Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 20:4
And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
4. whatsoever is right I will give you ] The justice of the award is disputed Mat 20:12, on the ground that those who were first called had borne the burden and heat of the day. Man does not here acquiesce in the Judge’s decision, as in the parable of the debtors, ch. 18. What is just does not at first seem just, but, as in science many things that seemed untrue are proved to be true, what seems unjust will be proved just when we know all. Further, time is not the only element in service. An act of swift intelligence or of bravery wrought in the space of a single minute has saved an army or a people, and merited higher reward than a lifetime of ordinary service.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Whatsoever is right – Whatsoever it shall appear you can earn. The contract with the first was definite; with this one it depended on the judgment of the employer.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
4. And said unto them, Go ye alsointo the vineyard; and whatsoever is rightjust, equitable, inproportion to their time.
I will give you. And theywent their way.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And said unto them, go ye also into the vineyard,…. Expressive of a call of divine grace out of the world, into the church; and which arises from mere grace, and good will, without any merit in, or motive from man, as the case here shows: for the householder went out to these men, not they to him; he puts the question to them, and calls them, and bids them go into his vineyard; they do not ask him to hire them, nor desire to be in his service. Moreover, the persons called were a parcel of idle, mean, vulgar people, as market folks commonly are; the weak, base, and foolish things of the world. The encouragement given them follows,
and whatsoever is right I will give you which is to be understood, not of strict justice; for in this sense nothing could be given to sinful mortals, for their services; but of grace, for what is had on this score, whether in this, or in the other world, is in a way of giving and receiving, which are the phrases used here, and in the context. It properly signifies what is meet and convenient, and will be satisfying; and since it is not expressed what he would give them, and they should receive, it calls for faith and dependence on divine goodness: for it does not yet appear, what the faithful labourers in Christ’s vineyard will want, and shall receive in this life, nor what will be their happiness in the world to come: the glories and joys of heaven are unseen things; and eternal life is a hidden one at present, and must be trusted for:
and they went their way: into the vineyard, the church, to labour there; which shows, that the call was powerful and efficacious; they were powerfully wrought upon by it; were at once inclined, and made willing to, and did go cheerfully, without standing to dispute about their work or wages.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Whatsoever is right ( ). “Is fair” (Allen), not anything he pleased, but a just proportionate wage. Indefinite relative with subjunctive =.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
(4) Whatsoever is right.The absence of a definite contract in hiring the labourers who did less than the days work obviously involved an implicit trust in the equity of the householder. They did not stipulate for wages, or ask, as the disciples had asked, What shall we have therefore? The implied lesson thus suggested is, that a little work done, when God calls us, in the spirit of trust, is better than much done in the spirit of a hireling.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Whatsoever is right You can trust my justice, perhaps my generosity, and serve from duty or from love. Went their way To work without exacting a bargain.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 20:4 . ] to those also he spoke. The point of assimilation ( also ) lies in the circumstance that, as he had invited the first, so he now invites these also to go into the vineyard.
] so that, as part of the day had already elapsed, he did not make with them any definite agreement as to wages for the day , and therefore acted differently in this case from what he had done in the former.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
Ver. 4. Go ye also into the vineyard ] God hath his times to call men in; only let them stand in God’s way, wait at the posts of wisdom’s gates, at the pool of Bethesda, &c. Gratuita et inopinata est ad gratiam vocatio,Eph 1:11Eph 1:11 . The separation of the saints is wonderful, Exo 33:16 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 20:4 . : he had got a fair number of workers in the morning, but he is pleased to have more for an urgent piece of work. The expression has reference to the Master’s mood rather than to the men’s knowledge of what had taken place at the first hour. : no bargain this time, only a promise of fair equitable dealing, will be just at least , give in proportion to length of service; privately intends to do more, or at least is that way inclined.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
right = just.
give = pay.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Go: Mat 9:9, Mat 21:23-31, Luk 19:7-10, Rom 6:16-22, 1Co 6:11, 1Ti 1:12, 1Ti 1:13, Tit 3:8, 1Pe 1:13, 1Pe 4:2, 1Pe 4:3
and whatsoever: Col 4:1
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20:4
No stipulated amount was stated but the laborers were promised whatever was right. They evidently agreed with the terms for it states they went their way.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 20:4. Whatsoever if right I will give you. The wages promised indefinite; the correct reading in Mat 20:7 omits all promise of reward. The parable illustrates the truth that salvation is of grace.