This morning we heard another parable from Jesus beginning with “the kingdom of God is like ….” (Actually, the text says “the kingdom of Heaven is like ….” This is because Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience who did not say or write the word “God.” I will use “the kingdom of God is like ….”) Anyhow, this parable is about vineyard workers being hired in the marketplace. But the Gospel of Matthew is full of parables beginning with “The kingdom God is like … “: it is like a mustard seed; or yeast mixed with dough; or a pearl of great value; or it is like a king who settles his accounts with his servants; a treasure buried in a field; and on and on. Some of these parables are sometimes interpreted in such a way that they become allegorical … equating God to one of the characters in the parable. However, I believe they are simply parables … conversation starters to explore what the “kingdom of God” really is.
