Rev Francisco BilogBible Text: Matthew 20:1-16
The social context of the Bible story
The verses were written in the context of an agriculture-based economy. The grounds are pre-pared, the crops are planted and tended, and the community will wait for harvest time. If there is ample rain, the plants will grow, thrive and bear fruit. On the other hand, improper care including pests and insects, bad weather or other accidents, natural or human-made, will expose the crops and lessen their yield, or possibly wipe everything out completely.
Since the place is stony and hilly, preparing the ground and tending the plants can be exhausting work. In addition, the weather conditions (hot, humid, or cold) will add to the discomfort of the labourers (Matt 20:12).
The work is also seasonal and intense. Harvesting crops, such as grapes, has a strict timeline in order to reap the fruit in its prime and while it is juicy and sweet. When harvest time comes, the master of the vineyard starts to recruit people. In fact, the workers are milling around the marketplace waiting for an opportunity to work in the vineyards.
Some of them are already former labourers in the vineyard, however when there is a good harvest, more labourers are needed. So people wait in the marketplace in hopes that they will have some work that day and earn something to take home to feed their family. The labourers called for this purpose are hired hands for a certain period of time. They are
not permanent workers. The place of recruit is probably at a public venue, market, or pub. Those who are known to the vineyard master will probably be called from their homes or via word of mouth.
Similarity with the Philippine context
In Negros Occidental in the Philippines, where the economy is driven by the production of sugar, there are workers who reside on the plantations.
They are given a modest place for shelter with their families. During the off seasons, they hoe, weed and do other work to tend the crops. So they are the first ones to be hired during harvest time. One very out-standing feature of the hiring is the inclusion of women and children. Sometimes the baby is also
brought to the field, with a minimum of shade and some prepared food. For the more intense job of harvesting however,
where there is a time limit for a certain produce like sugarcane or rice, the workers are recruited by agents or contractors. They bring a large number of men rom another place to do the harvesting. The labour-ers have to leave their families for a number of months, so they usually ask some portion of the
wage in advance to take care of basic family needs.
These monies are considered loans with inter-est. One can imagine that after harvest season, the interest will eat up their wages with very little to bring home to their families. One can also infer that the wages are far below the standards for a decent life.
They can only feed one or two persons at most. Taking into account the average sized Filipino family of six, the income of a typical labourer is not enough for his family. The economic injustice is evident— the landowner has a big house and enough food on the table, while the families of the labourers live below the standard of a decent life.
Agricultural economy in both contexts:
1. High unemployment in both the urban and rural areas—at the time of the writing, 12 million Filipinos were unemployed, with most of them in the agricultural sector;
2. Seasonal work: in an agricultural economy, there is work during planting and harvest time. In an industrial economy, there is work when there is an increase in demand for goods and services, like high demand for goods before and during
Christmastime.
3. Contractual work: daily, pakyaw, or working on a project for a specific amount of time for an agreed amount, usually 5 months for every contract to avoid hiring the person permanently.
4. No work, no pay: no work on weekends, so no wages either; no paid time off, like holidays, sick days, or absences, and no access to health benefits.
5. In an agricultural economy, one hectare of rice land can only produce 24,000 pesos annually. Water is essential for rice fields. The irrigation system, rain harvest, and wells are essential to a good production.