SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.71 issue1The assimilation of church members into the local faith communityPornography: human right or human rights violation? author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


HTS Theological Studies

On-line version ISSN 2072-8050
Print version ISSN 0259-9422

Abstract

VAN ECK, Ernest  and  KLOPPENBORG, John S.. An unexpected patron: A social-scientific and realistic reading of the parable of the Vineyard Labourers (Mt 20:1-15). Herv. teol. stud. [online]. 2015, vol.71, n.1, pp.01-08. ISSN 2072-8050.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/HTS.V71I1.2883.

Many readings of the Parable of the Labourers in the vineyard want to treat the owner as representing God. Knowledge of actual agricultural practices relating to the management of vineyards suggest, on the contrary, that the details of the parable obstruct an easy identification of the owner with God, and that he displays unusual behaviour not only by paying all the labourers the same wage, but by his very intervention in the hiring process. The conclusion reached is that the parable constructs the vineyard owner, typically one of the nouveau riche who lived in cities, not only as a 'good employer' but also, contrary to expectation, as a patron who intervened well beyond the strict norms of economic exchange.

        · text in English     · English ( pdf )

 

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License