Abimelech has gotten himself proclaimed king with the support of his mother's family, after slaughtering most of his brothers, those of his father's family who may have been his rivals. The sole survivor, Jotham, uses the parable of the trees as a solemn warning against his ruthless brother.

The parable of the labourers in the vineyard can stir up more controversy than most others among the gospel stories. It raises the hackles of justice and fair play, of respect for the values of work and honesty. For a human owner to act thus would be one thing, but the point is precisely the opposite: we are not dealing with human decision but with the mystery of God, who will deal with us according to divine principles which far surpass our ideas of justice. The generosity of God goes beyond our careful set boundaries and rules and challenges us to see each other with God's vision.