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have received, they say: These last have worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat? And this, when they were not about to be harmed at all, nor have their own wages diminished, they were displeased and indignant at the good fortune of others; which was a matter of envy and malice. And what is more, the householder, in justifying himself on their account and making his defense to the one who said these things, judges him for wickedness and extreme malice, saying: Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours, and go; but I wish to give to this last one even as to you. Is your eye 58.613 evil, because I am good? What then is being constructed from these things? For indeed, it is possible to see this same thing in other parables. For the approved son is also introduced as having felt this very thing, when he saw his prodigal brother enjoying great honor, and more than he himself. For just as these enjoyed more by receiving first, so also that one was honored more greatly by the abundance of the things given; and the approved one himself testifies to these things. What then is there to say? There is no one making such justifications or accusations in the kingdom of heaven; far from it; for that place is pure of envy and malice. For if the saints, while here, give their own souls for sinners, much more, seeing them enjoying these things there, do they rejoice, and consider them their own good things. For what reason then did He frame the discourse this way? What was said was a parable; wherefore one must not scrutinize everything in parables literally, but having learned the purpose for which it was composed, to reap this, and not be meddlesome any further. For what reason then was this parable so composed, and what does it wish to establish? To make more eager those who in extreme old age are changed and become better, and not to let them think they have less. For this reason indeed He also introduces others being displeased at the good things of these men, not to show those men pining away and being vexed—far from it—but to teach these men that they have received such great honor, which could have even produced envy in others. Which we also often do, saying, "So-and-so accused me, because I deemed you worthy of so much honor"; neither having been accused, nor wishing to slander that person, but to show to this one the greatness of the gift he enjoyed. But why indeed did He not hire all at once? As far as it depended on Him, everyone; but if they did not all obey at the same time, the disposition of those called made the difference. For this reason some are called early in the morning, some at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and some at the eleventh, when they were about to obey. Paul, declaring this, also said: But when it pleased Him who separated me from my mother’s womb. And when did it please Him? When he was about to obey. For He Himself willed it, even from the beginning; but since he himself would not have yielded, it pleased Him then, when he himself was about to be persuaded. So also He called the thief, although He could have called him even before; but that one would not have obeyed. For if Paul would not have obeyed from the beginning, much more the thief. But if these say, No one has hired us; in the first place, as I said, one must not scrutinize everything in parables; and here, not even the householder appears to say this, but they do; and he does not rebuke them, so that he might not perplex, but draw them to him. For that He called all, at least as far as it depended on Him, from the first hour, the parable also indicated, saying, that from early in the morning he went out to hire. δʹ. It is therefore clear to us from every side, that the parable is spoken to those from their earliest years, and to those in old age and who have laid hold of virtue more slowly; to the former, so that they may not despair, nor reproach those of the eleventh hour; and to the latter, so that they may learn that it is possible even in a short time to recover everything. For since He was discoursing about vehemence, and of casting away money, and 58.614 despising all one’s possessions, and this required much vigor and youthful eagerness, kindling in them a flame of love, and making their resolve vigorous, He shows that it is possible for those who have come later of all

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ἀπολελαυκότας, φασίν· Οὗτοι οἱ ἔσχατοι μίαν ὥραν ἐποίησαν, καὶ ἴσους αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν ἐποίησας, τοῖς βαστάσασι τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν καύσωνα; Καὶ ταῦτα μηδὲν μέλλοντες ζημιοῦσθαι, μηδὲ εἰς τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἐλαττοῦσθαι μισθὸν, ἐδυσχέραινον καὶ ἠγανάκτουν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἀγαθοῖς· ὃ φθόνου καὶ βασκανίας ἦν. Καὶ τὸ ἔτι πλέον, ὅτι καὶ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν δικαιολογούμενος, καὶ πρὸς τὸν εἰρηκότα ταῦτα ἀπολογούμενος, πονηρίας αὐτὸν κρίνει καὶ βασκανίας ἐσχάτης, λέγων· Οὐχὶ δηναρίου συνεφώνησάς μοι; Ἆρον τὸ σὸν, καὶ ὕπαγε· θέλω δὲ τῷ ἐσχάτῳ δοῦναι ὡς καὶ σοί. Εἰ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου 58.613 πονηρός ἐστιν, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀγαθός εἰμι; Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ κατασκευαζόμενον ἐκ τούτων; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐφ' ἑτέρων παραβολῶν τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς ὁ εὐδόκιμος αὐτὸ τοῦτο εἰσάγεται πεπονθὼς, ὅτε εἶδε τὸν ἄσωτον ἀδελφὸν πολλῆς ἀπολαύσαντα τιμῆς, καὶ πλείονος ἢ αὐτός. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὗτοι πλείονος ἀπέλαυσαν τῷ πρῶτοι λαβεῖν, οὕτω καὶ ἐκεῖνος μειζόνως τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῶν δεδομένων ἐτιμᾶτο· καὶ ταῦτα αὐτὸς μαρτυρεῖ ὁ εὐδόκιμος. Τί οὖν ἔστιν εἰπεῖν; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεὶς τοιαῦτα δικαιολογούμενος ἢ ἐγκαλῶν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν· ἄπαγε· φθόνου γὰρ καὶ βασκανίας τὸ χωρίον ἐκεῖνο καθαρόν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ὄντες οἱ ἅγιοι καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἑαυτῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν διδόασι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁρῶντες ἐκεῖ τούτων ἀπολαύοντας χαίρουσι, καὶ οἰκεῖα νομίζουσιν εἶναι ἀγαθά. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οὕτως ἐσχημάτισε τὸν λόγον; Παραβολὴ τὸ λεγόμενον ἦν· διόπερ οὐδὲ χρὴ πάντα τὰ ἐν ταῖς παραβολαῖς κατὰ λέξιν περιεργάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸν σκοπὸν μαθόντας, δι' ὃν συνετέθη, τοῦτον δρέπεσθαι, καὶ μηδὲν πολυπραγμονεῖν περαιτέρω. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οὕτω συνετέθη αὕτη ἡ παραβολὴ, καὶ τί κατασκευάσαι βούλεται; Προθυμοτέρους ποιῆσαι τοὺς ἐν ἐσχάτῳ γήρᾳ μεταβαλλομένους καὶ γινομένους βελτίονας, μηδὲ ἀφεῖναι νομίζειν ἔλαττον ἔχειν. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο εἰσάγει καὶ δυσχεραίνοντας ἑτέρους ἐπὶ τοῖς τούτων ἀγαθοῖς, οὐχ ἵνα δείξῃ τηκομένους καὶ δακνομένους ἐκείνους· ἄπαγε· ἀλλ' ἵνα διδάξῃ τούτους τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσαντας τιμῆς, ἣ καὶ φθόνον ἑτέροις τεκεῖν ἠδύνατο. Ὃ καὶ ἡμεῖς πολλάκις ποιοῦμεν λέγοντες, ὅτι Ὁ δεῖνά μοι ἐνεκάλεσεν, ὅτι σε τοσαύτης ἠξίωσα τιμῆς· οὔτε ἐγκληθέντες, οὔτε ἐκεῖνον διαβαλεῖν θέλοντες, ἀλλὰ τούτῳ δεῖξαι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς δωρεᾶς ἧς ἀπήλαυσεν. Ἀλλὰ τί δήποτε οὐ πάντας εὐθέως ἐμισθώσατο; Τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν ἧκον, ἅπαντας· εἰ δὲ οὐχ ὁμοῦ πάντες ὑπήκουσαν, τὴν διαφορὰν ἡ τῶν κληθέντων γνώμη πεποίηκε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὲν πρωῒ, οἱ δὲ τρίτῃ, οἱ δὲ ἕκτῃ, οἱ δὲ ἐνάτῃ ὥρᾳ καλοῦνται, οἱ δὲ ἑνδεκάτῃ, ὅτε ἔμελλον ὑπακούσεσθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν· Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου. Πότε δὲ εὐδόκησεν; Ὅτε ἔμελλεν ὑπακούσεσθαι. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐβούλετο, καὶ ἐκ προοιμίων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἂν εἶξε, τότε εὐδόκησεν, ὅτε καὶ αὐτὸς ἔμελλε πείθεσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ τὸν λῃστὴν ἐκάλεσε, καίτοι δυνάμενος καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτὸν καλέσαι· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἂν ὑπήκουσεν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλος ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὐκ ἂν ὑπήκουσε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ λῃστής. Εἰ δὲ οὗτοι λέγουσιν, Οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς ἐμισθώσατο· μάλιστα μὲν, ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐ χρὴ πάντα περιεργάζεσθαι τὰ ἐν ταῖς παραβολαῖς· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδὲ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης φαίνεται τοῦτο λέγων, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι· αὐτὸς δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐλέγχει, ἵνα μὴ διαπορήσῃ, ἀλλ' ἐπισπάσηται. Ὅτι γὰρ πάντας, τό γε εἰς αὐτὸν ἧκον, ἐκ πρώτης ἐκάλει, ἐδήλωσε καὶ ἡ παραβολὴ λέγουσα, ὅτι ἀπὸ πρωῒ ἐξῆλθε μισθώσασθαι. δʹ. Πάντοθεν οὖν δῆλον ἡμῖν, ὅτι πρὸς τοὺς ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας, καὶ τοὺς ἐν γήρᾳ καὶ βράδιον ἀρετῆς ἐπειλημμένους εἴρηται ἡ παραβολή· πρὸς ἐκείνους μὲν, ἵνα μὴ ἀπονοῶνται, μηδὲ ὀνειδίζωσι τοῖς περὶ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην· πρὸς τούτους δὲ, ἵνα μάθωσιν, ὅτι ἔστι καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τὸ πᾶν ἀνακτήσασθαι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ περὶ σφοδρότητος διελέγετο, καὶ τοῦ χρήματα ῥῖψαι, καὶ κατα 58.614 φρονῆσαι τῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων, πολλοῦ δὲ τοῦτο ἐδεῖτο τοῦ τόνου καὶ νεανικῆς προθυμίας, ἀνάπτων ἐν αὐτοῖς φλόγα ἀγάπης, καὶ εὔτονον ποιῶν τὴν γνώμην, δείκνυσιν ὅτι δυνατὸν καὶ ὕστερον ἐλθόντας τῆς πάσης