For. The following parable is intended to illustrate the apophthegm at the end of the last chapter, which is repeated almost in the same words at the close, "Many that are first," etc., and "The last shall be first," etc.
It taught the apostles a lesson in answer to Peter's question (Matthew 19:27), "What shall we have therefore?" and the primary lesson was that the reward of the kingdom is not of debt, but of grace. There are many difficulties in the parable, which may be better noticed after we have expounded its literal bearing and details.
The kingdom of heaven is like. That is, what happens in the kingdom of heaven is parallel to the case of a householder, etc. The kingdom of heaven is the Church of Christ, whether militant on earth (when the labourers are hired) or triumphant in heaven (when the reward is bestowed).
We may refer to Matthew 13:24, Matthew 13:45, where an analogous comparison is found. Early in the morning ( ἁ ìμα πρωι ì); i.e. at the end of the last night watch (see on Matthew 13:3), wishing to secure labourers, who at vintage time were probably in great request.
Vineyard. The Church is elsewhere so called by our Lord (Matthew 21:28, Matthew 21:33, etc.), and in the Old Testament (see Psalms 80:8; Isaiah 5:1; Jeremiah 12:10).