The Economy of God

But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.

Matthew 20:13,14 

In this parable, Jesus is not speaking of whether socialism or capitalism are the most "fair" economies.  Rather, He's highlighting the way He distributes the gift of the kingdom to those who respond to His call.  To those who respond to Him on the basis of a contractual relationship, He responds in-kind.  To those who respond to His invitation apart from any agreement, He rewards with the same payment - but as a gift.

The master could have paid them first, so that they wouldn't have known what he did for the latecomers.  But when the ones who worked hardest to earn the wage saw what he did, they viewed it as unfair.    Why, then, did the master make them wait so that they were made to see that the ones who did the least amount of work got paid the same amount as they who worked the most?

It was a mercy, of sorts.  It was to help them see that the payment was a reward and not something that could be earned.  Indeed, he called this hard-working group "friends" (v. 13).  He was appealing to them to not take offense at what he had done, but to shift their perspective on how the master treats all those who come into his vineyard.

If we understand the reward of heaven as something that is earned, then we are living as the first group who worked in the vineyard based on a contractual relationship.  His appeal is that we repent of this mindset - for this is the mindset of religiosity and false piety.  The denarius of heaven is only and always a gift.  To work in His vineyard - the kingdom of heaven - is a privilege, whether you join in the labor early or participate in the joy with your last breath.  Whether you lived your life to the highest of moral standards or whether you responded to His invitation while languishing on death row.  To perceive it any other way is a travesty that will only lead to wrong relationship with the King and His vineyard.