The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard is familiar to many people because it is a prime example of Jesus presenting a seemingly absurd proposition before his audience. That is of course the purpose of parables. But this one is more often than not difficult to accept. The challenge it presents is easy to put into words: it just seems unfair. Regardless of how you look at it, paying workers who did just 1 hour of labor the same wage as those who worked for 12 hours seems very unfair.
We know that the parable is not about employment and fair wages, but somehow it is difficult for us to not get lost in those details. That is a reflection of our own desire for justice – and perhaps even a reflection of our own concern for receiving fair wages for work we do. The subject matter of this parable hits a little too close for us, and we get lost in the detail.
The mentioning of “the last will be first, and the first will be last” and the order in which payment is rendered does not help our interpretation because it (again) shifts out focus towards the apparent unfair practice of the landowner. But the order of payment is merely a literally tool in the parable to explain how the workers who labored 12 hours would know that the later hires receive the same wage as they did.
The symbolism that we should really focus on is presented at the very beginning of the parable: “a landowner went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.” The vineyard refers to Israel, as it does in various other places in the Bible. And the work that is to be done must be the harvest, which is a symbol for the final judgment. The landowner goes out to hire more and more workers throughout the day, which is an indication that the time of judgment is drawing near.
The second part of the parable, concerning the payment of the laborers, expresses two distinct teachings. First, the reward is the gift of the kingdom of God. That is a gift that cannot be divided; it cannot be given in part. Therefore, all who worked receive the same reward.
Second, the order of payment reflects a judgment on the chosen people, the Israelites, that is also reflected in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “a hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles comes in, and thus all Israel will be saved.” In other words, although the Israelites are the chosen people (the first), their rejection of the Messiah results in the gentiles (the last) to be chosen as the Church that will sanctify the world.
In Matthew’s gospel this has an additional meaning because he uses it to highlight that the last (the marginalized in society, such as tax collectors and sinners who turned from sin in response to Jesus) are given more prominence than the first (the scribes and the Pharisees).
The important point for us is expressed in our responsorial psalm: “The Lord is near to all who call upon him.” Let us rejoice for every sinner who repents; for any non-believer who comes to believe. And let us not judge one another as to whether one merits salvation – for it is not ours to judge – but let us rejoice for every soul that is saved.