Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/639



MONG the  many  parables  addressed  by  our  Lord  to  the Jews occurs  the  following:

“The kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  a husbandman,  who  went out early  in  the  morning  to  hire  labourers  into  his  vineyard. When he  had  agreed  with  the  labourers  for  a penny  a day,  he sent  them  into  his  vineyard. And he  went  out  about  the  third hour, and  saw  others  standing  idle  in  the  market-place. And he said  to  them:  ‘Go  you  also  into  my  vineyard,  and  I will  give you what  shall  be  just.’  And  they  went. Again he  went  out  about the sixth  and  ninth  hour  and  did  in  like  manner. And about  the eleventh hour  he  went  out  and  found  others  standing,  and  said  to them:  ‘Why  stand  you  here  all  the  day  idle?’  They  answered: ‘Because no  man  hath  hired  us.’  He  said  to  them:  ‘Go  you  also into my  vineyard.’

“Now when  evening  was  come,  the  lord  of  the  vineyard  said to his  steward:  ‘Call  the  labourers,  and  pay  them  their  hire,  beginning from  the  last  even  to  the  first.’  When,  therefore,  they came who  had  come  about  the  eleventh  hour,  they  received  every man a penny. But when  the  first  also  came,  they  thought  that they should  have  received  more,  and  they  likewise  received  every man a penny. However, when  they  received  it,  they  murmured against the  master  of  the  house,  saying: ‘These  last  have  worked but one  hour,  and  thou  hast  made  them  equal  to  us,  that  have borne the  burden  of  the  day  and  the  heat.’  But  he  addressed one of  them:  ‘Friend,  I do  thee  no  wrong;  didst  thou  not  agree with me  for  a penny? Take what  is  thine  and  go  thy  way. I will also  give  to  this  last  even  as  to  thee. Or is  it  not  lawful for me  to  do  what  I will? Is thy  eye  evil  because  I am  good?’”