Bible Discussion for Monday 24th April at 6.30pm

This coming week Indra Sikdar will lead our Bible discussion at 6.30pm on Monday 24th April on the topic of the parable of the vineyard, Matt 20.1–16, (and Matt 5.38–39, time permitting):

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

We read the parable of the Vineyard. Where the Vineyard owner pays the workers the same wage for varying amounts of work. We could say that this is in line with the saying "that the person who pays the piper calls the tune”.

But in real life if workers feel that they are being short changed they go on strike and this leads to labour disputes (unhappiness).

Lastly, the concept of infinite reward for finite action can lead to "perverse incentive/s".

The Zoom details are as follows: 

Join Zoom Meeting Monday 18.30

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82378042367?pwd=REgrU1Y5MlI4dWFPMk1RVkYvOEpWQT09

Meeting ID: 823 7804 2367

Passcode: 460019