But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong: did not you agree with me for a penny?
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John Chrysostom
AD 407
But the question is whether the first ones, who were righteous and pleased God and who shone brightly from their labors through the whole day, at the end are possessed by the lowest vice, envy and jealousy. For they saw the others enjoying the same rewards and said, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the weight and the heat of the day.” Even though they were not going to be penalized or to suffer any loss of their own pay, with these words they were angry and displeased at the blessing others received. That was proof of envy and jealousy. And what is more, the master of the house, in justifying and defending himself to the speaker, convicts him of wickedness and the lowest envy, saying, “Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Is your eye wicked because I am good?” The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
