Matthew 20:2

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius 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 to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing¹ idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard,¹ and whatever is right you will receive.’

8 “So 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.’

9 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

11 And when they had received it, they¹ complained against the landowner,

12 saying, ‘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.’

13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

15 ^aIs it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or ^bis your eye evil because I am good?’

16 ^aSo the last will be first, and the first last. ^bFor many are called, but few chosen.”

Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

17 ^aNow Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,

18 ^a“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,

19 ^aand deliver Him to the Gentiles to ^bmock and to ^cscourge and to ^dcrucify. And the third day He will ^erise again.”

Greatness Is Serving

20 ^aThen the mother of ^bZebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine ^amay sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink ^athe cup that I am about to drink,¹ and be baptized with ^bthe baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”

23 So He said to them, ^a“You will indeed drink My cup,¹ and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized 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 is prepared by My Father.”

24 ^aAnd when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.

25 But 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.

26 Yet ^ait shall not be so among you; but ^bwhoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

27 ^aAnd whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

28 ^ajust as the ^bSon of Man did not come to be served, ^cbut to serve, and ^dto give His life a ransom ^efor many.”

Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

29 ^aNow as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.

30 And behold, ^atwo blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, ^bSon of David!”

31 Then the multitude ^awarned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

34 So Jesus had ^acompassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

<< Matthew 20:1

Matthew 20:3 >>

Matthew 20:2

A penny - A Roman coin, as noted before, Matthew 18:28, worth about seven-pence halfpenny or seven-pence three farthings of our money, and equal to the Greek drachma. This appears to have been the ordinary price of a day' s labor at that time. See Tobit 5:14. In 1351 the price of labor was regulated in this country by parliament; and it is remarkable that "corn-weeders and hay-makers, without meat, drink, or other courtesy demanded," were to have one penny per day! In 1314 the pay of a chaplain to the Scotch bishops, who were then prisoners in England, was three halfpence per day. See Fleetwood' s Chronicon Precios, p. 123, 129. This was miserable wages, though things at that time were so cheap that twenty-four eggs were sold for a penny, p. 72; a pair of shoes for four-pence, p. 71; a fat goose for two-pence halfpenny, p. 72; a hen for a penny, p. 72; eight bushels of wheat for two shillings, and a fat ox for six shillings and eight-pence! Ibid. In 1336, wheat per quarter, 2s.; a fat sheep 6d.; fat goose, 2d. and a pig, 1d., p. 75.

**Other Adam Clarke entries containing Matthew 20:2:**

Matthew 20:15

<< Matthew 20:1

Matthew 20:3 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.