"The kingdom of heaven," He said, "is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard." It was the custom for men seeking employment to wait in the market places, and thither the employers went to find servants. The man in the parable is represented as going out at different hours to engage workmen. Those who are hired at the earliest hours agree to work for a stated sum; those hired later leave their wages to the discretion of the householder.

Thi med Himmeriget," sagde han, "er det som med en husbond, der tidligt om morgenen gik ud for at leje arbejdere til sin vingård." Det var skik og brug, at folk, der søgte arbejde, gik hen på torvet for at vente, og arbejdsgiverne gik derhen for at finde arbejdere. Der står om manden i lignelsen, at han gik ud på forskellige tider af dagen for at finde arbejdere. De, der bliver lejet tidligt på dagen, går ind på at arbejde for en bestemt betaling; de, der lejes senere, overlod lønspørgsmålet til husbonden.