Introduction:

Jesus is warning us off thought patterns that are harmful to us.

Jealousy involves us in comparing ourselves to others in a hurtful way and leads to our unhappiness and often to the unhappiness of others.

Most vices at least give some pleasure; in modest amounts, food or drink are pleasurable.  In the right situation, sex is pleasurable. Jealously never gives pleasure, even in moderation.  It makes us unhappy.  It serves no useful purpose.

Jesus colorfully warns us off jealousy.

Note that judging and pride are related to jealousy in that they all involve comparing ourselves to others. The way of Jesus frees us from all three of these unhappy states of mind.

 

The Sayings of Jesus:

Workers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20: 1-15

20 For the kingdom of heaven is like an employer who went out in the early morning to hire laborers for his vineyards. 2 He agreed with the laborers to pay them the standard daily rate of two silver coins, and sent them into his vineyard.

3 On going out again, about nine o’clock, he saw some others standing in the marketplace, doing nothing. 4 ‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you what is fair.’

5 So they went. Going out again about midday and about three o’clock, he did as before. 6 When he went out about five, he found some others standing there, and said to them ‘Why have you been standing here all day long, doing nothing?’ 7 ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. ‘You also may go into my vineyard,’ he said.

8 In the evening the owner of the vineyard said to his steward ‘Call the laborers, and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, and ending with the first.

9 Now when those who had been hired about five o’clock went up, they received two silver coins each.

10 So, when the first went up, they thought that they would receive more, but they also received two silver coins each; 11 at which they began to grumble at their employer. 12 ‘These last,’ they said, ‘have done only one hour’s work, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us, who have borne the brunt of the day’s work, and the heat.’

13 ‘My friend,’ was his reply to one of them, ‘I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me for two silver coins? 14 Take what belongs to you, and go. I choose to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do as I choose with what is mine?

Judging Others

Matthew 7: 1-5

7 Do not judge and you will not be judged.

2 For, just as you judge others, you will yourselves be judged, and the standard that you use will be used for you.

3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your friend’s eye, while you pay no attention at all to the plank of wood in yours?

4 How will you say to your friend ‘Let me take out the speck from your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own?

5 Hypocrite! Take out the plank from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the speck from your friend’s.

Jesus and the Condemned Woman

John 8: 3-11

Presently, however, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placed her in the middle of the Court, 4 and said to Jesus:

“Teacher, this woman was found in the act of adultery. Now Moses, in the Law, commanded us to stone such women to death; what do you say?”

6 They said this to test him, in order to have a charge to bring against him. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 However, as they continued asking him, he raised himself, and said:

“Let the person among you who has never done wrong throw the first stone at her.” 8

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard that, they went out one by one, beginning with the eldest; and Jesus was left alone with the woman in the middle of the Court. 10 Raising himself, Jesus said to her:

“Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11

“No one, Sir,” she answered.

“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

Luke 18: 10-14

10  Jesus told this parable –  “Two men went up into the Temple Courts to pray. 11 One was a Pharisee and the other was a tax-gatherer.  The Pharisee stood forward and began praying to himself in this way – ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men – thieves, rogues, adulterers – 12 or even like this tax-gatherer.  I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything I get to God.” 13  Meanwhile the tax-gatherer stood at a distance, not venturing even to “raise his eyes to heaven’; but he kept striking his breast and saying ‘God have mercy on me a sinner.’  14 This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other.

Stories and Commentary:

Workers in the Vineyard

We were a well paid group but we found out that a nearby group was being paid twice what we were being paid for the same work.  We became indignant.  Our once happy group became unhappy due to jealousy.  One in our group raised this parable and pointed out the stupidity of being unhappy when we were in fact working in a satisfying and well paid job.  Sheepishly we went back to happily doing our work.