Matthew 20:8

Even was come. Probably about the time of early nightfall (see on v. 12).

Lord of the vineyard. That is, the “householder” (see on v. 1).

Call the labourers. It would seem that they kept on working until called by the steward, the man whom the owner had entrusted with oversight of the work.

Give them their hire. According to the OT (see Lev. 19:13), an employer was required to settle accounts with day laborers at the close of each day. This wise provision was designed to help prevent unscrupulous employers from postponing or avoiding payment of wages.

Beginning from the last. It would hardly seem that this was the usual custom, but this procedure is necessary to the lesson of the parable. Had the workmen been paid off in the order in which they were hired, the dissatisfaction of the first men hired for the day would probably not have occurred. The lesson of the parable rules out the explanation suggested by some that the men who had “home the burden and heat of the day” had not worked as diligently as they should have, and that the “lord of the vineyard” sought to teach them a lesson.