Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 20:6-7

"And about the eleventh [hour] he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard." — Matthew 20:6-7 (ASV)

The day was nearly over; only a single hour remained, yet about the eleventh hour he went out. The generous householder was willing to take on more workers and give them wages, though the sun was going down. He found a group lingering at the loafers’ corner—standing idle. He wished to clear the whole town of sluggards, and so he said to them, “Why stand ye here all the day idle?”

His question to them may be read by making each word in turn emphatic, and then it yields a fullness of meaning. Why are you idle? What is the good of it? Why do you stand here idle where all are busy? Why idle all the day? Will not a shorter time suffice? Why are you idle?

You need to work, you are able to do it, and you should set about it at once. Why is any one of us remaining idle towards God? Has nothing yet had power to engage us in sacred service? Can we dare to say, “No man hath hired us”?

Nearly seventy years of age and yet unsaved! Let us rouse ourselves. It is time that we went, without delay, to kill the weeds, prune the vines, and do something for our Lord in His vineyard.

What but rich grace could lead Him to take on the eleven o’clock lingerers? Yet He invites them as earnestly as those who came in the morning, and He will as surely give them their reward.

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

The day was nearly over: only a single hour remained; yet about the eleventh hour he went out. The generous householder was willing to take on more workmen, and pay them, though the sun was going down. He found a group lingering at the loafers' corner – standing idle. He wished to clear the whole town of sluggards, so he said to them, "Why stand ye here all the day idle?"

His question to them may be read by making each word in its turn emphatic, and then it yields a fullness of meaning. Why are ye idle?

What is the good of it? Why stand ye here idle where all are busy?

Why all the day idle? Will not a shorter space suffice? Why are ye idle? You have need to work, you are able to do it, and you should set about it at once. Why is any one of us remaining idle towards God? Has nothing yet had power to engage us in sacred service?

Can we dare to say, "No man hath hired us"? Nearly seventy years of age, and yet unsaved! Let us bestir ourselves. It is time that we went, without delay, to weed, and prune the vines, and do something for our Lord in his vineyard. What but rich grace could lead him to take on the eleven o'clock lingerers? Yet he invites them as earnestly as those who came in the morning, and he will as surely give them their reward.