The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

“But we ought not to pursue through every particular the circumstances of a parable, but enter into its general scope, and seek nothing further. This then is not introduced in order to represent some as moved with envy, but to exhibit the honour that shall be given us as so great as that it might stir the jealousy of others.”

“A denarius was a coin anciently equal to ten sesterces, and bearing the king’s image. Well therefore does the denarius represent the reward of the keeping of the decalogue. And that, Having agreed with them for a denarius a day, is well said, to shew that every man labours in the field of the holy Church in hope of the future reward.”

“Above, the Lord treated of arriving at the kingdom by the way of common salvation, and by the way of perfection; and because certain ones believe they arrive there undeservedly, they are therefore repelled. And first those who intend to come on account of the antiquity of time; second, those on account of the origin of the flesh. The second is there: "And Jesus going up to Jerusalem," etc. The first, therefore, is set forth under the parable of the householder and of the hired laborers. First he sets down the parable; second he concludes to that for which the parable is useful, there: "So the last shall be first, and the first last." The parable has two parts. First he treats of the hiring; second of the reward. The second is there: "But when evening was come," etc. Concerning the first, four hirings are set down, which are invitations of the laborers to work. The second is there: "And going out about the third hour," etc. The third is there: "Again he went out about the sixth hour," etc. The fourth is there: "But about the eleventh hour he went out." Concerning the first he touches on three things. First the one hiring is touched upon; second the ones hired are set down; third the manner of hiring. The second is there: "who went out at the first hour of the morning to hire laborers." The third is there: "And having made an agreement," etc. This householder is God, whose household is the whole world, but especially the rational creature; and he is called householder from the likeness of governance; Wisdom 14:3: "But thou, Father, governest all things by wisdom." "Who went out at the first hour of the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard." Here he treats of those hired. First it is asked what the vineyard is, who the laborers are, why they are hired. What this vineyard is: according to Chrysostom it is justice, and as many virtues as it produces, so many branches it puts forth; Song of Songs 8:12: "My vineyard is before me." Gregory: by the vineyard the holy Church is signified. Isaiah 5:7: "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel." And there are diverse branches. But the laborers are those who descended from Adam, that is, all men; Genesis 2:15: "The Lord put Adam in Paradise, to dress it and keep it." For each one ought to work justice, and cultivate it, and have care of his neighbor; Ecclesiasticus 17:12: "God gave to every one commandment concerning his neighbor." Likewise prelates are laborers; Isaiah 61:3: "And they shall be called in it the mighty ones of justice, the planting of the Lord to glorify him." But they are called hired, who ought to work for a reward, and are as it were hirelings; Job 7:1: "The life of man upon earth is a warfare, and his days are like the days of a hireling." For just as the hireling does not immediately receive his wage, but waits, so do we in this life. But in order to be a good hireling, it is necessary that he labor for the advantage of his lord: so if we labor in the vineyard of the Church, we ought to refer everything to God. Whence 1 Corinthians 10:31: "Do all things for the glory of the Lord." Again, first he cultivates, and afterward eats: and so it is fitting that we first cultivate and prepare the salvation of others, and afterward seek temporal things; above, chapter 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you"; Luke 17:8: "Gird thyself, and serve me, till I eat and drink, and afterward thou shalt eat and drink." Again, thirdly it is required that he be occupied the whole day in labor: thus let the cultivator of the Lord's vineyard spend but little time on those things which pertain to himself, but it is necessary that we spend the whole time in the service of God; 1 Corinthians 15:58: "Abounding always in the work of the Lord." Again, he is ashamed to appear before his lord unless he has done well; so also here one ought not to appear before the Lord except with a good work; Exodus 23 and 34:20: "Thou shalt not appear before me empty." But let us see what the morning is. The whole time of this age is one day; Psalm 89:4: "A thousand years are as yesterday, which is past." The diverse hours are the diverse ages. The first is from Adam to Noah, and in that time the Lord admonished, both through messengers and through apparitions, to go into the vineyard of justice. Or it can be said that the whole life of man is one day. The morning of this day is boyhood. For boyhood is green like the grass; whence some are called from boyhood, just as Jeremiah, Daniel, and John the Baptist were called from boyhood. Therefore he says, "who went out at the first hour of the morning," etc. Next the manner of the hiring is determined, whence he says: "And having made an agreement with the laborers for a penny a day." By this penny is signified eternal life, because that penny was worth ten ordinary pennies. Again, it had the likeness of the king impressed upon it. Whence what is signified by this penny consists in the observance of the Decalogue; above, chapter 19:17: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Again, it has the likeness of God; 1 John 3:2: "When he shall appear, we shall be like to him." Next he treats of the second hiring: "And going out about the third hour," etc. If we take the one day as the whole age, just as the first hour signifies the time from Adam to Noah, so the second signifies from Noah to Abraham. Before the promises concerning Christ were made, then through angels he admonished many, and he also had many who admonished others. But if we take the life of one man, the third hour is adolescence, for just as at the third hour of the day the sun begins to grow warm, so in adolescence the sun of understanding begins to shine forth. Again, then it begins to grow warm; James 1:11: "It has risen with burning heat." And he found these in the marketplace, and idle. This marketplace is the present life. Now the marketplace is called the place in which there is litigation; it is called the marketplace in which buying and selling takes place, and it signifies the present life, which is full of litigation, of buying and selling; 1 John 5:19: "The whole world is seated in wickedness." And these were idle, because they had already lost a part of their life: for not only those who do evil are called idle, but also those who do not do good. And just as the idle do not attain the end, so neither do these. The end of man is eternal life; he therefore who works in the manner in which he ought will have it, if he has not been idle; Ecclesiasticus 33:29: "Idleness hath taught much evil." And he says to them: "Go you also into my vineyard." Because God rewards according to justice; 1 Kings 26:23: "The Lord will render to every man according to his justice." With these he did not agree about the penny. Why with the first, and not with these? The reason is, according as it is referred to the age of the world. Because Adam was going to sin, he could therefore be excused if he had not known his reward; but he knew it, because he tasted. Again, to him who has his senses better, the truth becomes more known. Since therefore Adam had better senses, the truth became more truly known to him. But with the others he did not agree, because he always pays more than he promises. Isaiah 64:4 and 1 Corinthians 2:9: "The eye hath not seen, besides thee, what things thou hast prepared for them that love thee." Again, the first were hired for the whole day. Therefore they ought to have the whole wage; hence a day's penny is promised to them, which will be the full reward. But another does not give the whole to God; therefore he does not agree with him, because it could be that he will work more fervently, and thus be rewarded more; or so negligently, that he will not merit. Therefore he says: "And whatsoever shall be just, I will give you," because if they recover the time that was lost, they will have the full reward; 1 Corinthians 3:13: "Every man's work shall be manifest, the day of the Lord shall declare it." Again, he invited the first to go, but these went of their own accord; because in children there is no discretion, therefore if they do any good, it seems to be more from the Holy Spirit than from discretion; but in adolescence a man is moved by his own counsel. Again, of the first it is said that he sent them; of these, that they went of their own accord. "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour." According as the day is called the age, so the sixth hour was from Abraham to David, and the ninth from David to Christ. But why does he join the two hours together? Because then the people was distinguished, namely the Jewish and the gentile. Whence it can be said that the sixth hour is youth, because just as at midday the sun is at its perfection, so is man in youth. But the ninth hour is old age; and he joins these two together, because the manner of living is the same in both. "But about the eleventh hour he went out." The fourth hiring is set down; and he does three things. First he reproves; second he excuses; third they are invited. The second is there: "They say to him: Because no man hath hired us." The third is there: "Go you also into my vineyard." He says therefore: "But about the eleventh hour he went out." The ninth hour is the time of Christ. Whence it is said in 1 John 2:18: "Little children, it is the last hour." And Hebrews 1:1: "God, speaking of old to the fathers in the prophets, has spoken to us in the Son in these last days." Isaiah 52:6: "Behold I myself that spoke, behold I am here." Or it can be called old age, or decrepit age, because some persist in sin even to a decrepit age. Psalm 89:6: "In the evening let it fall down, grow hard, and wither." "And he found others standing." The others he found in the marketplace; these he did not. The reason is, according to the Philosopher, that there is a difference between the young and the old, because the young are wholly in hope, the old not in hope, but in memories. Whence the first are found in the marketplace as it were wishing to acquire; but these are found standing, as it were not wishing to acquire, but to preserve what has been acquired. Again, he saw the first, and did not rebuke them; but these he saw, and rebuked them, because at first they are still weak, and the passions dominate in them, therefore they are to be excused for not spending their time in the service of God; but the old abound in senses, therefore he rebukes them: "Why stand you here all the day idle?" Proverbs 12:11: "He that followeth idleness is very foolish"; and 28:19: "He that followeth idleness shall be filled with poverty." Their excuse follows: "They say to him: Because no man hath hired us." If we refer this to the state of the age, then these signify the gentile people, who serve not God, but idols. But they are excused, because they did not have prophets as the Jews did; whence Psalm 147:20: "He hath not done in like manner to every nation, and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them." Or, according as it is referred to the age of man, it is signified that to some the occasion of returning to God is not given until old age. And the reason is, because all things have their time. Or it can happen from the divine dispensation, because to them that love God, all things work together unto good, Romans 8:28. Whence the Lord knew that if he had called them earlier, they would not have stood firm. They are hired, then, when they consent, and rise again more effectively; whence he says: "Go you also into my vineyard." Whence although they be decrepit, yet he wills all to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4. Again, to the first he promised a reward, to these he did not, because to those it was owed, since they had served him from the morning; but to these it is owed from mercy alone. Wisdom 4:13: "Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time." "Now when evening was come," etc. Here he treats of the reward. And first the reward is set down; second the murmuring; third the response. Concerning the first he does two things. First the time is set down; second the person committing; third the person to whom it is committed. The time is set down: "When evening was come," etc. And it can be understood either of the end of a lifetime, or of the end of the age. Psalm 29:6: "In the evening weeping shall have place," because the light of the world fails. And it is called evening, because in this world the judgment shall come to pass. "The lord of the vineyard said to his steward." The lord is the whole Trinity. He said to the steward, that is, to Christ. And to him is given the power of raising up, the power of judging, and the order of judgment is touched upon. The power is touched upon: "Call the laborers," that is, raise up the dead; John 5:28: "All that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God." The power of judging: "Give them their hire," that is, be a judge; whence he gives him the power of judging; John 5:27: "He hath given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man." Next the order is touched upon, "beginning from the last even to the first." And this can be turned back to the age of the world. "Beginning from the last," namely from those who have been imbued with the sacraments. Whence a greater grace was given to them than to the first; Ephesians 3:5: "In other generations it was not known, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles." Whence it was conferred upon them more abundantly, although some person in the Old Testament may have had, as to some particular, a greater grace; John 7:39: "The Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified" — not because the Holy Spirit had not been given at all, but because then it was given more abundantly. Or it can be turned back to the age of man, because those who are of decrepit age die more quickly, and are rewarded more quickly. Or it can be that from fervor they recover the thing previously lost, as is read of the thief. As to both, Chrysostom says that a man does more liberally what he does out of mercy than what he does in another way; therefore a certain gratification and joy is designated; Luke 15:10: "There is joy in heaven upon one sinner doing penance." Then follows the execution: "When therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour" — whether Christians, or men in decrepit age — they received each a penny. The Apostle, 1 Corinthians 3:8: "Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labor." "But when the first also came" (do not turn this back to the time of the age, for they were the Jews) "they thought that they should receive more," because they had more in the other age. "But they also received each a penny," because they each had their own robe. But what is this? Shall not all have glory equally? I say that as to one respect the reward will be equal, as to another it will not: because beatitude can be considered as to its object, and thus the beatitude of all is one; or as to the participation of the object, and thus not all will participate equally, because they will not see so clearly; John 14:2: "In my Father's house there are many mansions." And it is like as if many go to the water, and one carries a larger vessel than another: the river presents the whole of itself, yet not all draw off equally; so he who has his soul more widened by charity will receive more, etc. Ecclesiasticus 11:24: "The blessing of God hastens unto the reward of the just, and his advancement bears fruit in swift honor." "And receiving it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: These last have worked but one hour," etc. Above the reward was set down; here the murmuring of certain ones is set down. But here there is a twofold question, because it says that receiving each his penny, they murmured. By the penny is understood eternal life. Is it then to be believed that anyone, having received the reward, murmurs? For it does not seem so, because then there would be sin there, as is had in 1 Corinthians 10:10: "Neither do you murmur." Chrysostom says that force is not to be put upon what is said, but upon that for the sake of which it is said. Whence it is to be understood that the reward will be so great that, if it were possible, they would murmur. Or it can be understood as taking place in this world. Gregory says that this reckoning is nothing other than the reward being deferred, because the saints who came last immediately received the prize, but the first waited long; whence 2 Corinthians 6:13: "Having the same recompense, I speak as to my children, be you also enlarged," etc. Whence those murmur, because they did not receive it immediately; but these do not, because they received it immediately. Hilary and Jerome say thus: sometimes Scripture speaks of the whole number of the people, sometimes in the person of the good, sometimes of the wicked, as it is said in Jeremiah 26:8, that all the people rose up against him, and all the people delivered him. Here "all the people" is taken for a part of the people. So in the first time some were good, and not all; therefore something is attributed by reason of the good, something by reason of the wicked — not that they murmured then, but before, because the Jewish people murmured against the gentile, that he should be made equal to them. There is also another question. What is it that he says: "who have borne the burden of the day and the heats"? For they did not bear it, except so much as they lived, and likewise the moderns. What then is it that is said? A threefold answer is given. The first answer is, that hope which is deferred afflicts the soul. There were some at the beginning of the world who bore the burden, because they knew their reward was deferred; therefore they are said to have borne the burden of the day. Or it can be referred to the Jews, who bore the burdens of the law, of which burden Peter says, Acts 15:10: "This is the burden which neither we, nor our fathers, were able to bear." But the gentiles did not bear such a burden, because they were not subject to the law. Or, according to Gregory, because the first men lived a longer time, whence they lived nine hundred years, therefore they bore a heavier burden. "But he answering, said to one of them." Here the reproof is set down. And first he shows his justice and his mercy; second, the equity of the reward. Concerning the first, three things. First he denies injustice; second he brings in the pact; third he brings in the reward that was made. He says therefore: "But he answering, said to one of them" — and add: and to all, because they all had one cause — he said, "Friend." He calls him friend, because he had drawn him to himself. Deuteronomy 4:37: "He chose their seed after them." "I do thee no wrong," because what is mine I give to this one, not what is thine; therefore I do thee no wrong. Job 8:3: "Doth God pervert judgment?" Then he calls to mind the pact: "Did not thou agree with me for a penny?" That is, for obtaining salvation. Genesis 15:1: "I am the Lord... thy reward shall be exceeding great." "Take what is thine," that is, what thou hast from my promise, "and go" — into glory; 2 Timothy 1:12: "I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Some expound it thus: "Take what is thine," that is, damnation for thy murmuring, "and go," into eternal fire. But this cannot be, because it says that they received each a penny. Next he sets down the mercy bestowed, saying: "But I will also give to this last, even as to thee." And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down the mercy; second the faculty of showing mercy. "But I will" to this last, that is, to the gentile, "give even as to thee." Romans 3:9: "What then? Do we excel? Not at all." But these might say, thou canst not. But rather he says: "Or is it not lawful for me to do what I will?" Because it is lawful for each one to do his will with what is his own. For if he were the debtor of another, it would not be lawful for him to do so; likewise if he were under another; but he himself is lord, therefore he can give more. For a bailiff cannot give anything, except according to merits; but a king can, without merits; so God, who is the lord of all, can, Psalm 113:11: "He hath done all things whatsoever he would"; Romans 9:19: "Who resisteth his will?" Here it should be noted that in that which is given out of mercy, there is no acceptance of persons, because of that which is purely mine, I can give to whom I will, without acceptance of person. Whence he says: "Is thy eye evil, because I am good?" It is clear that the preceding murmur was not from any defect of the lord, but arose because mercy had been bestowed on another — therefore it arose from mercy and goodness; but he is properly evil who grieves at goodness. Therefore he says: "Is thy eye evil, because I am good?" — in that toward thee I have shown justice, toward another mercy? But it is clear that this is from goodness. And above, 6:22: "If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome." Of the goodness of the Lord, in Psalm 72:1: "How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart." "So shall the last be first, and the first last." Here he concludes that for which the whole parable was brought forward. And first he sets down the conclusion; second he removes a false opinion. He says: "So shall the last be first." This can be read in two ways, according to Chrysostom: that is, the last shall be made equal to the first, so that there will be no difference; and this corresponds to what was said, that each received his own penny, nor will there be a difference according to time. Or otherwise, that is, those who are last will be first; Deuteronomy 28:44: "The stranger shall be over thee, and he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail." Or some who were first will become last on account of negligence; and this corresponds to what preceded, because they began from the last. But someone might say: shall not all the first be saved? He says: "Many are called, but few are chosen," because all who believe by faith are called; but those are chosen who do good works, and these are few, as above, 7:14: "Narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it."”

“For the kingdom. The participle for, is found in the Greek, and connects the present parable with the last verse of the preceding chapter: indeed it is a comment on that text, and describes to us the gospel dispensation. Thus the conduct of God in the choice he makes of members for his spiritual kingdom, the Church, and of his elect for the kingdom of heaven, is not unlike that of the father of a family, who hires workmen to labour in his vineyard. There are various opinions respecting who are meant by the first , and by the last, in this parable. Many of the fathers suppose that the saints of different states and degrees are here designed, whose reward will suffer no diminution from the circumstances of their having come to the service of Christ at a late age of the world, according to Sts. Hilary, Gregory, and Theophylactus; or, at a late age of life, according to Sts. Basil, Jerome, and Fulgentius. In the latter case, however, we must understand that their greater fervour in co-operating with divine grace, in the latter part of their life, has supplied and compensated for the defect of their preceding negligence; hence it may sometimes happen that the reward of such as enter late in life on the service of God, will exceed that of the less fervent who have entered at an earlier period. But as Christ rather seems to speak here of his militant than his triumphant Church, many commentators explain the parable of the Jews and Gentiles. For the Jews, after bearing the yoke of the Mosaic law for so many ages, received nothing more than what was promised to the observance of that law; whilst Christians receive a more plentiful reward for their more easy labour under the sweet yoke of the gospel. In which sense Christ says to the Jews, Luke xiii.”

“The Master of the household is Christ, whose house are the heavens and the earth; and the creatures of the heavens, and the earth, and beneath the earth, His family. His vineyard is righteousness, in which are set divers sorts of righteousness as vines, as meekness, chastity, patience, and the other virtues; all of which are called by one common name righteousness. Men are the cultivators of this vineyard, whence it is said, Who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. For God placed His righteousness in our senses, not for His own but for our benefit. Know then that we are the hired labourers. But as no man gives wages to a labourer, to the end he should do nothing save only to eat, so likewise we were not thereto called by Christ, that we should labour such things only as pertain to our own good, but to the glory of God. And like as the hired labourer looks first to his task, and after to his daily food, so ought we to mind first those things which concern the glory of God, then those which concern our own profit. Also as the hired labourer occupies the whole day in his Lord’s work, and takes but a single hour for his own meal; so ought we to occupy our whole life in the glory of God, taking but a very small portion of it for the uses of this world. And as the hired labourer when he has done no work is ashamed that day to enter the house, and ask his food; how should not you be ashamed to enter the church, and stand before the face of God, when you have done nothing good in the sight of God?”

“For we always give more willingly, where we give without return, seeing it is for our own honour that we give. Therefore God in giving reward to all the saints shews himself just; in giving to us, merciful; as the Apostle speaks, That the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; (Rom. 16:9.) and thence it is said, Beginning from the last even unto the first. Or surely that God may shew His inestimable mercy, He first rewards the last and more unworthy, and afterwards the first; for of His great mercy He regarded not order of merit.”