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Explanation for:
Matthew
20
:
3
And going about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.
8
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He then went out around the third hour and observed others in the marketplace who were waiting idly. The workers from the third hour represent those who have started to dedicate their lives to God from a young age. The third hour refers to Noah and others who came before Abraham and his covenant of circumcision."},{"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":"The third hour commences following the deluge and extends throughout the era of Noah and the other faithful servants designated as workers in the vineyard. It is reminiscent of a meal during the day when Noah partook of wine (See: Gen. 9:21)."},{"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, in His humility, speaks as if He were a different authority figure, while being the very steward and provider of the heavenly kingdom. On the day He summons the entire age, He has at various intervals, following Adam's fall, invited some of the righteous to engage in righteous deeds, deciding on the remuneration for their efforts. The individuals called at the first hour represent the righteous of Adam and Enoch’s era, and those called at the third hour symbolize the righteous from the days of Noah, Shem, and their offspring. The second hour features a distinct group of individuals who were called, indicating different establishments. The laborers summoned at the sixth hour depict the righteous during Abraham's time, where the covenant of circumcision was also established, and those called at the eleventh hour represent the righteous at the arrival of Christ. Concerning these, it is queried, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” (Matt. 20:6). This reflects those devoid of hope in the Lord, the ungodly, and those who are inactive in good works, akin to those who linger in the marketplace accomplishing nothing, ultimately wasting their lives. The Lord implores them, asking, \\"Why do you remain idle?\\" Yet they respond, “No one has hired us” (Matthew 20:7). Neither Moses nor any of the saints preached to the Gentiles; their message was directed only to Israel. Nevertheless, the Lord also sends these into His vineyard. The Lord indicates that there were five calls, illustrating that throughout the ages, there were both the well-intentioned and the foolish, reminiscent of the five wise and five foolish virgins. Some proved to be virtuous, while others, in their folly, disregarded the eternal life. The conclusion of life is symbolized by evening, as the period from Christ’s coming to the culmination of the ages represents what follows after the eleventh hour. As John notes, it is the final moment when the master of the house instructs the commencement of the toll collection, starting with the last. Here, the master signifies the Father, who regards the Son, the distributor, not as a mere servant, but as a collaborator, for through Him, the Father orchestrates and brings to fruition all His desires."},{"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 engages workers for his vineyard at various times throughout the day—early in the morning, at the third hour, the sixth, ninth, and finally the eleventh hour. This reflects how, from the dawn of creation until the end, God continuously calls forth preachers to instruct the faithful. The early morning represents the time from Adam to Noah, while the third hour signifies the period from Noah to Abraham, the sixth hour from Abraham to Moses, the ninth hour from Moses to the coming of Christ, and the eleventh hour from the advent of Christ to the world's conclusion. It was at this time that the Apostles were dispatched to preach, arriving late yet receiving full compensation for their work. \\n\\nThrough this strategy, the Lord is depicted as laboring to nurture His vineyard, continually sending laborers to teach His people. Initially, He did this through the Patriarchs, followed by the Teachers of the Law and the Prophets, and ultimately through the Apostles, shaping the morality of His people, akin to tending to a vineyard with devoted workers. Each individual who intertwines good deeds with true faith is considered a worker in this vineyard. The laborers from the morning symbolize the ancient Jewish people, who sought to honor God through their chosen ones, actively laboring in the vineyard since creation.\\n\\nHowever, at the eleventh hour, the Gentiles are summoned, with the question posed, \\"Why do you stand here all the day of the feast?\\" Those who were reluctant to labor during a long period of peace appear to have remained idle throughout the day. It is pertinent to note how these individuals respond, claiming, \\"No one will hire us,\\" indicating that they had not been approached by any Patriarch or Prophet. This raises the question: What does it imply to say that we were not hired for work if not to point out that we were never taught about the paths of life? \\n\\nThus, what excuse can we offer for our lack of good deeds, we who came to faith almost from infancy, having absorbed the words of life from the very beginning and received the teachings of the Holy Church? The concept of hours can also be applied to every person throughout the various seasons of life. The morning symbolizes the youth of our understanding, while the third hour represents adolescence, as the fervor of youth rises higher. The sixth hour embodies young adulthood when strength is at its peak, akin to the sun at its zenith. The ninth hour alludes to old age, where one begins to lose the vitality of youth as the sun descends from its peak. The eleventh hour signifies advanced old age or decrepitude. \\n\\nThe Greeks refer to very old men not merely as old but as elders, suggesting a distinction that those called 'deep elders' are even beyond mere age. As some individuals are called to a virtuous life from childhood, others from youth, adulthood, old age, or even from deep old age, they are all considered laborers in the vineyard, each arriving at different times. Therefore, beloved brethren, be vigilant in your conduct and evaluate whether you are true laborers of God. Each person should reflect on their actions and consider if they are indeed cultivating the Lord's vineyard. \\n\\nAnyone who seeks solely self-interest has not yet engaged with the Lord's work. True laborers for the Lord are those concerned not with their own gain but with the divine purpose, zealous in love and godliness, actively striving to save souls and actively guiding others toward life. Conversely, one who lives for personal pleasure and indulgence may justly be regarded as idle, failing to yield the fruits of God’s call. Those who neglect to live for God, even until their final days, are akin to those who remained idle until the eleventh hour. Hence, a challenge is laid before those who have lingered in idleness until this late hour: \\"Why do you stand here all day?\\" \\n\\nIt is clear that if you did not choose to live for God in youth or vigor, then at least lament your state in old age; although you may now find it difficult to contribute extensively to the way of life, you may still respond to the call to join in. The Master extends His invitation to them as well, and often those who come late find their reward awaits them swiftly, transitioning from this life to the Kingdom before those who have been laboring since their youth. Is it not in the eleventh hour that the thief arrives, who, though late in punishment, acknowledged God on the cross, surrendering his spirit with a voice of confession?"},{"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":"Around the third hour, which corresponds to approximately 9 o'clock in the morning by our understanding. This occurred in the marketplace, a location bustling with the exchange of various goods essential for daily living, attracting a constant presence of people. It was a frequent gathering spot for those seeking employment as laborers, though not by choice, as they were left unengaged due to a lack of offers for work."},{"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 reaching an agreement with the daily laborers for the day’s work, he sent them to his vineyard. At about the third hour, he went out and noticed others standing idle in the marketplace and asked them, \\"Why do you stand here all day doing nothing?\\" They replied, \\"Because no one has hired us.\\" He said, \\"You go into my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.\\" They went on their way. Just as a diligent master values every hour during the sweltering season and seeks extra workers, so does the compassionate Lord, eager for the salvation of humanity, repeatedly calls upon people through the prophets and righteous figures of the Old Testament, and \\"in these last days\\" through His one and only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.\\n\\nNotably, the first workers negotiated their terms and did not enter the field without a contract, unlike the later arrivals who placed their trust in the master's promise. The mistrust of the first group became evident when the master began to settle accounts, while the faith and humble hope of the second group were rewarded beyond their expectations. The apostle Peter, reflecting on the parable, realized he had erred in asking, \\"What will we receive?\\" It is not appropriate to calculate with the Lord; rather, we should labor, serve, and follow His holy commandments while leaving the matter of reward to Him. The One who is merciful can grant you far beyond what you might deem fitting, for He will not overlook even a cup of cold water given in His name, nor will He dismiss the unnoticed sigh of a soul burdened by sin, much less forget the acts of love carried out by His faithful 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 the last will be first.' To emphasize this message more profoundly, Christ shared a parable regarding the compensation of workers in a vineyard. The proprietor of the vineyard recruited laborers in three groups: the first group worked the entire day, the second worked for just a few hours, and the third worked for only one hour. He agreed to pay the first group a denarius for the day, while the others, who had been waiting idly in the marketplace, were invited to work without specified terms, with a promise of fair recompense."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"To prevent the apostles and all believers in Christ from viewing the promised blessings as entitlements based on their deeds, similar to the Pharisees who sought prominence in the kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus declares: “But many that are first shall be last, and the last first.” In the Gospel of Mark, this statement stands alone, while Matthew also recounts the parable of the laborers in the vineyard who were compensated equally for their work. This parable clarifies the meaning of Jesus’ saying, which He applied in various other instances (Matt. 20:16, Luke 13:30). In this narrative, the vineyard symbolizes the church of Christ, the householder represents the Lord, and the laborers, who joined the vineyard at different times, signify believers in Christ called to His church throughout various eras, whether during His earthly ministry or in later generations. The parable concludes with a variation of the initial phrase, reflecting the narrative’s progression: “So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen.” The overarching message is that the distribution of eternal rewards for believers hinges solely on God's will and grace, rather than human merit judged by earthly standards. Many who engaged minimally in their salvation, who regarded themselves and were seen by others as the least, may be exalted in God’s judgment, while those who perceived themselves as foremost might find themselves last in the final reckoning. This parable encourages all followers of Christ to embody humility, a prerequisite for receiving the promised rewards for those who have given up all for His sake."}]}
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