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Explanation for:
Matthew
20
:
2
And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
9
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"What is the significance of this parable? We must first elucidate its meaning, after which we can address any apparent contradictions. In this parable, the grapes symbolize the commands and statutes of God, while the time of labor represents our current existence. The workers are those called in various manners to uphold God's commandments. The references to the morning, third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours signify the different generations of those who arrive and are acknowledged for their deeds."},{"author-name":"Ambrose of Milan","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88871ceef8c96e0998cd0_Ambrose%20of%20Milan.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"We have arrived in the vineyard of the Lord; let us ensure we do not depart without fruit. It is beneficial to harvest the yield, and it is uplifting to witness His laborers. What is the significance of workers being enlisted at different times throughout the same day? It signifies that a thousand years in the sight of the Lord are like a day that has passed, and the hour of night (Psalms 89:4). What does the night represent if not the time that has elapsed as day approaches? The hour of night is not coincidental, for a thousand years are as one day (2 Pet. 3:8). He who declared, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8), understood the essence of this day. He also recognized that this day encompasses many moments and that he who inscribed, “This is the day of the creation of the heavens and the earth, when they were created” (Gen. 2:4-5), was portraying that the entirety of creation was brought forth in a single day. \\n\\nThus, having first accounted the seven days of creation, he summed together all created beings within one day, illustrating that the duration of this world, as seen by the Lord, is as if it were merely one day; for the splendor of creation emerged from chaos as soon as the brilliance of divine creative energy illuminated the void. Therefore, if all of worldly time is considered one day, it naturally follows that the epochs are its hours; indeed, these epochs are the hours. Given that there are twelve hours in a day (Rom. 13:12; Jn. 11:9), from a sacramental view, the day represents Christ, and He has twelve apostles, who radiate with heavenly brilliance, each graced with diverse gifts. \\n\\nSo the master arrived and employed workers at the very first hour—possibly those who, from the dawn of creation until the flood, were able to remain righteous, about whom God states, “And I spoke to you until the dawn, and sent my servants the prophets to you until dawn” (Jer. 25:3-4)."},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Alexandria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a8ea5c988a4fc073480_Cyrill%20of%20Alexandria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The Lord bestows upon everyone a denarius, symbolizing the grace of the Spirit that nurtures the saints in alignment with God. It engraves upon the hearts of those who toil the divine truths and elevates them to a state of eternal life and incorruption."},{"author-name":"Isidore of Pelusium","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88d94130e668938c9ae9d_Isidore%20of%20Pelusium.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"As I understand it, you have assembled a considerable number of brothers who are inclined to lead virtuous lives yet find themselves engaging in idleness. Neither Christ nor the wise apostle Paul sanctioned such behavior. Christ speaks of the vineyard, of the labor within it, and the rewards that follow. Meanwhile, Paul instructs us to work with our own hands, refraining from making demands (1 Thess. 4:11, 12). Therefore, if you wish to be faithful to God in Christ and emulate the wisdom of Paul, encourage your brothers to engage in meaningful work, or guide them in understanding how they might be cared for, live in peace, and maintain purity of thought, as those who do not heed the teachings of Christ or follow Paul fail to do."},{"author-name":"Gregory the Great","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88c2b032f5f6e5effaa54_Gregory%20the%20Great.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":6,"exegesis-text":"In this parable, the master recruits laborers to tend to his vineyard during various times of the day—early morning, the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, and the eleventh hour. This reflects his continuous effort to gather preachers who will instruct the faithful from the beginning of creation until the culmination of time. The early morning represents the era from Adam to Noah; the third hour signifies the time from Noah to Abraham; the sixth hour corresponds to the period from Abraham to Moses; the ninth hour spans from Moses to the advent of Christ; and the eleventh hour stretches from Christ’s coming to the end of days. At this late hour, the apostles were dispatched to evangelize, and they were generously rewarded despite their late arrival.\\n\\nThus, the Lord cultivates His vineyard, teaching His people and ensuring the dispatch of workers throughout history—from the patriarchs, to the lawgivers and prophets, and ultimately to the apostles—working diligently to nurture His people’s faith. Throughout this vineyard, every individual engaged in good deeds aligned with right belief is recognized as a laborer. The laborers from the morning symbolize the ancient Jewish people, who, through their chosen ones, sought to honor God with their sincere faith, tirelessly working from the dawn of creation.\\n\\nAt the eleventh hour, the Gentiles are beckoned. They respond, lamenting, “Why do you stand here all day?” indicating their reluctance to engage in the labor of spiritual life during a time of peace. They claim, “No one hired us,” revealing their lack of guidance from any patriarch or prophet. This raises questions about the absence of preaching that leads to life. Those who have not engaged in good works must confront their own shortcomings, particularly if they have been nurtured in the faith since infancy, schooled in the doctrines of the Church from the cradle. \\n\\nWe can draw parallels to the stages of life: morning represents the innocence of childhood; the third hour aligns with adolescence, the time of growing fervor; the sixth hour symbolizes the vigor of youth; the ninth hour reflects the waning vitality of old age; and the eleventh hour denotes the twilight of life, or extreme old age. The Greeks have a specific term for the very elderly, referring to them as elders to denote wisdom acquired over time.\\n\\nWhether one embarks on a virtuous path in childhood, youth, adulthood, or old age, all are recognized as laborers in the vineyard, called at different times. Therefore, beloved brethren, examine your conduct and verify if you are indeed laborers for God. Each person should reflect on their actions and assess their contributions to the Lord’s vineyard. Those who pursue only personal gain in this life have yet to enter the divine vineyard. True laborers for the Lord are those who prioritize His interests, who are zealous in love and righteousness, who actively seek to save souls, and who strive to lead others toward life.\\n\\nConversely, those who live solely for their own pleasures are rightly considered idle, as they produce no fruit from the workings of God. Moreover, those who neglect to serve God until their final days stand as idle workers until the eleventh hour. Hence, it is rightly asked of those who were passive, “Why do you stand here all day?” This suggests that if one failed to commit to God in youth, they should at least lament their situation in their final days. Even if they may not contribute much to the labor of life at this stage, they are still called to come late. The Master graciously invites them, and they often find reward ahead of those who have labored since their youth. Is it not also at the eleventh hour that the thief, though late in his actions, recognizes God on the cross and, through his confession, surrenders his spirit?"},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"He engages individuals early in life, signifying childhood; he invites others at the third hour, representing adolescence; additional workers are brought in at the sixth and ninth hours, correlating with the mid-twenties to thirties, symbolizing adulthood; and at the eleventh hour, he calls the older generation, acknowledging that many have come to faith later in life. Alternatively, the notion of the day may refer to the current age, during which we toil as we would in daylight. The Lord summoned Enoch, his peers, and Noah at the dawn of this era."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"A denarius per day represents the common remuneration for daily workers, as indicated in Tobias 5:14, and it was similarly the standard wage for a Roman soldier."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After agreeing with the day laborers for their wages, he sent them to his vineyard. Around the third hour, which is roughly nine o'clock in the morning by our time, he noticed others standing idly in the marketplace and said to them: \\"You also go into my vineyard, and whatever is right, I will give you.\\" They went. Just as a considerate master values every hour and each additional worker during the heat of the season, returning to the marketplace multiple times to recruit more laborers, so too does the compassionate Lord, eager for the salvation of humanity, continuously call people through the prophets and righteous figures of the Old Testament and, “in these last days,” through His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. \\n\\nIt’s important to note that the initial laborers entered into their work with a specified agreement, unlike those who came later, who placed their trust in the master's word without negotiation. The initial workers’ lack of trust became evident as the master began to settle accounts with them; conversely, the faith and humble expectation of the latter were recognized by the master, and they received far more than they anticipated. Listening to this parable, the Apostle Peter had to examine his own heart for his misguided question, \\"What will there be for us?\\" It is not our place to negotiate with the Lord. We should labor, serve, and follow His holy commandments while leaving the rewards to Him. He, being merciful, can grant you more than you might deem worthy for your humble efforts, offering blessings greater than you can imagine. He will not overlook even a cup of cold water given in His name, nor the quiet sigh of a soul burdened by sin, and certainly, He will remember the acts of love performed by His servants."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"Many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.\\" To illustrate this principle more vividly, Christ shared a parable about the payment of workers in a vineyard. The vineyard owner employed workers in three groups: the first group toiled all day, the second worked for a few hours, and the third labored for just one hour. The owner agreed to pay the first group a denarius for their full day's work and invited those who were waiting in the marketplace to join without stipulations, assuring them that they would be compensated fairly."}]}
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