←
Explanation for:
Matthew
20
:
7
They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.
9
more explanations
& daily audio-books
spoken by
– enjoy in Theosis App –
Start your
Bible-journey
with explanations
& daily audio-books
only 4$* per month
{"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":"In the eleventh hour, the Gentile nations are questioned, “Why do you stand here idle all day long?” Their reply is, “No one has hired us.” The Apostle John testifies to the arrival of our Savior in these final days, stating, “Brothers, the last hour is at hand; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now there are many Antichrists; from this we understand that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). If this interpretation does not resonate with you, feel free to adopt another; I remain open to any view, provided you acknowledge that those who are chosen first are the righteous."},{"author-name":"Ephraem the Syrian","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88b589fc3e99eb7bb1839_Ephraem%20the%20Syrian.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The workers who were idle and unproductive due to a lack of tasks and motivation were called into action by a voice and stirred by a word. Their commitment was so steadfast that they did not even discuss their compensation, unlike those who were hired first."},{"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 profound and enigmatic arrival of the Lord has brought us to this late hour. This is why He proclaims in the Gospel: Walk while you have the light (John 12:35)."},{"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 benevolent Householder invites, \\"Go ye also and labor in the vineyard, and whatever is just I will give to you\\" (Matthew 20:7, 4). Consequently, the idle have taken up their work; for this Church, once inactive, now engages fervently: composed of apostles, martyrs, ascetics, monastics, holy virgins, and those in honorable matrimony. This Church rightfully received one denarius. A diligent worker can accomplish in one hour what another may toil at from dawn. Thus, the thief on the cross heard, \\"Today you will be with Me in paradise\\" (Luke 23:43), a reflection on the parable of the vineyard.\\n\\nThe latter, benefiting from the Lord's generosity rather than their labor, are the first to be compensated, for all who exist after Christ's coming, through baptism and communion with the Spirit, partake in the divine essence (2 Pet. 1:4) and are deemed children of God, while those who lived prior are referred to as born of women (Lk. 7:28), although they too will be called similarly. For though the prophets shared in the Spirit, it was not in the same way as the faithful, since the Holy Spirit interacts with the souls of believers like leaven, transforming the whole individual into a new state of life. This transformation allows us to participate in the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) and to boldly proclaim: Abba, Father (Mk. 14:36). However, those of ancient times did not receive such grace. Therefore, Paul explains, \\"For ye did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye received the Spirit of adoption\\" (Rom. 8:15), while those before did not share in the dignity of adoption but were subject to a spirit of bondage. Thus, it is affirmed that we, as the first to receive the spiritual denarius, are thereby inherently favored over others."},{"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 hires workers for his vineyard at various times throughout the day, from early morning to the eleventh hour. This reflects God's enduring effort from the beginning of creation to the end of time to appoint preachers who can impart His teachings to the faithful. The early morning symbolizes the time from Adam to Noah, while the third hour represents the period from Noah to Abraham, the sixth hour from Abraham to Moses, the ninth hour from Moses until the coming of Christ, and the eleventh hour extending from Christ's arrival to the conclusion of the world. At this final hour, the Holy Apostles were sent to evangelize, and they were rewarded justly despite coming later. The Lord continually sends laborers into His vineyard, commencing with the Patriarchs, continuing with the Teachers of the Law and the Prophets, and culminating in the Apostles, who guided His people towards righteousness.\\n\\nEvery individual who aligns good deeds with genuine faith can be considered a worker in this vineyard. The workers of the morning represent the ancient Jewish people who, since the dawn of time, have strived to honor God through true belief as His chosen ones. In contrast, the Gentiles were called in the eleventh hour, and they responded, \\"Why do you stand here all day?\\" They remained idle during a long stretch of peace, feeling overlooked because no Patriarch or Prophet had appeared to them. Their complaint about being left unengaged signifies a lack of instruction on the paths of righteousness.\\n\\nThus, what can we say in our defense if we do not engage in good works? We, who have been nurtured in faith from infancy, who have been taught the words of life from our earliest days and have received the nourishing teachings of the Holy Church, should reflect on this. The various hours of the day can also parallel the stages of life. The morning symbolizes childhood; the third hour, adolescence; the sixth hour represents youth; the ninth hour points to old age; and the eleventh hour signifies a very advanced age. This is why older individuals are often referred to by the Greeks as \\"elders,\\" suggesting a level of maturity beyond mere age.\\n\\nConsequently, since some individuals come to a virtuous life in childhood, some in youth, others in adulthood, and still others in their later years, they are all recognized as laborers in the vineyard, each in their own time. Therefore, dear friends, let us examine our deeds to ensure we are indeed workers for God. Each person should reflect on their actions and whether they are contributing to the Lord's vineyard. Those who seek only their own benefit are still outside the vineyard of God. True laborers are those who prioritize the interests of the Lord, driven by love and zeal for goodness, earnestly striving to lead others towards eternal life.\\n\\nIn contrast, someone who lives solely for personal pleasure is rightly deemed inactive, producing no fruit in divine endeavors. Even those who have neglected to serve God throughout their lives appear to remain idle until the eleventh hour. Hence, it is justly asked of those who have been idle, \\"Why do you stand here all day?\\" This inquiry implies that if one chose not to live for God in their youth, they should at least lament in their final years. Even when they may not contribute much to the quest for life, they can still make their way, albeit late. The Master also calls to them, and many of them receive their reward swiftly, entering into the Kingdom before those who have toiled since their youth. Notably, it was at the eleventh hour that a thief, late to his punishment but not in years, recognized God on the cross and surrendered his spirit shortly after his confession."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the parable of the vineyard workers, a distinction is made between those who arrived before the terms of their payment were disclosed and others who began working without any formal agreement, indicative of a greater level of trust."},{"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":"At around one and a half o'clock, which we refer to as five in the evening, just before the day's work was about to conclude, he encountered others waiting outside. He inquired of them, \\"Why have you been standing here all day?\\" They responded, \\"No one has employed us.\\" In the householder's question, \\"Why do you stand idle?\\" there is a hint of criticism regarding their inactivity; however, the workers replied with calmness, \\"We are eager to work, but no one has hired us.\\" The master heard their response and said to them, \\"Go to my vineyard, and you will receive whatever is fair.\\" So they went. Those who began working only an hour before the end of the day were given a denarius for their short labor."},{"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 illustrate this truth more vividly, Christ presented a parable concerning the wages of workers in a vineyard. The vineyard owner engaged laborers in three shifts; the first group was employed for the entire day, the second for a few hours, and the third for just one hour. He agreed to pay the first group one denarius for their full day's work, while inviting others who were idle in the marketplace to labor without specific terms, assuring them that they would be justly compensated."},{"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 Christ's followers from expecting the promised blessings as though they were obligatory rewards for their own merits—similar to the mindset of the Pharisees who sought the foremost positions in the kingdom of the Messiah—Jesus declared, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Mark provides this statement alone, while Matthew expands on it with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, illustrating the idea behind Jesus' proclamation (Matt. 20:16, Luke 13:30). In this parable, the vineyard symbolizes the church of Christ, the householder represents the Lord, and the workers—who commenced their tasks at different intervals—are believers in Christ called at various times into His church (for Christ's contemporaries, during His earthly ministry; for believers in general, throughout different eras). The parable concludes with a variation of its opening statement, reflecting the progression of the narrative: “So the last will be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen.” The overarching message of the parable is that the distribution of eternal life rewards for believers relies solely on God's will and grace, rather than on human assessment of merit; many who seemingly labored little toward their salvation and were deemed last by themselves and others may be honored as first by God’s judgment, while many who viewed themselves as first may find themselves last in the dreadful judgment. Thus, this parable teaches all Christ's followers the importance of humility, which is essential for receiving the rewards promised to those who have relinquished everything for the sake of Christ."}]}
Support this project and get full access for only 4$/month
Commentarie text can’t be scrolled on PC at the moment. Please use your phone. We’re working on a fix.
