A fair wage – treatment of workers
Christian Texts
‘The Golden Rule’ – most succinctly stated in Luke 6: 31:
Καὶ καθῶς θέλετε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως:
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
See also Matthew 7: 12:
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this
is the law and the prophets,
Galatians 5: 14
For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘you shall
love your neighbour as yourself’
And Luke 10:25-42, where this commandment is followed by the
Parable of the Good Samaritan.
Parables about hired labour
Matthew 20: 1-16
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in
the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard.2After agreeing with the
labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his
vineyard.3When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others
standing idle in the marketplace;4and he said to them, ‘You also go
into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they
went.5When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he
did the same.6And about five o’clock he went out and found others
standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here
idle all day?’7They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said
to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’8When evening came, the
owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give
them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the
first.’9When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received
the usual daily wage.10Now when the first came, they thought they
would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily
wage.11And when they received it, they grumbled against the
landowner,12saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have
made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the
scorching heat.’13But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing
you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily
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wage?14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last
the same as I give to you.15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with
what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’16So
the last will be first, and the first will be last.
The Prodigal Son, Luke 15: 11-32, esp vv 17-24
17But
when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s
hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of
hunger!18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him,
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;19I am no longer
worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired
hands.”’20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still
far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and
put his arms around him and kissed him.21Then the son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.’22But the father said to his slaves,
‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring
on his finger and sandals on his feet.23And get the fatted calf and kill
it, and let us eat and celebrate;24for this son of mine was dead and is
alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.
Ethical instructions:
Intra-Christian:
Luke 10.7
5:18)
The labourer deserves to be paid (quoted in 1 Timothy
1 Corinthians 9: 14 The Lord commanded that those who proclaim
the gospel should get their living by the gospel
And the letter to Philemon
General:
Ephesians 6: 9
And, masters, do the same to them (your slaves).
Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same
master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.
Colossians 4: 1
Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, for you
know that you also have a master in heaven
James 5:4 Listen! The wages of the labourers who mowed your
fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the
harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
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