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Explanation for:
Matthew
20
:
5
And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
10
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{"arr":[{"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 time of the sixth hour and the periods that follow are characterized by the virtues of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. At the ninth hour, as the world began to enter twilight and the illumination of righteousness appeared to diminish, both the law and the prophets condemned the corrupted ethics of mankind."},{"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":"Similarly, He acted during the sixth and ninth hours. The workers of the sixth hour represent those who embraced the burden of Christ in their maturity, while the ninth hour refers to those who began their journey in the later stages of life. The sixth hour spans from Abraham to Moses, the period when the law was established; the ninth hour encompasses the time of Moses and the prophets."},{"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":"...in the sixth, Abraham; in the ninth, Moses..."},{"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, eschewing pride, speaks as though He were another master of the household, even though He is the steward and distributor of the heavenly realm. On the day He gathers all generations, He has previously summoned the righteous at various intervals following Adam's fall, assessing the reward for their endeavors. The workers called at the first hour represent the righteous from the era of Adam and Enoch, while those called at the third hour symbolize the faithful from the time of Noah, Shem, and their offspring. The second hour bears a distinct significance, marking a different set of circumstances. The laborers summoned at the sixth hour reflect the righteous during Abraham's period, when the covenant of circumcision was established, and those called at the eleventh hour denote the faithful at the arrival of Christ. It is noted of these last workers, \\"Why do you stand here idle all day long?\\" (Matt. 20:6). This question pertains to those devoid of hope in the Lord, the ungodly in this world, and those who engage in no good works, likened to those who linger in the marketplace without purpose, wasting their lives in futility. The Lord urges them, \\"Why do you stand idle?\\" Yet they reply, \\"No one hired us\\" (Matthew 20:7). Neither Moses nor any of the saints had proclaimed to the Gentiles but ministered solely to Israel. Nevertheless, the Lord invites them into the vineyard. He indicates that there were five distinct callings, signifying the presence of both the virtuous and the foolish throughout the ages, akin to the five wise and five foolish virgins. Some exhibited virtue, while others, in foolishness, disregarded the coming age. The conclusion of life is illustrated as evening, corresponding to the period from Christ’s arrival to the culmination of the ages, representing the time after the eleventh hour, as John articulates: the last days when the master of the house instructs the distribution of the rewards, commencing with those called last. The master of the house is understood as the Father, who engages the Son, the distributor, not merely as a servant but as a fellow laborer, since through Him He implements and fulfills 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, a master employs workers for his vineyard at various hours throughout the day—early in the morning, at the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, and the eleventh. This illustrates how, from the dawn of creation to the close of time, God continuously invites preachers to guide His faithful people. The dawn symbolizes the period from Adam until Noah; the third hour represents the span from Noah to Abraham; the sixth hour denotes the time from Abraham to Moses; the ninth hour encapsulates the era from Moses until Christ’s arrival, and the eleventh hour signifies the period from Christ's coming until the end of the age. In this final hour, the Holy Apostles were sent forth to proclaim the Gospel, and despite coming late, they received full remuneration.\\n\\nTo cultivate His people, as one nurtures a vineyard, the Lord has always dispatched laborers. Initially, He worked through the Patriarchs, subsequently through the Law and the Prophets, and finally, through the Apostles. Each one who pairs good deeds with genuine faith serves as a laborer in this vineyard. The morning laborer is representative of the ancient Jewish people, who, through God’s chosen leaders, sought to honor Him with proper faith from the very outset of creation. Conversely, at the eleventh hour, the Gentiles are beckoned. To them it is asked, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” Those who remained complacent during a prolonged period of grace effectively stood around doing nothing.\\n\\nWhen questioned, the Gentiles replied, “No one has hired us.” This signifies that they had not received guidance from any Patriarch or Prophet. The implication of their statement reflects a lack of preaching about the ways of life. Thus, how can we justify ourselves, who have often neglected to do good? We, who have come to faith almost since infancy, have been exposed to the teachings of life from our very cradles and fed with the rich truths of the Holy Church.\\n\\nMoreover, one can draw parallels among all people concerning their spiritual journeys in relation to life’s seasons. The morning denotes the formative years of understanding; the third hour signifies adolescence, symbolizing the rising vigor of youth; the sixth hour represents a time of strength and vitality; the ninth hour epitomizes old age, as the sun begins its descent. Finally, the eleventh hour is likened to a later stage of life, known for its frailty. The Greeks refer to very old men not simply as old, but as elders, indicating a distinction that shows they have exceeded mere age.\\n\\nHence, those who turn to a righteous life may do so at any stage—childhood, youth, adulthood, elderhood, or even in advanced years—are regarded as laborers in the vineyard chosen from diverse hours. As beloved brethren, let us reflect on our behaviors and ascertain whether we are indeed God's workers. Each person ought to assess their actions and determine if they are contributing to the Lord's vineyard. For those who focus solely on personal gain in this life have yet to enter into the Lord's labor. Workers for the Lord are those who prioritize His glory over their self-interests, exhibiting fervor for divine love and actively seeking souls to guide toward everlasting life.\\n\\nConversely, one who lives in self-indulgence and pleasures is justly considered idle, as they fail to produce the fruits of divine endeavor. Moreover, those who delay their commitment to God until the end of their days exhibit an idle existence until that final moment. Thus, it is rightly asked of those who remain idle until the eleventh hour, “Why do you stand here all day?” The message implies that if one did not wish to serve God in their youth, they ought to repent in their twilight years. While they may lack the strength to labor extensively for life’s path, they are nonetheless summoned, and often they receive their reward ahead of those who have been engaged in service since their youth. Indeed, the eleventh hour also marks the moment when the repentant thief, having confessed faith on the cross, received salvation, demonstrating that even late comers can attain grace."},{"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":"In the sixth hour, Moses and his companions received the call, while in the ninth hour, it was the prophets who were summoned."},{"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 message more clearly, Christ shared a parable about the compensation given to workers in a vineyard. The vineyard owner employed laborers in three groups: the first were engaged to work the entire day, the second for a few hours, and the last for just one hour. He agreed to pay the first group a denarius for the full day, while the others, who remained idle in the marketplace, were invited to work without specific terms, with the promise of fair compensation."},{"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 sixth hour, which is noon by our calculation, He took similar action, extending an invitation for them to labor in the vineyard for an unspecified reward."},{"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":"Around the sixth hour, or perhaps the twelfth, and the twentieth hour, possibly the third hour, he extended the same invitation, calling the willing workers into his vineyard."},{"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 the disciples of Christ from perceiving the promised blessings as rewards for their own merits, much like the Pharisees who sought prominence in the Messiah's kingdom, Jesus declares: \\"But many of the first shall be last, and the last first.\\" In the Gospel of Mark, we only find this statement, while the Gospel of Matthew presents a parable about laborers in the vineyard who were compensated equally, illustrating the context in which Jesus employed this saying, as He has in other instances (Matt. 20:16, Luke 13:30). In this parable, the vineyard symbolizes the Church of Christ; the householder represents the Lord; and the laborers, who commence their work at various times, symbolize believers in Christ, called to His Church at different moments (referring to Christ’s contemporaries and to all believers throughout history). The parable concludes with a reiteration of the opening statement, modified in line with its thematic development: \\"Thus shall the last be first, and the first last; for many are called, and few chosen.\\" The essence of this parable emphasizes that the allocation of rewards in eternal life among believers rests solely on the will and grace of God, rather than on human assessments of merit. Many who seem to have labored little for their salvation, viewed as the least by themselves and others, may find themselves recognized as the foremost in God's judgment. Conversely, those who perceive themselves as the greatest may be relegated to lesser status in the solemn judgment. This parable thus encourages every follower of Christ to embody humility, which is essential for receiving the rewards promised to those who have given up everything for the sake of Christ."}]}
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