Matthew 20 12

Matthew 20:12 kjv

Saying, 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.

Matthew 20:12 nkjv

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.'

Matthew 20:12 niv

'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

Matthew 20:12 esv

saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'

Matthew 20:12 nlt

'Those people worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.'

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 20 12 Meaning

Matthew 20:12 expresses the complaint of the vineyard workers who were hired at the beginning of the day. They observed that those hired late in the day, who worked only one hour, received the same wage (a denarius) as themselves, despite bearing the full hardship of a long day under the hot sun. This verse highlights their perceived injustice and envy over the master's generous, yet sovereign, act of grace.

Matthew 20 12 Context

Matthew 20:12 is embedded within the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). This parable serves as a direct illustration and expansion of Jesus' preceding statement in Matthew 19:30: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." The context prior to this statement involves Peter asking what the disciples will receive for leaving everything to follow Jesus (Matt 19:27). Thus, the parable addresses the disciples' concerns about rewards and hierarchy in the Kingdom, challenging any sense of entitlement or merit-based claim on God's blessings. Historically and culturally, the parable draws on common Roman-Judean labor practices where laborers would be hired early in the day (around 6 AM), and then subsequent groups might be hired throughout the day (9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, 5 PM, representing 3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th hours). Payment for a full day's labor was typically a denarius, a Roman silver coin, enough to support a family for a day. The "burden and heat of the day" was a tangible reality for daily laborers in the hot Near East climate, making their complaint about perceived unfairness relatable to the original audience. The parable subtly critiques self-righteous attitudes and a legalistic mindset common among some religious leaders who believed they had earned greater favor from God due to their stricter adherence to the law.

Matthew 20 12 Word analysis

• These last (οὗτοι οἱ ἔσχατοι, houtoi hoi eschatoi): "These" (οὗτοι, houtoi) points emphatically to the eleventh-hour workers. "Last" (ἔσχατοι, eschatoi) denotes their tardy hiring time, setting up the contrast with those who came first, and ties directly into the parable's concluding theme of "the last being first."
• have worked (ἐποίησαν, epoiesan): From poieō, meaning "to make" or "to do," implying labor or effort exerted. It's simply stating what they "did," highlighting the direct action of their work.
• but one hour (μίαν ὥραν, mian hōran): Emphasizes the minimal duration of their labor compared to a full twelve-hour workday. This short period of work is central to the first workers' grievance.
• and thou hast made them equal (καὶ ἴσους αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν ἐποίησας, kai isous autous hēmin epoiesas): "Equal" (ἴσους, isous) is the crucial term here, signifying the core of the complaint – the perceived lack of equity in outcome despite a clear disparity in effort. The action "thou hast made" (ἐποίησας, epoiesas) attributes this "unjust" parity directly to the vineyard owner's sovereign decision.
• unto us (ἡμῖν, hēmin): "To us" emphasizes the self-comparison and the subjective sense of being wronged by the equality of pay. It foregrounds the first workers' perspective and their standard of fairness.
• which have borne (οἱ βαστάσαντες, hoi bastasantes): From bastazō, meaning "to carry" or "to bear," implying endurance under hardship. It underscores the physically taxing nature of their full day's work.
• the burden (τὸ βάρος, to baros): "Burden" signifies the physical weight and strain of continuous labor throughout the day. It conveys the sheer effort and toil.
• and heat of the day (καὶ τὸν καύσωνα τῆς ἡμέρας, kai ton kausōna tēs hēmeras): "Heat" (καύσωνα, kausōna) refers to the scorching sun and hot winds characteristic of the region, which significantly added to the hardship and discomfort of laboring for many hours. This phrase articulates the specific suffering endured by the early workers, strengthening their case in their own eyes.

Matthew 20 12 Bonus section

The indignation expressed in Matthew 20:12 directly anticipates the master's follow-up questions in verses 13-15, particularly "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own? Or is your eye evil because I am good?" (Matt 20:15). This exchange highlights that the first workers' issue wasn't a matter of contractual injustice, but a moral failing – an "evil eye" stemming from envy of the owner's generosity rather than joy in it. The owner’s goodness prompted their resentment, which underscores the profound theological point that God's grace, being unmerited, can provoke jealousy in those who perceive themselves as more deserving based on their "works." The "denarius" in the parable often symbolizes the full blessings of the kingdom of God, including eternal life and salvation, emphasizing that all who respond to God's call, regardless of when, receive the fullness of His grace, challenging hierarchical views within the body of believers.

Matthew 20 12 Commentary

Matthew 20:12 reveals the heart of contention in the Parable of the Workers. The long-serving workers, representing those who believe they have earned special favor or greater reward due to their long and arduous commitment (potentially like the self-righteous religious leaders or even over-zealous disciples), resent the owner's seemingly indiscriminate generosity. Their grievance ("thou hast made them equal unto us") is not primarily about their own wage being insufficient, but about the "last" workers receiving the same wage despite less effort. This exposes a human tendency toward envy and a works-based understanding of reward, where effort equals greater deservingness. Jesus, through the parable, counters this human logic by asserting God's absolute sovereignty and overflowing grace. God's giving is not bound by human systems of meritocracy, nor does His generosity towards one diminish His favor towards another. The message is clear: salvation and blessings in the Kingdom of Heaven are a gift, freely given, and not something earned by human toil or duration of service. This challenges any spirit of grumbling or comparing one's standing before God with others, redirecting focus to the goodness of the Giver.