So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. (Matthew 20:8-12,KJV)
The rural world of farm workers from which Christ drew so many of his illustrations is so far-removed from the urbanized life of many modern readers of the Parables, we often fail to grasp the full meaning of these finely-honed social narratives. In this week's featured piece of parable art, Florida-based Graphic Artist Kreg Yingst retells the story of the disgruntled vineyard workers in a more readily understood contemporary context, recasting them as a trio of down-and-out dishwashers in the back kitchen of a big city greasy-spoon joint. It is not hard to guess just who will be the big loser when pay day comes around in this hand-colored woodcut, ironically-titled, Labor Negotiations. Our feeling of genuine outrage at this unfair arrangement sets us up for the final twist in the tale. (John Kohan)