Matthew 20:10

Matthew 20:10 from the King James Version (KJV) is part of the conclusion of the parable of the labourers in the vineyard.

Context

This verse follows the scene where the landowner pays the labourers hired last (at the eleventh hour) a full day's wage ("a penny"). The parable describes a landowner who hires labourers at different times throughout the day (morning, third hour, sixth hour, ninth hour, and eleventh hour) to work in his vineyard. He agrees to pay those hired first a penny (a denarius), which was a standard day's wage. When payment time comes, the landowner instructs his steward to pay the last hired first, and then proceed to the first. This verse describes the reaction of those hired first when they saw the last received a penny and then they themselves received the same amount.

Key Themes

• Human Expectation vs. Divine Generosity: The verse highlights the human tendency to expect reward based on perceived effort or time spent. The labourers hired first expected more because they worked longer.
• Envy and Comparison: Their disappointment stems from comparing what they received to what others received, rather than being content with the wage they had agreed upon.
• Equality in Grace: The parable, and this verse within it, illustrates God's generous nature and His sovereign right to dispense His grace and blessings as He sees fit, often challenging our human notions of fairness or merit. The "penny" can symbolize the kingdom of heaven or eternal life, which is a gift of grace received by all who accept the call, regardless of when they were called.

Linguistic Insights

The term translated "penny" is the Greek word denarion (δηνάριον), which was a Roman silver coin equivalent to a day's wage for a common labourer or soldier. Understanding this value is crucial to the parable, as it was the agreed-upon wage for a full day's work, making the landowner's payment to those who worked only an hour a remarkable act of generosity.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a reminder not to measure God's blessings or rewards based on comparison with others. Our focus should be on being faithful in the work God has called us to do, trusting in His goodness and the promise He has made to us. It challenges feelings of envy or resentment when others seem to receive blessings that we feel are disproportionate to their "labour" compared to our own. Ultimately, salvation and entry into God's kingdom are not earned by merit or duration of service, but are gifts of grace, available to all who respond to His call, as emphasized in the concluding statement of the parable: "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen."