Matthew 20 3

Matthew 20:3 kjv

And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:3 nkjv

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:3 niv

"About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

Matthew 20:3 esv

And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:3 nlt

"At nine o'clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing.

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 20 3 Meaning

The landowner in the parable, representing God, takes the initiative once more, going out about mid-morning to continue gathering laborers for his vineyard. He discovers a new group of people waiting in the public hiring place, unemployed and available for work. This action emphasizes God's ongoing and widespread invitation to His service throughout different stages and times, always seeking those who are ready to respond to His call, irrespective of how early or late they are found.

Matthew 20 3 Context

Matthew 20:3 is part of Jesus' parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16). This parable directly follows a significant teaching moment where Jesus speaks about rewards in the Kingdom of Heaven and the challenging statement that "many who are first will be last, and the last first" (Matt 19:27-30). The disciples had just inquired about their reward for forsaking all to follow Jesus, perhaps expecting a special preference. This parable, therefore, serves to clarify the nature of divine grace and God's sovereign call to service, emphasizing that reward is not based on human merit, longevity, or performance, but on the gracious decision of the landowner (God).

Historically and culturally, the scene is deeply rooted in first-century Jewish daily life. The "marketplace" (agora) was a common gathering point where day laborers would stand from dawn, hoping to be hired. The "third hour" (around 9 AM) would be relatively late for securing a full day's work, suggesting these laborers were growing anxious, implying their voluntary "idleness" was due to unemployment, not laziness. The repeated need for workers at different times of the day also reflects a situation where a harvest needed immediate and abundant labor, and workers were in high demand or the vineyard was vast. This background underscores both the landowner's persistent need for labor and his compassion in continuing to offer work even to those who had stood unhired for hours.

Matthew 20 3 Word analysis

• And he went out (καὶ ἐξελθὼν - kai exelthōn):

  • kai (and): Links this action directly to the initial hiring, showing continuation.
  • exelthōn (going out): A Greek aorist participle, conveying an accomplished action. It highlights the active and deliberate initiative of the landowner. He proactively seeks laborers; they do not come to him initially. This parallels God's consistent outreach to humanity.

• about the third hour (περὶ τρίτην ὥραν - peri tritēn hōran):

  • peri (about/around): Indicates approximation, a typical way of expressing time.
  • tritēn hōran (third hour): Refers to the third hour after sunrise, which would be approximately 9:00 AM. This is significant because hiring for the day usually commenced at the first hour (6:00 AM). Finding laborers still unhired at this time implies they had waited for hours, signifying a lack of immediate opportunity for them, thus emphasizing their state of unchosen availability. This signifies God's call being extended throughout different periods, not just at the earliest moment.

• and saw (καὶ εἶδεν - kai eiden):

  • kai (and): Continues the sequence of actions.
  • eiden (he saw): Simple past tense of "to see." It implies active observation and discernment. The landowner did not just pass by but specifically noticed their state and presence. This signifies God's awareness of humanity's state and His deliberate choice to engage with them.

• others standing (ἄλλους ἑστῶτας - allous hestōtas):

  • allous (others): Distinguishes this group from the laborers hired at the first hour, emphasizing that there are multiple calls or groups invited into service.
  • hestōtas (standing): A Greek perfect participle, which implies a continuous state: "having stood and continuing to stand." This describes their posture of waiting and availability. It highlights their readiness for employment, even if it signifies their current unemployment.

• idle (ἀργοὺς - argous):

  • argos: The Greek word, meaning "not working," "inactive," or "unemployed." Here, it specifically means they are available for work but have not yet found any. It does not inherently carry a negative connotation of laziness or moral failure in this context, but rather describes their current state of being without an assigned task, waiting for opportunity. It reflects humanity's state before a divine calling, having potential but not yet fulfilling their ultimate purpose in God's Kingdom.

• in the marketplace (ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ - en tē agorā):

  • en (in): Specifies the location.
  • agora (marketplace): The central public square where economic transactions and social gatherings occurred. It was the standard place where daily laborers assembled at dawn, hoping to be hired. This detail grounds the parable in common life experience, showing that the laborers were publicly available for hire. It symbolizes the visible realm where God continues to seek those He will call.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And he went out about the third hour": This phrase underlines the vineyard owner's ongoing proactive engagement, indicating that the need for laborers—and thus the divine invitation—was not confined to the initial early morning call. It sets the scene for repeated opportunities for work, signifying God's persistent outreach and abundant provision throughout various "hours" or stages of life and history.
• "and saw others standing idle": This portrays the landowner's keen observation and compassion. The discovery of "others" implies that the scope of God's invitation extends beyond an initial selected group. "Standing idle" illustrates a state of unassigned purpose or inactivity, signifying those who are available and perhaps even desiring purpose, yet are not currently engaged in the divine task. It speaks to a readiness to be called, even if the individual isn't actively seeking that specific calling at first.
• "in the marketplace": This contextualizes the finding within a common, accessible, public space. It means the potential laborers were not hidden or isolated but publicly present and awaiting engagement. This reinforces the idea that God finds people where they are, in their daily lives, offering an open invitation for all who are available, whether early or later, to join His Kingdom's work.

Matthew 20 3 Bonus section

• The recurring pattern of the landowner going out to find laborers (at the third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours) highlights God's inexhaustible desire to call people into His service, illustrating His long-suffering and patience, extending grace beyond what any human hiring practice would entail.
• The parable's depiction of "idleness" as merely "unemployed" or "unengaged" for the purposes of the Kingdom contrasts with other biblical warnings against true sloth or moral laziness, showing discernment in the landowner's perspective and the nature of the "idle" described here.
• The "third hour" specifically being noted means that these individuals had already waited for a few hours, possibly losing hope for work that day, before the landowner's next round of hiring. This emphasizes their relief and the unexpected nature of the extended invitation, underscoring the surprising generosity of God's call to those who might feel passed over.

Matthew 20 3 Commentary

Matthew 20:3 powerfully illustrates God's ongoing, compassionate initiative in calling people into His service. Unlike human employers who might cease searching after the initial hiring wave, the divine Employer actively "goes out" repeatedly throughout the day. This act signifies God's boundless grace and persistence in extending His invitation, not just to those who present themselves early and appear most zealous, but to all who are "standing idle" and available—regardless of how late in their lives or the course of history that call may come. These laborers were not deliberately idle due to laziness, but rather unhired, reflecting a state of unfulfilled purpose or a life not yet engaged in God's Kingdom. God seeks those who are accessible and in need of purpose, ready to offer them meaning and work within His vineyard. This continuous searching also prepares the ground for the parable's climactic message regarding divine generosity over human merit.