Matthew 20:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

NIV: He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

NASB: When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

CSB: After agreeing with the workers on one denarius, he sent them into his vineyard for the day.

NLT: He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work.

KJV: And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

NKJV: Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

This is part of another parable Christ uses to explain an aspect of the kingdom of heaven. This is in response to Peter's question about what he and the other disciples will receive for leaving behind everything to follow Jesus. Jesus has assured them they will be richly rewarded, but He seems to be warning them with this story that others who have done less will also receive a reward (Matthew 19:27–30).

He is describing the master of a house, the owner of a vineyard, who has gone to the marketplace to hire temporary workers or day laborers. As farmers do today, it was common in this era for a vineyard owner to employ workers by the day, especially during the harvest.

The typical workday was divided into four three-hour blocks of time, beginning about 6 a.m. and ending around 6 p.m. The master of the house hires this first group of workers early in the morning. They agree to work the full day for a denarius, the typical wage of a laborer or soldier. He sends them to the vineyard to get to work.

Matthew 20:1–16 is a parable illustrating what Jesus meant in saying that some of the last will be first and the first last in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:30). When a master hires five groups of workers at different times throughout the day, he pays the last group the same amount that he pays the group hired early in the morning. Though that group grumbles, they received what they had agreed to earn and had not been cheated. The master insists he has the right to show generosity to whomever he wishes. Jesus concludes by saying, again, that the last will be first, and the first last. Themes found in this parable are echoed in the later portion of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:25–32).

Jesus illustrates His earlier comments about how some of the "first will be last, and the last first" (Matthew 19:30) with a parable about hired workers. He then clearly tells His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. The mother of James and John asks Jesus to make her sons number two and three in His kingdom. Jesus tells the disciples that true greatness won't come by flaunting authority as the Gentile leaders do. Instead, they will become great by serving each other, even as a slave does, as Jesus Himself has done. He then heals two blind men immediately before entering Jerusalem.

Matthew 20 begins with a parable that illustrates Jesus' statement at the end of Matthew 19: In His kingdom, some of the first will be last and the last first. Still on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus tells the disciples for the third time that He will be killed and then raised on the third day. When asked, Jesus explains that it is not up to Him to grant the seats on His right and left hand in the kingdom and that His disciples will not become great in the way of Gentiles. Instead, they will find greatness by serving each other. A healing of two blind men leads into the triumphal entry, the first event in the last earthly week of Jesus' ministry.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/5/2024 4:19:21 AM