Vineyard Laborers

In Justice and the Parables of Jesus, Yung Suk Kim uses the Parable of the Vineyard Laborers (Matthew 20:1–16) to explore Distributive Justice. This is perhaps the most famous example of "unfairness" in the New Testament, but Kim argues that we only see it as unfair because we are looking through the wrong economic lens.

Redefining "Fair" through Distributive Justice
In a standard capitalistic or "merit-based" view, justice is proportional: you get paid exactly what your labor is worth. Kim shifts this to a needs-based framework of justice.

-The Problem of Joblessness: Kim points out that the workers standing in the marketplace all day weren't lazy; they were "unemployed" because no one had hired them. In the socio-political context of the time, a day's wage (one denarius) was the bare minimum needed to feed a family for one day.
-The "Daily Bread" Principle: By paying the one-hour workers the same as the twelve-hour workers, the landowner (representing God's rule) ensures that the latecomers' families do not starve.
-Atypical Economics: Kim describes the landowner as "atypical." He isn't driven by profit maximization (which would mean paying as little as possible) but by full employment and subsistence.

The "Evil Eye" of Comparison

Kim highlights the landowner’s response to the complaining workers: "Are you envious because I am generous?" (literally, "Is your eye evil because I am good?").

Kim argues that social comparison is a barrier to justice. When the "first" workers complain, they aren't actually losing anything—they received exactly what they agreed to. Their "suffering" is purely psychological, based on the fact that someone else received grace they didn't "earn." Kim posits that true distributive justice requires us to abandon the "culture of competition" and instead celebrate when the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

Good Samaritan

 In Justice and the Parables of Jesus, Yung Suk Kim reframes the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) by moving away from the "sentimental" reading of a kind stranger and toward a structural analysis of Racial Justice.

Kim argues that we cannot understand the "Good" Samaritan without first understanding the "Bad" Systems—specifically the Roman and local juridical structures that racialized the Samaritan people.

1. Decoding the "Samaritan" as a Racial Category
In the first century, the divide between Jews and Samaritans was not just religious; it functioned as a form of racialization. Samaritans were seen as "other," "impure," or "mongrelized" by the dominant religious and political structures.

-The Juridical Context: Kim points out that the lawyer’s question ("Who is my neighbor?") was a legal trap designed to exclude people from the circle of care.
-Structural Racism: By making a Samaritan the "hero," Jesus doesn't just tell a story about kindness; he performs a normative intervention. He forces his Jewish audience to accept life and salvation from the very person their "system" deemed racially and spiritually inferior.

2. The Critique of the Priest and the Levite
Traditional readings suggest the Priest and Levite passed by because they feared ritual impurity. Kim’s political-philosophical lens goes further:
-The Complicity of Status: These figures represent the elite social order of the time. Their failure to act is a failure of the system they represent.
-Procedural Justice vs. Racial Justice: They were following the "procedures" of their office, but those procedures blinded them to the human being in the ditch. Kim argues that "justice" often fails when people prioritize the preservation of their own status or institutional rules over the immediate needs of a racialized "other."

3. "Neighborliness" as a Political Act
Kim suggests that for Jesus, "neighbor" is a verb, not a noun.

-Dismantling Hierarchies: By the end of the story, the lawyer cannot even bring himself to say the word "Samaritan," simply calling him "the one who showed mercy."
-The Challenge: Kim posits that racial justice requires us to see the "neighbor" in those our society has systematically excluded. It’s not just about "liking" people of other races; it’s about a political commitment to their well-being that transcends national, racial, or legal boundaries.

Pharisee and Tax Collector

 In Justice and the Parables of Jesus, Yung Suk Kim places the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14) under the category of Social Justice.

While many sermons focus on the "internal" sin of pride, Kim focuses on social status and the "culture of competition." He argues that this parable is a critique of how society creates "winners" and "losers" based on religious and social performance.

1. The Critique of Social Performance
Kim suggests that the Pharisee represents the "high-status" individual whose sense of justice is built on upward mobility and comparison.

-The Pharisee’s Prayer: It isn't just a prayer; it’s a status report. By saying, "I am not like other people," he is reinforcing a social hierarchy. His "justice" is exclusionary—it depends on there being someone "below" him (the tax collector) to validate his own "above" status.
-The Problem with Merit: Kim argues that when we define justice as "being better than others," we create a society of competition where the weak are inevitably marginalized.

2. The Tax Collector and "Downward Mobility"
In contrast, Kim highlights the Tax Collector through the lens of humility as a social disruptor.

-The Broken Heart: Drawing on Eastern philosophical concepts (like those in the Dao De Jing), Kim views the "broken heart" of the tax collector not just as a religious feeling, but as a rejection of the social ladder.
-Softness vs. Hardness: Kim compares the Pharisee’s "hardened" heart—solidified by status and self-importance—to the "softness" of the tax collector. In Kim’s political framework, true social justice begins when people stop trying to "climb" over one another and instead embrace a "downward mobility" that seeks solidarity with the lowly.

3. Social Justice as "Impartiality"
The "justification" of the tax collector is a political statement by Jesus. It suggests that God’s rule (the Kingdom) does not recognize the social rankings humans create.

-Dismantling Prestige: Social justice, in this reading, is the act of dismantling systems that reward prestige and punish those at the bottom.
-The Goal: The parable calls for a society where one's value isn't measured by their "tithes" or "fasting" (their social contributions), but by their shared humanity and need for mercy.

Key Difference in Kim's Approach
In traditional readings, the Pharisee is a "villain" because he is arrogant. In Kim’s Social Justice reading, the Pharisee is a "warning" because he is a product of a competitive system. He is what happens when a society values "doing right" more than "being in right relationship" with others.

What Is Justice?

 

For those deeply invested in contemporary justice and the foundational teachings of Jesus, Justice and the Parables of Jesus: Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy is essential reading. This book provides a startlingly fresh analysis by interpreting the parables through the lens of political philosophy. The paperback is available for just $24, making this profound scholarship accessible to everyone.

Information about the book

Justice and the Parables of Jesus: 

Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy

(T&T Clark, 2026)

JUSTICE AND PARABLES

Distributive Justice | The Vineyard Laborers, The Rich Man and Lazarus |
Attributive Justice | The Talents, The Treasure and the Pearl |
Procedural Justice | The Seed Growing Secretly, The Wheat and the Weeds |
Social Justice | The Pharisee and the Tax Collector, The Leaven |
Racial Justice | The Good Samaritan, The Mustard Seed |
Restorative Justice | The Father and Two Sons (Prodigal Son), The Unmerciful Slave |
Compensatory Justice | The Unjust Steward |
Retributive Justice | The Unjust Judge and the Widow, The Tenants |
Global Justice | The Rich Fool, The Lost Sheep |
Environmental Justice | The Sower |

Critical Reviews & Academic Reception
Since its release earlier this month, the book has been highly praised by biblical scholars for its "moral urgency" and its ability to bridge ancient texts with modern ethical crises.

Demetrius K. Williams (University of Wisconsin): Calls it a "bold and refreshing reorientation" that challenges readers not just to decode the stories but to apply their ethical implications to a "fractured world."

Jennifer Quigley (Emory University): Recommends it as a "multidimensional lens" for understanding justice as a dynamic response to theological and public concerns.

James F. McGrath (Butler University): Highlights the book’s cross-cultural reach, noting how Kim integrates Eastern thinkers, such as Confucius and Laozi, into the dialogue about the New Testament.

Emerson Powery (Messiah University): Describes Justice and the Parables of Jesus as "essential reading" and a "vital contribution" to the field of biblical scholarship.

Early Readers: Feedback from seminary students (visible on platforms like Goodreads) emphasizes that the book is "poignant" and forces a "decolonizing" of traditional Western theology.

Summary of the "Big Idea"
The book’s central argument is that the "Kingdom of God" (or Rule of God) is not just a future hope but a radical, present-day political vision. Kim argues that by asking "What is the right thing to do?" in the context of each parable, readers can uncover a comprehensive framework for justice that addresses everything from wealth inequality to racial reconciliation and environmental care.
 

Why Did I Write the book Justice and the Parables of Jesus?

 

A sample of Justice and the Parables of Jesus book

 

 I am so excited to announce that my new book, Justice and the Parables of Jesus, is officially out TODAY!
In this book, I dig deep into the stories we think we know to uncover the ten dimensions of justice Jesus was actually teaching. Whether you’re a student of theology, a social advocate, or just someone looking for deeper meaning in the scriptures, this book is for you.

Is "Fairness" the same as "Justice"?
-The Prompt: In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), the latecomers get paid the same as those who worked all day. Our modern sense of "fairness" screams that this is wrong.
-The Justice Angle: But what if Jesus is redefining justice from "what we deserve" to "what we need to survive"?
-Call to Action: This is just one of the shifts I explore in Justice and the Parables of Jesus. If you’re using the book for a small group or book club, use the discussion questions.

author copies

ABOUT Yung Suk Kim

Yung Suk Kim is a prolific New Testament scholar, author, and public intellectual who bridges critical biblical studies with questions of justice, human transformation, and the moral life. The author of nearly 20 books and editor of four scholarly volumes, he is a leading voice in contemporary discourse on Paul, the Gospels, and biblical hermeneutics.

Dr. Kim’s scholarship is distinguished by its contextual, interdisciplinary, and ethical approach to Scripture. By integrating historical criticism and literary analysis with insights from psychology and cognitive science, he emphasizes a reading of the Bible that centers on its impact on lived experience, moral agency, and communal responsibility. His work challenges reductionist and exclusionary interpretations, asserting that biblical study is never neutral: it shapes how individuals relate to others and imagine justice in the world.

As a teacher and speaker, Dr. Kim is recognized for connecting ancient texts to contemporary existential concerns. His ongoing work continues to explore how Scripture can foster resilience, responsibility, and transformation in both personal and social life.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

BOOKS (for a full list, click here)

• Justice and the Parables of Jesus: Interpreting the Gospel Stories through Political Philosophy (T&T Clark, 2026)
• How to Read the Gospels (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024)
• Biblical Interpretation: Theory, Process, and Criteria (Pickwick, 2022)
• Toward Decentering the New Testament (co-authored volume, Cascade, 2018)
• A Theological Introduction to Paul’s Letters (Cascade, 2011)
• Christ’s Body in Corinth: The Politics of a Metaphor (Fortress, 2008)

BOOKS (Ongoing & Forthcoming Research)

• Treasures and Thorns: A Concise Critical Commentary on 2 Corinthians (Cascade, 2026 forthcoming)
• Renewing the Mind: The Lord’s Prayer through the Lens of Cognitive Science
• Embodied Kingdom: Luke’s Mindful Theology of God’s Present Reign
• The Fourth Horizon: Hermeneutics, Homiletics, and the Mental World

EDITED VOLUMES:

• At the Intersection of Hermeneutics and Homiletics: Transgressive Readings for Transformational Preaching (Pickwick, 2025)
• Paul’s Gospel, Empire, Race, and Ethnicity: Through the Lens of Minoritized Scholarship (Pickwick, 2023)
• 1 and 2 Corinthians: Texts @ Contexts (2013)
• Reading Minjung Theology in the Twenty-First Century (co-edited volume, Pickwick, 2013)
• Rethinking Paul: Critical Conversations for Our World (in progress)

A Framework for Scholarly Inquiry

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A Framework for Scholarly Inquiry

Yung Suk Kim

1. What constitutes the core knowledge or theoretical construct being examined, including its explicit parameters and inherent limitations?
2. Examine the epistemological foundations, methodological rigor, and empirical or theoretical evidence supporting this knowledge claim.
3. Identify the specific contexts and conditions under which this knowledge is applied, and analyze the consistency and fidelity of its implementation.
4. Who are the principal beneficiaries and stakeholders influenced by this knowledge, and what are the stated or implicit objectives served by its application?
5. Articulate the imperative for rigorous, systematic evaluation of this knowledge's practical impact, efficacy, and any unforeseen or adverse consequences.

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• Core Knowledge: Define the central concept, its boundaries, and inherent limitations.
• Validation: Assess the foundational theory, methodology, and supporting evidence.
• Application: Analyze how and where the knowledge is applied and its consistency in practice.
• Stakeholders & Purpose: Identify who benefits, who is affected, and the underlying goals.
• Evaluation: Determine the necessity for rigorous assessment of impact, efficacy, and unintended consequences.

Knowledge and Practice