Matthew 20 15

Matthew 20:15 kjv

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

Matthew 20:15 nkjv

Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?'

Matthew 20:15 niv

Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

Matthew 20:15 esv

Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'

Matthew 20:15 nlt

Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?'

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 20 15 Meaning

This verse is part of Jesus' parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. It expresses the landowner's rhetorical question to the disgruntled early workers, defending his right to be generous. It emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty and freedom to dispense grace as He wills, not according to human ideas of merit or fairness. The core meaning is a confrontation of human envy and a declaration of divine prerogative: God's goodness in bestowing gifts causes envy in those who believe they deserve more, questioning His liberality.

Matthew 20 15 Context

Matthew 20:15 is spoken by the vineyard owner within Jesus' parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). This parable directly follows Peter's question about what the disciples will receive for leaving everything to follow Jesus (Matt 19:27), and Jesus' response that "many who are first will be last, and the last first" (Matt 19:30), a statement repeated as the parable's conclusion (Matt 20:16).

The parable illustrates God's grace and sovereignty. The landowner hires laborers at different hours of the day, promising the initial group a standard day's wage (a denarius). He then gives the same denarius to those hired later, even those who worked only one hour. This upsets the first group, who expected more for their longer labor. The verse is the landowner's direct reply to their complaint, asserting his right to be generous with his own resources.

Historically and culturally, a denarius was a common day's wage for a laborer, sufficient for a family's daily needs. The "evil eye" was a well-understood idiom in the ancient Near East and among Jewish people, not referring to a literal gaze, but a metaphor for a malevolent spirit, often associated with jealousy, envy, stinginess, covetousness, and a general lack of generosity or goodwill. The polemic is against a mindset of works-based merit and entitlement, challenging the human tendency to envy another's unearned favor while asserting a claim based on one's own efforts.

Matthew 20 15 Word analysis

• Is it not lawful: (Greek: Ouk exestin moi) This is a rhetorical question, anticipating a "yes" answer. It emphasizes the landowner's absolute legal and moral right to act as he pleases with his own property. In the divine context, it speaks of God's unquestionable authority and freedom.

• for me: (Greek: moi) Refers to the landowner, who represents God. It underscores His singular, unchallenged position of power and ownership.

• to do what I wish: (Greek: poiein ho thelō) Signifies complete autonomy and sovereignty. This highlights God's freedom from external constraints or human expectations. His actions are not dictated by human standards of merit or fairness but by His own good pleasure and benevolent will.

• with my own things: (Greek: en tois emois) Emphasizes proprietorship and absolute ownership. Everything belongs to God, allowing Him to distribute blessings and grace as He sees fit, without obligation to human desert. This directly counters any claim of entitlement.

• Or is your eye evil: (Greek: ē ho ophthalmos sou ponēros estin) A vivid idiom expressing jealousy, envy, covetousness, or resentment at another's good fortune. An "evil eye" was synonymous with stinginess, ungenerosity, and a heart lacking benevolence. This rhetorical question directly accuses the workers of a morally corrupt disposition due to their envy. It challenges their internal motive rather than their external complaint.

• because I am good: (Greek: hoti egō agathos eimi) "Good" (Greek: agathos) here refers to the landowner's benevolence, generosity, and inherent uprightness. The early workers' envy stems directly from the landowner's generosity to others. This highlights a crucial theological point: human sinfulness (envy) is often exposed and provoked by divine goodness (grace). God's unmerited favor often causes resentment in those who believe they have earned their standing or feel superior.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?": This phrase asserts God's ultimate authority and sovereignty. It questions any human right to dictate terms to the Creator or to question His divine economy. His will is His law concerning His creation and resources. This principle is fundamental to understanding grace.
  • "Or is your eye evil because I am good?": This powerful question reveals the heart of the workers' complaint: not genuine injustice, but profound envy. Their discontent isn't rooted in suffering a wrong, but in begrudging others undeserved favor. It contrasts divine goodness, which is liberal and freely given, with human selfishness and jealousy that resents unmerited blessing, particularly when it benefits those perceived as less deserving.

Matthew 20 15 Bonus section

This verse functions as a profound theological argument against any system of thought that attempts to put God in humanity's debt or restrict His freedom based on human notions of fairness, merit, or performance. It powerfully articulates the principle of sola gratia—grace alone—where God’s bestowal of salvation and blessings flows from His nature, not from any human earning or entitlement. The landowner's rhetorical question exposes a common human flaw: the desire to control God's blessings and judge His recipients based on perceived desert. Furthermore, the "evil eye" indicates a spiritual illness rooted in the heart, capable of diminishing one's own enjoyment of God's blessings by focusing on what others have received, thus distorting one's perception of God's goodness and righteousness. It is a potent warning against spiritual pride and judgmentalism that undermines fellowship and God's sovereign prerogative.

Matthew 20 15 Commentary

Matthew 20:15 is a profound statement about divine sovereignty, grace, and human sin. It reveals that God's distribution of His blessings and grace is not based on human merit or perceived deservingness, but entirely on His own benevolent will. The landowner, representing God, asserts an unquestionable right to do as He pleases with His own. This means salvation and eternal reward are fundamentally gifts of grace, not wages earned through works.

The verse starkly contrasts God's unbounded goodness and generosity with the petty, envious heart of humanity. The workers, who received exactly what was promised, were consumed by resentment when others received more than they earned, showcasing their "evil eye." This illustrates how envy operates: it doesn't just want what another has, but begrudges the other for having it, especially if it was undeserved from a human perspective. It underscores that dissatisfaction often stems not from personal lack, but from comparing oneself to others who seem to receive greater unmerited favor. The true issue isn't justice (the landowner fulfilled his agreement) but jealousy towards grace.

This passage teaches believers to celebrate God's generous heart rather than succumb to envy when observing His grace upon others, remembering that all we have is a gift. It calls for humility, acknowledging that we have no inherent right to anything from God beyond what He, in His mercy, chooses to give.

• Practical Examples:
  • A person envious of a new convert's spiritual zeal and growth, feeling their own long-standing service is undervalued by comparison.
  • A faithful worker at a church or ministry resenting special recognition given to a newer member who quickly brings success or funding.
  • Christians from established church backgrounds struggling to accept God's grace being shown to marginalized groups or those who had lived sinful lives, feeling their own "burden and heat of the day" merits more favor.