1For the kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4and said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. So they went. 5Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day? 7They said to him, Because no one hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive. 8So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. 9And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11And when they had received it, they murmured against the landowner, 12saying, These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. 13But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? 16So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. 17And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again. 20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, bowing and asking something from Him. 21And He said to her, What do you wish? She said to Him, Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom. 22But Jesus answered and said, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with? They said to Him, We are able. 23And He said to them, You will indeed drink My cup, and be immersed with the immersion that I am immersed with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father. 24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant about the two brothers. 25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26But it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. 29And as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David! 31And the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David! 32And Jesus stood still and called them, and said, What do you want Me to do for you? 33They said to Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. (Mat. 20:1-16)
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, &c.--The figure of a vineyard, to represent the rearing of souls for heaven, the culture required and provided for that purpose, and the care and pains which God takes in that whole matter, is familiar to every reader of the Bible. (
Ps 80:8-
Ps 80:16;
Jes 5:1-
Jes 5:7;
Jer 2:21;
Lk 20:9-
Lk 20:16;
Joh 15:1-
Joh 15:8). At vintage time, as WEBSTER and WILKINSON remark, labor was scarce, and masters were obliged to be early in the market to secure it. Perhaps the pressing nature of the work of the Gospel, and the comparative paucity of laborers, may be incidentally suggested,
Mt 9:37-
Mt 9:38. The "laborers," as in
Mt 9:38, are first, the official servants of the Church, but after them and along with them all the servants of Christ, whom He has laid under the weightiest obligation to work in His service.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny--a usual day's hire.
he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And he went out about the third hour--about nine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six.
and saw others standing idle in the market place--unemployed.
4 And said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right--just, equitable, in proportion to their time.
I will give you. And they went their way.
5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour--about noon, and about three o'clock in the afternoon.
and did likewise--hiring and sending into his vineyard fresh laborers each time.
6 And about the eleventh hour--but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging
and found others standing idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle?--Of course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time; but as they were now willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest.
8 So when even was come--that is, the reckoning time between masters and laborers (see
5.Mo 24:15); pointing to the day of final account.
the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward--answering to Christ Himself, represented "as a Son over His own house" (
Heb 3:6; see
Mt 11:27;
Joh 3:35;
Joh 5:27).
Call the labourers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first--Remarkable direction this--last hired, first paid.
9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny--a full day's wages.
10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more--This is that calculating, mercenary spirit which had peeped out--though perhaps very slightly--in Peter's question (
Mt 19:27), and which this parable was designed once for all to put down among the servants of Christ.
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house--rather, "the householder," the word being the same as in
Mt 20:1.
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat--the burning heat.
of the day--who have wrought not only longer but during a more trying period of the day.
13 But he answered one of them--doubtless the spokesman of the complaining party.
and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? &c.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?--that is, "You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is shut; for the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other laborers you have nothing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, when by your own admission you have been honorably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbor, and discontent with the goodness that engaged and rewarded you in his service at all."
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last--that is, "Take heed lest by indulging the spirit of these murmurers at the penny given to the last hired, ye miss your own penny, though first in the vineyard; while the consciousness of having come in so late may inspire these last with such a humble frame, and such admiration of the grace that has hired and rewarded them at all, as will put them into the foremost place in the end."
for many be called, but few chosen--This is another of our Lord's terse and pregnant sayings, more than once uttered in different connections. (See
Mt 19:30;
Mt 22:14). The "calling" of which the New Testament almost invariably speaks is what divines call effectual calling, carrying with it a supernatural operation on the will to secure its consent. But that cannot be the meaning of it here; the "called" being emphatically distinguished from the "chosen." It can only mean here the "invited." And so the sense is, Many receive the invitations of the Gospel whom God has never "chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth" (
2.Thes 2:13). But what, it may be asked, has this to do with the subject of our parable? Probably this--to teach us that men who have wrought in Christ's service all their days may, by the spirit which they manifest at the last, make it too evident that, as between God and their own souls, they never were chosen workmen at all.