‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.”
When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.]And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)
The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard is only in Matthew's Gospel, and Jesus does not give us an explanation of its meaning. Surely paying people the same regardless of how much work they do is a questionable business practice? Wouldn’t it give a strong incentive to all workers to show up at five o'clock in the afternoon the next day? Never mind the likelihood of unscrupulous employers taking the opportunity to pay certain staff a lower wage because of some spurious reason.
Well if there's one thing we know about parables its that things are not always what they seem, and we shouldn't take everything at face value. So we should remember that Jesus starts by saying "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner". He is talking about God's Kingdom. We should also remember that a few verses earlier Jesus had gathered some children to him and said:
While earlier in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus made these two statements:
In God's Kingdom the least important and those who struggle or suffer the most are of prime importance. If we have been Christians all our life no matter our status in the world or in the church we will not be first in the queue, for the parable emphasises God's merciful goodness and His desire to bless everyone equally. The parable especially offers hope to all who struggle.
Lord God,
we thank You for Your goodness to all
who seek You,
and especially for Your care for the innocent,
and the vulnerable.
We praise You for Your desire to bless
all people equally,
and to offer hope to the vulnerable.
May we be grateful that You invite us
to enter into Your Kingdom,
and never take it for granted.
Amen.
You might like to look in further depth at this saying which Jesus says twice in Matthew's Gospel: