John Calvin Commentary Matthew 20:1

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard." — Matthew 20:1 (ASV)

As this parable is nothing other than a confirmation of the preceding sentence, the last shall be first, it now remains to see how it should be applied. Some commentators reduce it to this general proposition: that the glory of all will be equal, because the heavenly inheritance is not obtained by the merits of works, but is bestowed freely. But Christ does not here argue either about the equality of the heavenly glory or about the future condition of the godly. He only declares that those who were first in point of time have no right to boast or to insult others, because the Lord, whenever He pleases, may call those whom He appeared for a time to disregard, and may make them equal, or even superior, to the first.

If anyone should resolve to examine meticulously every portion of this parable, his curiosity would be useless. Therefore, our only inquiry should be into what Christ intended to teach. Now, we have already said that He had no other aim than to continually spur His people to make progress.

We know that indolence almost always springs from excessive confidence, and this is why many, as if they had reached the goal, stop short in the middle of the course. Thus Paul instructs us to forget the things which are behind (Philippians 3:13), so that, reflecting on what still lies ahead for us, we may rouse ourselves to persevere in the race. But there will be no harm in examining the words, so that the doctrine may be more clearly demonstrated.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder. The meaning is that the nature of the divine calling is like a man who, early in the morning, hired laborers to cultivate his vineyard at a fixed price, and afterwards employed others without an agreement, yet gave them an equal wage. He uses the phrase kingdom of heaven because He compares the spiritual life to earthly life, and the reward of eternal life to money that men pay in return for work done for them. Some offer an ingenious interpretation of this passage, as if Christ were distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews, they tell us, were called at the first hour with an agreement as to the wage; for the Lord promised them eternal life on the condition that they should fulfill the law. In contrast, when calling the Gentiles, no bargain was made, at least concerning works, for salvation was freely offered to them in Christ. But all such subtleties are out of place, for the Lord makes no distinction in the agreement, but only in the time. This is because those who entered last, in the evening, into the vineyard, receive the same wage as the first. Although, in the Law, God formerly promised the Jews the reward for works (Leviticus 18:5), we know that this was to no avail, because no one ever obtained salvation by his merits.

Why then, one might ask, does Christ expressly mention a bargain⁶⁴³ in reference to the first, but make no mention of it concerning the others? It was to show that, without wronging anyone, as much honor is conferred on the last as if they had been called at the beginning. For strictly speaking, He owes no one anything; and from us, who are devoted to His service, He demands, as a matter of right, all the duties required of us. But as He freely offers us a reward, He is said to hire for the labors which, on other grounds, were due to Him. This is also why He gives the name of a wage to the crown which He bestows freely. Again, to show that we have no right to complain about God if He makes us companions in honor with those who followed us after a long interval, He borrowed a comparison from the ordinary custom of men, who bargain about the wage before they send laborers to their work.

If anyone infers from this that people are created to do something, and that everyone has their sphere of work assigned by God so that they do not sit down in idleness, they will not do violence to Christ's words.⁶⁴⁴ We can also infer that our whole life is unprofitable, and we are justly accused of indolence, until each of us orders their life according to the command and calling of God. Hence it follows that those who rashly undertake a particular course of life, and do not wait for the prompting of God's call, labor in vain. Lastly, we learn from Christ's words that only those who labor for the benefit of others are pleasing to God.

A penny (which was rather more than four times the value of a French carolus)⁶⁴⁵ was probably the ordinary wage for a day’s work. The third, sixth, and ninth hour, are expressly mentioned because, while the ancients were accustomed to divide the day into twelve hours from sunrise to sunset, there was another division of the day into three-hour periods; just as the night, in turn, was divided into four watches. And so, the eleventh hour means the close of the day.

⁶⁴³ “Un pris conveml;” — “a price agreed upon.”;” — “a price agreed upon.”

⁶⁴⁴ “Cela ne sera point tirer trop loin les parollcs de Christ;” — “this will not be straining too far the words of Christ.”;” — “this will not be straining too far the words of Christ.”

⁶⁴⁵ A penny (δηνάριον) was worth about sevenpence-halfpenny of our money. — Ed.