Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Verse Takeaways
1
A Story with a Point
Commentators unanimously agree that the word 'For' connects this parable directly to the previous verse (Matthew 19:30). Jesus is telling this story to explain his surprising statement that 'the last will be first, and the first last.' The parable is not primarily about fair wages but about how God's kingdom operates on principles that defy human expectations of merit and reward.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Matthew
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
Commentaries
11
Albert Barnes
On Matthew 20:1
18th Century
Theologian
For the kingdom of heaven, etc. The word "for" shows that this chapter should have been connected with the preceding. The parable was spok…
AT Robertson
On Matthew 20:1
For (γαρ). The parable of the house illustrates the aphorism in 19:30.A man that is a householder (ανθρωπω οικοδε…
Charles Spurgeon
On Matthew 20:1–2
19th Century
Preacher
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. A…
Go Ad-Free
Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Matthew 20:1
The normal working day was ten hours or so, not counting breaks. The landowner in the parable finds his first set of workers at about 6 A. M. and a…
John Calvin
On Matthew 20:1
16th Century
Theologian
As this parable is nothing other than a confirmation of the preceding sentence, the last shall be first, it now remains to see how it shou…
John Gill
On Matthew 20:1
17th Century
Pastor
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man
That is, the Gospel dispensation, or times of the Messiah, may fitly be…
Matthew Henry
On Matthew 20:1–16
17th Century
Minister
This parable's primary purpose seems to show that although the Jews were first called into the vineyard, the gospel would eventually be preached to…
Thomas Aquinas
On Matthew 20:1–16
13th Century
Philosopher
Above, the Lord spoke about the attainment of the kingdom of heaven by the common way of salvation and by the way of perfection. Because certain pe…