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The Workers in the Vineyard

Matt 20:1–16 · Journey to Jerusalem

Scripture

Matthew 20:1–16

or the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

King James Version · public domain

Mateu 20:1–16

epse mbretëri’ e qiejvet gjan me një njeri zot shtëpie, i-cili dolli që me natë të pajtonjë punëtorë për veshtin’ e ti; 2Edhe si pajtoj punëtorëtë nga një dinar ndë ditët, i dërgoj ndë veshtët të ti. 3Pastaj dolli ndaj të-tretënë orë, e pa të-tjerë dyke ndënjurë ndë trekt pa punë. 4U thot’ edhe atyre, Shkoni edhe ju ndë veshtët, edhe dot’u ap ç’të jet’ e udhësë. Edhe ata vanë. 5Përsëri dolli ndaj të-gjashtëtën’ edhe të-nëntëtën’ orë, edhe bëri po ashtu. 6Edhe si dolli ndaj të-një-mbë-dhjetëtën’ orë, gjeti të-tjerë dyke ndënjurë pa punë; u thot’ edhe atyre, Përse rrini këtu tërë ditënë pa punë? 7I thon’ ati, Sepse asndonjë s’na pajtoj. U thot’ atyre, Shkoni edhe ju ndë veshtët, edhe dotë merni ç’të jet’ e udhësë. 8Edhe si u ngrys, i zot’ i veshtit i thotë kujdestarit të ti, Thirrë punëtorëtë, edhe laj-u pagënë atyre, dyke zënë nga të-prapësmitë gjer mbë të parët. 9Edhe erthnë ata që ishinë pajtuarë ndaj të-një-mbë-dhjettënë orë, edhe muarnë nga një dinar. 10Edhe kur erthnë të-parëtë, pandehnë se dotë marrënë më shumë; po edhe ata muarnë nga një dinar. 11Edhe si muarnë, qaheshinë mbë të zon’ e shtëpisë, dyke thënë, 12Se këta të-prapësmitë bënë një orë, edhe i bëre si-një-një me ne që mbajtmë të-rëndit’ e ditës’ edhe vapënë. 13Po ay upërgjeq e i tha njerit nga ata, Mik, nukë të bënj keq; a nukë bëre fjalë me mua një dinar? 14Merr t’ëndinë edhe ikë; edhe këti të-prapësmit dot’i ap si edhe ty; 15Apo s’munt unë të bënj ç’të dua ndë punët t’ime? apo syri yt ësht’ i-lik, sepse unë jam i-mirë? 16Kështu dotë jenë të-prapësmitë të-parë, edhe të-parëtë të prapësm; sepse shumë veta janë të-thirrurë, po të-pakë të-sgjedhurë.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

There be very many come to the faith, yet but few arrive at the heavenly kingdom; many follow God in words, but shun Him in their lives.

St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 19 (on Matthew 20:1–16) (Catena Aurea)

The Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 64 (on Matthew 20:1–16) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.LXI.html

On the meaning of the parable — the vineyard, the day, the labourers, and the hours:

What then is the meaning of the parable? For it is necessary to make this first clear, and then we shall clear up that other point. By a vineyard He meaneth the injunctions of God and His commandments: by the time of laboring, the present life: by laborers, them that in different ways are called to the fulfillment of the injunctions: by early in the morning, and about the third and ninth and eleventh hours, them who at different ages have drawn near to God, and approved themselves.

On the object the parable was framed to effect:

Wherefore then was this parable thus composed? what is its object to effect? To render more earnest them that are converted and become better men in extreme old age, and not to allow them to suppose they have a less portion.

On why the householder did not hire all at once:

But wherefore can it have been that He did not hire all at once? As far as concerned Him, He did hire all; but if all did not hearken at once, the difference was made by the disposition of them that were called. For this cause, some are called early in the morning, some at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, some at the eleventh, when they would obey.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 20:1–16) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xx.html (Some of Origen's later speculations were condemned in 553; the readings quoted here are his plain notes on the parable.)

On the whole day as this present life:

For the whole of this present life may be called one day, long to us, short compared to the existence of God.

On the denarius:

The denarius I suppose here to mean salvation.

On who the last labourer might be:

A person might not improbably suppose, that this last was the Apostle Paul, who wrought but one hour, and was made equal with all who had been before him.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

On Holy Virginity and On the Spirit and the Letter (on Matthew 20:1–16) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xx.html

On the one denarius given to all, and the mansions of differing splendour:

Because that life eternal shall be equal to all the saints, a denarius is given to all; but forasmuch as in that life eternal the light of merits shall shine diversely, there are with the Father many mansions; so that under this same denarius bestowed unequally one shall not live longer than another, but in the many mansions one shall shine with more splendour than another.

On why the lesser are paid first:

The lesser are therefore taken as first, because the lesser are to be made rich.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 20:1–16) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xx.html

On the denarius that bears the King's image:

A denarius bears the figure of the king. You have therefore received the reward which I promised you, that is, my image and likeness; what desirest thou more? And yet, it is not that thou shouldest have more, but that another should have less that thou seekest.

On the murmuring of those called of old:

Or, all that were called of old envy the Gentiles, and are pained at the grace of the Gospel.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 20:1–16) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xx.html

On whose murmuring the labourers' complaint answers to:

And this murmur of the labourers corresponds with the frowardness of this nation, which even in the time of Moses were stiff-necked.

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 19 (on Matthew 20:1–16) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xx.html

On the vineyard as the Church universal, and the labourers sent in every age from Abel to the world's end:

Or; The Master of the household, that is, our Maker, has a vineyard, that is, the Church universal, which has borne so many stocks, as many saints as it has put forth from righteous Abel to the very last saint who shall be born in the end of the world. To instruct this His people as for the dressing of a vineyard, the Lord has never ceased to send out His labourers; first by the Patriarchs, next by the teachers of the Law, then by the Prophets, and at the last by the Apostles, He has toiled in the cultivation of His vineyard; though every man, in whatsoever measure or degree he has joined good action with right faith, has been a labourer in the vineyard.

On the hours as the ages of the world, the Hebrew people from the morning and the Gentiles at the eleventh hour:

The eleventh hour is that from the coming of the Lord to the end of the world. The labourer in the morning, at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, denotes the ancient Hebrew people ... But at the eleventh the Gentiles are called. For they who through so many ages of the world had neglected to labour for their living, were they who had stood the whole day idle.

On the same hours read as the ages of a single life:

Or otherwise. The morning is our childhood; the third hour may be understood as our youth ... the sixth hour is manhood, when the sun is steady in his meridian height, representing as it were the maturity of strength; by the ninth is understood old age ... the eleventh hour is that age which is called decrepit, and doting.

On the many called and the few chosen:

There be very many come to the faith, yet but few arrive at the heavenly kingdom; many follow God in words, but shun Him in their lives.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom on Matthew, Homily 64 (CCEL) · Catena Aurea on Matthew, ch. 20 (CCEL)