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Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard.
v. 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
This parable is often called the parable of the hours, since the length of the working-day is an important item in the lesson of the story as told by Jesus. He had been discussing the reward of mercy which was to be given to those that would be firm in the confession of His name, but had added the warning against a foolish depending upon personal merits before God, since this involved the danger of losing the reward. His Church as it appears before men, as its work is being carried out before them and for their salvation, is like unto the ruler of a house, either the housefather or the manager of an estate. Such a one might be found almost any morning, in the very earliest hours, as he was obliged to go out and hire laborers, in order that the ripe fruit might not spoil for want of grape-pickers. Similar cases can be found in great number just before the harvest season in any country.