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The Gospels · New Testament

Matthew 20

Matthew 20: the labourers in the vineyard, the request for the two sons, and two blind men at Jericho

General context

Jesus likens the kingdom to a householder who hires labourers early in the morning for a penny a day, and again at the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours, promising the later ones whatever is right. At evening the steward pays from the last to the first, and every man receives a penny. The first murmur that those who worked one hour are made equal to them; the householder answers that he does them no wrong, they agreed for a penny, and he may do what he will with his own. Jesus closes with the last shall be first and many are called but few chosen. Going up to Jerusalem he takes the twelve apart and says the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, condemned, delivered to the Gentiles to mock, scourge and crucify, and will rise the third day. The mother of Zebedee's children asks that her two sons sit at his right and left in his kingdom. Jesus asks whether they can drink his cup; they say they are able; he says they will, but the seats are not his to give. The ten are indignant, and Jesus says that greatness among them means being minister and servant, as the Son of man came to minister and give his life a ransom for many. Leaving Jericho, two blind men cry to him as Son of David, the multitude rebukes them, they cry the more, and Jesus asks what they want, touches their eyes, and they see and follow him.

Cited passages: Matthew 20:1, Matthew 20:2, Matthew 20:5, Matthew 20:6, Matthew 20:8, Matthew 20:10, Matthew 20:12, Matthew 20:13, Matthew 20:15, Matthew 20:16, Matthew 20:17, Matthew 20:18, Matthew 20:19, Matthew 20:20, Matthew 20:21, Matthew 20:22, Matthew 20:23, Matthew 20:24, Matthew 20:26, Matthew 20:28, Matthew 20:29, Matthew 20:30, Matthew 20:31, Matthew 20:34

Matthew 20 (KJV)

1For 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.

2And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny 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 unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

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

6And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

17And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

18Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

19And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

20Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

22But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

23And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, 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 shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

24And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

29And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

30And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

31And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

33They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

34So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The parable opens with For, tying it to the saying that closed chapter 19, and the wage is a penny, the coin named again in chapter 22 as the tribute money. The hours are given as third, sixth, ninth and eleventh without further explanation. The third passion prediction adds to what the earlier two stated: condemnation by chief priests and scribes, delivery to the Gentiles, mocking, scourging and crucifixion; the narrative later reports the scourging and the crucifixion. The request for the seats is made by the mother of Zebedee's children, though Jesus answers in the plural, ye know not what ye ask, and the ten are indignant at the two brethren, not at her. The sons are not named in this scene. The two blind men at Jericho are unnamed, and the scene is placed as they departed from Jericho. The chapter does not date any event.

Cited passages: Matthew 20:1, Matthew 20:2, Matthew 22:19, Matthew 20:3, Matthew 20:18, Matthew 20:19, Matthew 27:26, Matthew 20:20, Matthew 20:22, Matthew 20:24, Matthew 20:30, Matthew 20:29, Matthew 17:22

Literary context

The parable's structure is a countdown of hirings and then a reversed payment order, so the first workers watch the last be paid before them. Their complaint and the householder's three questions form the climax, and the closing line repeats the reversal that ended chapter 19. The passion prediction then names betrayal, condemnation and crucifixion, and is immediately followed by a request for thrones, so the sons' ambition is placed against the cup Jesus has just described. Jesus' answer on greatness inverts the princes of the Gentiles with minister and servant and ends by describing his own coming as service and ransom. The chapter closes with two men who will not be silenced by the multitude and who answer Jesus' question with a single request; their following him leads directly into the entry to Jerusalem.

Cited passages: Matthew 20:8, Matthew 20:10, Matthew 20:15, Matthew 20:16, Matthew 20:18, Matthew 20:21, Matthew 20:25, Matthew 20:27, Matthew 20:32, Matthew 20:33, Matthew 21:1

Key moments

  1. Hired at the eleventh hour (Matthew 20:6). The householder finds men standing idle late in the day and sends them to the vineyard.
  2. Every man a penny (Matthew 20:10). The first workers expect more and receive the same wage as the last.
  3. Do what I will with mine own (Matthew 20:15). The householder defends paying the last as much as the first.
  4. Third passion prediction (Matthew 20:19). Jesus says he will be delivered to the Gentiles to be mocked, scourged and crucified, and will rise.
  5. The mother's request (Matthew 20:21). The mother of Zebedee's children asks for her sons to sit at Jesus' right and left.
  6. Not to be ministered unto (Matthew 20:28). Jesus says the Son of man came to serve and give his life a ransom for many.
  7. Two blind men see (Matthew 20:34). Jesus touches the eyes of the two men who cried to him and they follow him.

For reflection

The first labourers receive exactly what they agreed to and still feel wronged when others are made equal to them. What does the householder's question about an evil eye ask the reader to examine?

People in this chapter

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