The hours mentioned in the of the (Matthew 20.1-16) correspond to the traditional hours of prayer in Second Temple Judaism, which gives the a deep liturgical and spiritual resonance.
The hours of prayer in ancient Judaism In the time of Jesus the Messiah, the religious day was punctuated by fixed times of prayer, often associated with the Temple sacrifices and with communal customs:
The 3rd hour (around 9 a.m.): corresponds to the morning prayer, linked to the daily morning sacrifice at the Temple.
The 6th hour (around noon): a time of reflection, sometimes associated with personal prayer.
The 9th hour (around 3 p.m.): the hour of the evening sacrifice, also a time of communal prayer.
The 11th hour (around 5 p.m.): just before sunset, it marks the end of the day and precedes rest. It is not an official hour of prayer, but it evokes the final call before closing time.
These hours are attested in the Acts of the Apostles:
– Peter and John go up to the Temple “at , the ninth hour” (Acts 3.1/
– Peter prays “about the sixth hour” (Acts 10.9)
A spiritual reading of the parable in the light of the hours of prayer
The master of the vineyard goes out at these precise hours to call workers. This can be read as an invitation to enter into communion with God, at every moment of the day, at every stage of life:
The call at the 3rd, 6th and 9th hour evokes a spiritual regularity, a faithfulness in the divine call.
The call at the 11th hour symbolizes ultimate mercy, openness until the last moment — like the salvation offered to the thief on the cross.
Thus, the speaks not only of work and wages, but also of responding to the divine call, through the rhythms of prayer and spiritual life.
Educational value
For biblical teaching, this reading makes it possible to:
– Link the to Jewish liturgy and to Christian spirituality
– Show that every moment is favorable to God’s call
– Emphasize that faithfulness in prayer prepares one to receive grace, but that grace can also burst forth at the unexpected hour