Matthew 20:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord of the vineyard ventured out at the eleventh hour, discovering those who were idle, and chose to employ them. Who are these idle individuals? They represent our own nature, as we have remained disengaged from God and good deeds. He inquired of them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day long?’ (Matt. 20:6). He referred to the entire day as the period from the dawn of creation until the advent of His Savior, during which the Gentiles were unaware of God’s presence, having received no response. The Gentiles demonstrate wisdom in their acknowledgment: indeed, none have come to employ them; neither the law nor the prophets reached out to them, as the latter were directed solely to Israel. Thus, their reply resonates with reason: ‘No man hired us.’

Additionally, the fact that He ventured out early in the morning, as well as at the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours, and at dusk, should be interpreted as the commencement of His ministry, which He pursued until the time of His Crucifixion. This is highlighted by the arrival of the thief at the eleventh hour, who entered the vineyard, symbolizing Paradise (Luke 23:43). To guard against the criticism of late repentance, he clearly demonstrated his complete willingness, for if the owner of the vineyard had previously called upon him, he would have labored then as well. It is stated, "No one has hired us for wages" (cf. Matt. 20:7).

At the last hour, he discovered others idle, having spent the entire day without labor. The workers of the final hour represent those who began their journey in advanced age. In this context, the apostles and the Gentile nations can be seen as the last, who are envied by many. John the Evangelist, expressing a similar sentiment, indicates that after the eleventh hour, as the sun begins to sink and daylight gives way to evening, he states: "My children, it is the last hour" (1 John 2:18).

The profound and enigmatic return of the Lord has brought us to the last moments. This is why He declares in the Gospel: Walk while there is light (John 12:35).

A master employs workers at different times throughout the day to tend to his vineyard, beginning early in the morning and continuing through the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours. This reflects his ongoing mission to gather preachers for the faithful throughout the ages, from the dawn of creation until the end of time. The morning period stretches from Adam to Noah; the third hour covers the time from Noah to Abraham; the sixth hour spans from Abraham to Moses; the ninth hour extends from Moses to the arrival of our Lord; and the eleventh hour reaches from the Lord's coming to the conclusion of the world. During this last hour, the apostles were sent forth to preach, and despite their late arrival, they received full compensation for their efforts.

Just as a hired worker dedicates the entire day to serving his employer and only a brief moment to satisfying his hunger, we too ought to devote each hour of our lives to glorifying God with just a small portion allocated to our earthly needs. Much like the hired worker who may feel ashamed to enter his master’s home and request sustenance on a day he has not labored, how can we stand before God in church without shame when, in His sight, our deeds have been lacking? The apostle reminds us that the twelfth hour is already upon us, as he states, "Salvation is nearer to us now than when we believed" (Rom. 13:11). This marks the eleventh hour. Currently, while the twelfth hour may not yet have concluded, it is evident that time is dwindling. We find ourselves in the twelfth hour.

At approximately one and a half o'clock, or just before dusk, the householder discovered some individuals still waiting outside. He inquired of them, “Why have you been standing here all day?” They replied, “No one has hired us.” In his question, “Why do you stand idle?” there seems to be an implication of their inactivity, yet the workers responded with, “We are eager to work, but we have not been chosen.” The master heard their explanation and told them, “Go to my vineyard, and whatever is right, you will receive.” They promptly went. Those who began working merely an hour before day’s end were compensated with a denarius for their short time of service.

In order to prevent those who had received the significant assurances made to the apostles and all Christ's disciples from believing that the promised blessings are merely a reward for their own merits, similar to how the Pharisees aspired to claim the foremost position in the Messiah's kingdom, Jesus declares, "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." Mark preserves this teaching, while Matthew includes the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, illustrating Jesus' intention in using this phrase in various contexts (Matt. 20:16; Luke 13:30).

"Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." To illustrate this truth more profoundly, Christ shared a parable concerning the wages of laborers in a vineyard. The vineyard owner engaged workers in three intervals: the first group was employed for the entire day, the second for just a few hours, and the last for only one hour. He agreed to pay the first group a denarius for their labor and invited the others, as they lingered idle in the marketplace, to join in the work without any specific terms, simply assuring them that they would be compensated fairly.