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. read more
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. read more
The parable of the workers in the vineyard 20:1-16This parable explains why the last will become first. It begins with a well-known scene but then introduces surprising elements to make a powerful point."Jesus deliberately and cleverly led the listeners along by degrees until they understood that if God’s generosity was to be represented by a man, such a man would be different from any man ever encountered." [Note: Norman A. Huffman, "Atypical Features in the Parables of Jesus," Journal of... read more
The third hour would be about 9:00 a.m., the sixth hour about noon, and the eleventh hour about 5:00 p.m. The market place would have been the central square of the town where day laborers obtained work and pay. The landowner did not promise a particular wage, only that He would deal justly with the laborers. Jesus did not explain why the landowner kept hiring more workers throughout the day. That was an irrelevant detail in His story. All the workers trusted the landowner to give them what was... read more
A. Jesus’ instruction of His disciples around Judea 19:3-20:34The primary emphasis in this section of Matthew’s Gospel is Jesus’ instruction of His disciples to prepare them for the future. Specifically, He emphasized the importance of the first becoming last and the last first: humble servanthood (cf. Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16). read more
The Labourers in the Vineyard. The Journey to Jerusalem1-16, Parable of the labourers in the vineyard (peculiar to St. Matthew). This difficult parable is closely linked with what goes before, and can only be understood in connexion with it. It rebukes the spirit of Peter’s enquiry (Matthew 19:27), ’We have left all and followed thee; what then shall we have?’ The Twelve through Peter had demanded a superlatively great reward, because they had been called first and had laboured longest. Such a... read more
(3) About the third hour.—Reckoning the day after the Jewish mode, as beginning at 6 A.M., this would bring us to 8 A.M. The “market-place” of a town was the natural place in which the seekers for casual labour were to be found waiting for employment. In the meaning which underlies the parable we may see a reference to those who, like St. Matthew (Matthew 9:9) and the disciples called in Matthew 8:19-22, were summoned after the sons of Jonas and of Zebedee. read more
(4) Whatsoever is right.—The absence of a definite contract in hiring the labourers who did less than the day’s work obviously involved an implicit trust in the equity of the householder. They did not stipulate for wages, or ask, as the disciples had asked, “What shall we have therefore?” The implied lesson thus suggested is, that a little work done, when God calls us, in the spirit of trust, is better than much done in the spirit of a hireling. read more
Work in God's Vineyard Matthew 20:6-7 This fragment of the parable is itself a parable. With the main scope of the parable I am not concerned. I desire to separate from the rest of the parable just these five words: 'No man hath hired us'. I. God's Care. The text shows us that there is a God Who concerns Himself about us. That is the teaching of Jesus Christ as contrasted with the cold creed of the Deist who would have us believe that God created the world and peopled it with mankind, but... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 20:3-7
Matthew 20:3-7. He went out about the third hour, &c.— The hiring of labourers at the subsequent third, sixth, and ninth hours, signifies the various interpositions of Providence, by which many of the Gentiles in the different ages of the world were converted, either in whole or in part, to the knowledge of the true God; becoming some proselytes of righteousness, others proselytes of the gate. The invitation given at the eleventh hour signifies God's calling the Gentiles to the Gospel... read more