Matthew 20:13

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 20:13-15

"Friend" is only a mild term of rebuke in this context. The landowner pointed out that he had not cheated those whom he hired earlier in the day. He had paid the wage they agreed to. It was his business if he wanted to pay the latecomers more than they deserved. The evil or envious eye (Matthew 20:15) was an idiom depicting jealousy (cf. Matthew 6:23; Deuteronomy 15:9; 1 Samuel 18:9).The landowner’s rhetorical questions explained that he had distributed the wages as he had because he was... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

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

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 20:13

(13) Friend.—The word so translated (literally, comrade, companion) always carries, with it in our Lord’s lips a tone of reproof. It is addressed to the man who had not on a wedding garment (Matthew 22:12), and to the traitor Judas (Matthew 26:50).I do thee no wrong.—The answer of the house holder is that of one who is just where claims are urged on the ground of justice, generous where he sees that generosity is right. Had the first-called labourers shared this generosity, they would not have... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Matthew 20:1-34

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

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Matthew 20:1-16

Chapter 15Last Days in Peraea - Matthew 19:1-30 - Matthew 20:1-16THERE were two main roads from Galilee to Jerusalem. One passed through Samaria, on the west of the Jordan, the other through Peraea, east of it. It was by the former that our Lord went northward from Judea to begin His work in Galilee; it is by the other that He now goes southward to complete His sacrifice in Jerusalem. As "He must needs go through Samaria" then, so He must needs go through Peraea now. The main thought in His... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

8. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. The Healing of the Two Blind Men. CHAPTER 20 1. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. (Matthew 20:1-16 .) 2. The Third Prediction of His Death and Resurrection. (Matthew 20:17-19 .) 3. The Ambitiousness of the Disciples. (Matthew 20:20-28 .) 4. The Healing of the Two Blind Men. (Matthew 20:29-34 .) The Lord had spoken about the rewards to be given at the time when the kingdom is to be established on the earth in power and glory, the... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

The principle of the first and the last is now illustrated in a most penetrating parable of the kingdom of heaven. The householder goes out early in the morning to hire labourers to work in his vineyard. God does not actually hire men in this way, but men think so, and Israel particularly, under law, considered themselves so hired. Those hired early in the morning agreed together with the householder to work for a denarius a day. Others hired at the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours made... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Matthew 20:1-16

SECOND STATEMENT OF DEATH The first announcement of His death and resurrection by our Lord in the last lesson, connected His suffering with the act of His own nation, while this predicts the part played in it by one of His own band (Matthew 17:22-23 ). It furnishes a starting point for a new lesson as in the other case. The incident concluding chapter 17, is full of suggestive teaching. It is the temple tribute that is in mind, about sixty cents of our money, and Peter in saying “Yes,” has... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Matthew 20:1-16

Chapter 75 Prayer Almighty God, we bless thee for all special days and sacred memories: they come to stimulate and encourage us in all holy things. We have seen the blackness of one day, its great cross and all its appalling solemnity, and now we stand in the brightness of a cloudless sky, rejoicing that the Lord is not in the tomb, but that be is risen and is our Priest for evermore. We bless thee for seeing an open grave the tomb has been the great mystery of our experience, and the great... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Matthew 20:1-15

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. (2) And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. (3) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, (4) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. (5) Again he went out about the sixth and ninth... read more

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