In writing about Christ Jesus' teaching concerning the kingdom of God, or its equivalent, the kingdom of heaven, Charles Foster Kent says: "Jesus illustrated the characteristics of the kingdom of God by a wealth of figures and parables. To no subject did he devote greater attention" (The Life and Teachings of Jesus, p. 161).
About eighty times in the Gospel record Jesus alludes to this kingdom, and although he appears never to have precisely defined it, his remarkably varied approaches to the subject indicate vividly something of its nature and importance. In colorful, illustrative language he rounds out the picture in such a way as to show its "citizens" not only their place in that kingdom but also its vital place in their experience. Again and again he returned to this core of his message, taking the grains of truth found in the ancient hopes of his people, cultivating and enriching them, and bringing out fresh spiritual meaning for all ages to come.
Matthew continues his record of Jesus' teaching about the kingdom with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (20: 1-16). If this parable is taken as the account of a mere monetary transaction, the explanation is not simple. However, when we analyze it in terms of qualities —of faith and spiritual values—we find a significant lesson. The reward for trustful and willing service, no matter how brief that service may be, is as great as that received for a long period of labor on stipulated terms.
