, showing the workers being paid that evening (1637) The parable has often been interpreted to mean that even those who are converted late in life earn equal rewards along with those converted early, and also that people who convert early in life need not feel jealous of those later converts. An alternative interpretation identifies the early laborers as
Jews, some of whom resent the late-comers (
Gentiles) being welcomed as equals in God's Kingdom. Both of these interpretations are discussed in
Matthew Henry's 1706 Commentary on the Bible. An alternative interpretation is that all Christians can be identified with the eleventh-hour workers. Arland J. Hultgren writes: "While interpreting and applying this parable, the question inevitably arises: Who are the eleventh-hour workers in our day? We might want to name them, such as
deathbed converts or persons who are typically despised by those who are longtime veterans and more fervent in their religious commitment. But it is best not to narrow the field too quickly. At a deeper level, we are all the eleventh-hour workers; to change the metaphor, we are all honored guests of God in the kingdom. It is not really necessary to decide who the eleventh-hour workers are. The point of the parable—both at the level of Jesus and the level of Matthew's Gospel—is that God saves by grace, not by our worthiness. That applies to all of us." A
USCCB interpretation is that the parable's "close association with Mt 19:30 suggests that its teaching is the equality of all the disciples in the reward of inheriting
eternal life." The USCCB interpret Mt 19:30 as: "[A]ll who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God." In giving himself via the
beatific vision, God is the greatest reward. Some commentators have used the parable to justify the principle of a "
living wage", though generally conceding that this is not the main point of the parable. ==Parallels==