowners. God is calling our church to be a sanctuary where the marginalized can experience God's presence. Now is the time for us to respond to this divine call.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

The Third Sunday in Creation Time / September 24, 2023

South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Rev. Min Hwang

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