Those called at the eleventh hour were sinners, for till they were called, they lived without God, and neither had faith, nor practised good works. The parable, therefore, teaches us that even the sinner will be saved if, at the end of his life, he opens his heart to God’s grace and is converted. Salvation does not depend on when we are called (for that depends entirely on God), but it does depend on how we obey that call, and whether we persevere to the end.
The parable also shows us God’s Goodness and Mercy, and ought to be a great comfort to the converted sinner, and teach him never to lose hope and give way to despair.
Furthermore, the parable teaches us the necessity and the merit of good works. God calls us into His vineyard on purpose that we may labour for His glory and save our souls by observing His commandments, avoiding sin and doing good, by faithfully fulfilling our duties as Christians in that state of life in which He, of His good pleasure, has put us. He who does not thus do his duty is standing idle and sins by sloth. By our labours for God’s glory, i. e. by our good works, we merit heaven, because God, in His goodness, has promised us heaven as our reward. Even though the good which we do is not our own work, being at the same time the work of grace, Almighty God has pledged Himself to reward us for it just as if it were all our own work.
Who are the chosen? All men are called, because our Lord Jesus Christ died for all, and “God will have all men to be saved” (i Tim. 2, 4), and gives to all men sufficient grace to be saved. The chosen are those who really attain to heaven. The name of “chosen” is given to them, because God, in His eternal counsel, and foreknowing their correspondence with grace, has chosen them for His kingdom of heaven out of the multitude of those whom He calls. Thus all those are among the chosen who, by corresponding with grace, make a good use of their calling and of the graces which God gives them. The number of the chosen is, our Lord says, small in comparison with the multitude of those called; for many — very many — of those called are lost by their own fault. This is a solemn and terrible truth! “Wherefore, brethren, labour the more that by good works you may make sure your calling and election” (2 Pet. 1, 20).
The hatefulness of envy. The envious sin 1. against brotherly love, because they do not heartily wish well to their neighbour, but grudge him the good things that he has. They sin 2. against the love of God, for in their hearts they find fault with Him, saying to themselves: “It is not just that God should give such and such things to that man!” Thus an envious man attacks the rights of God’s own Majesty.
