Jesus told this parable or story to show people about God’s kingdom. He said, “The kingdom of God is like a land owner who went to the market early in the morning to hire people to work in his fields for the standard minimum wage of one denarius.
The workers began to do their job in the fields.
The land owner went out again at 12 o’clock, lunchtime, and hired more workers and they agreed they would work for one denarius for the days work.
Later in the afternoon, around 3pm, the land owner found some more men and asked them to work in his field for one denarius. They agreed and began to work.
Again, much later in the day, around 5 o’clock in the evening, the land owner went to find more men to work and asked them to work for one denarius, which they all agreed to do.
The work was hard as the men collected the grapes and it was very hot.
At 6pm, it was the end of the day, and the workers went to collect their wages, one denarius. This is the amount they all agreed when they were hired to work. The land owner said, line the men up, so the ones who only worked a one hour are first and the men who worked since early morning stand at the back.
The men were given two coins as payment for their wages.
The workers got cross with the land owner when they went to collect their wages because he paid them all the same amount, one denarius. This was the amount they agreed to work for when they were hired. But the men who had worked since early morning were cross because the men who only worked a few hours got the same wages.
The land owner said to the men, you all agreed to work for me for one denarius. I decided who to hire and at what time. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?
Jesus wanted to make the point that even if some people come into the Kingdom of God later than other people, God will give them the same blessings.
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