Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 20:13
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
13. Friend ] The Greek word is used of any temporary connection, without the idea of affectionate friendship. It is used by a master to his slave; by a guest to a fellow-guest; as a general address on meeting. Cp. ch. Mat 22:12 and Mat 26:50, where it is a term of reproachful rebuke.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Friend, I do thee no wrong – I have fully complied with the contract. We had an agreement: I have paid all that I promised. If I choose to give a penny to another man if he labors little or not at all if I should choose to give all my property away to others, it would not affect this contract with you: it is fully met; and with my own with that on which you have no further claim I may do as I please. So, if Christians are just, and pay their lawful debts, and injure no one, the world has no right to complain if they give the rest of their property to the poor, or devote it to send the gospel to the pagan, or to release the prisoner or the captive. It is their own. They have a right to do with it as they please. They are answerable, not to people, but to God, and infidels, and worldly people, and cold professors in the church have no right to interfere.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. Friend, I do thee no wrong] The salvation of the Gentiles can in itself become no impediment to the Jews; there is the same Jesus both for the Jew and for the Greek. Eternal life is offered to both through the blood of the cross; and there is room enough in heaven for all.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
13. But he answered one ofthemdoubtless the spokesman of the complaining party.
and said, Friend, I do theeno wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? &c.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But he answered one of them,…. Who was the forwardest and loudest in his complaints, and represented the rest;
and said, friend, I do thee no wrong; by giving all alike, the same privileges and blessings to the last, as to the first, since nothing was withheld from him. And indeed the Lord does no wrong to any, by the distinction which he makes among his creatures: he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works: he does no injury to the evil angels, by choosing the good angels, and confirming them in the estate in which they were created; when the others are reserved in chains of darkness, to the judgment of the great day; or by choosing fallen men, in Christ, and making provisions of grace for them, and not devils: and so there is no unrighteousness in him, nor does he do any wrong to any, when, like the potter, out of the same clay, he makes one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour; any more than when, in a providential way, he gives riches and wealth to some, and withholds them from others; or sends his Gospel, the means of grace to one, and not to another: and still less can he be thought to do wrong to the sons of men, by giving to them alike the same grace and privileges here, and the same happiness and glory hereafter; since neither have any right to what they have, or shall enjoy, and no one has the less for what is given to the other.
Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? That is, to labour in the vineyard all the day for a penny; yea, this agreement was made personally with him, not with a servant, or messenger of his; though if it had, it ought, according to the Jewish canons, to have been abode by, which run thus b:
“A man says to his messenger, or servant, go and hire workmen for me for three pence; he goes and hires them for four pence: if the messenger says to them, your wages be upon me, he gives them four pence, and takes three pence of the master of the house; he looses one out of his own purse: if he says to them, your hire be upon the master of the house, the master of the house gives them according to the custom of the province: if there are one in the province that hired for three pence, and others that are hired for four pence, he gives them but three pence, “and the murmuring” is against the messenger; in what things? When the work is not known, but when the work is known, and it is worth four pence, the master of the house gives them four pence; but if his messenger does not say to them four pence, they do not labour and do what deserves four pence. The householder says to him, hire me for four pence, and the messenger goes and hires for three pence, though the work deserves four pence, they have but three pence; because that , “they took it upon themselves”, (i.e. they agreed for so much,) and their murmuring is against the messenger.”
Thus the argument in the parable proceeds upon the agreement, which ought to be abode by.
b Maimon. Hilch, Shecirut, c. 9. sect. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To one of them ( ). Evidently the spokesman of the group. “Friend” (). Comrade. So a kindly reply to this man in place of an address to the whole gang. Gen 31:40; Job 27:21; Hos 13:15. The word survives in modern Greek.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
One. Representing the whole body.
Friend [] . Lit., companion, comrade.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(13) Friend.The word so translated (literally, comrade, companion) always carries, with it in our Lords lips a tone of reproof. It is addressed to the man who had not on a wedding garment (Mat. 22:12), and to the traitor Judas (Mat. 26:50).
I do thee no wrong.The answer of the house holder is that of one who is just where claims are urged on the ground of justice, generous where he sees that generosity is right. Had the first-called labourers shared this generosity, they would not have grudged the others the wages that they themselves received, and would have found their own reward in sympathy with their joy. This would be true even in the outer framework of the parable. It is fortiori true when we pass to its spiritual interpretation. No disciple who had entered into his Masters spirit would grudge the repentant thief his rest in Paradise (Luk. 23:43). No consistent Christian thinks that he ought to have some special reward because he sees a death-bed repentance crowned by a peace, the foretaste of eternal life, as full and assured as his own.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Friend A term of cautious respect, with a reproving import. Didst not thou agree The murmurer received all he had bargained for. Full justice was therefore done him. The lord had a right then to give his money where he pleased. We have no right to complain of bounties given to others, so long as justice is done to us.
It is not to be supposed, from this, that there will be murmurers among the finally saved. These murmurers are only supposed in the parable, in order to show their want of reason.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?’ ”
The estate owner, who was a good man, then gently took one of them aside, and calling him His ‘friend’, an act of graciousness in itself, He pointed out that He had done him no wrong, for He had paid him exactly what he had agreed. Why then was he grumbling when he had received the amount agreed in their contract?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The master’s answer:
v. 13. But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong; didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
v. 14. Take that thine is, and go thy way; I will give unto this last even as unto thee.
v. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good?
v. 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen. In choosing one man out of the whole company of murmurers, the master gave all the greater force to his application. Friend, or companion, comrade, fellow, he calls him, my good fellow, my dear neighbor, combining respect with reproof. There could be no accusation of wrong against the householder. The man had received the wages fixed by express contract, to which he had agreed of his own free will. His work was at an end, his payment he had received. The proper thing for him to do was to take up his money and go, not make a disagreeable scene. And the master also answers the objection that had been voiced. It is his pleasure, his distinct will, to give to the last of the workmen, him that came in latest of all, as much money as a free present as he gave to the first one by actual contract. He challenges the right of any one to interfere with his way of spending his money. And just because he gave presents to the one set of workmen, it does not follow that he is obliged to do the same thing in the case of others. Where gifts, presents, and benefits are concerned, there can be no question as to merit and reward. A foolish, unauthorized demand renders unworthy of all consideration. It can be due only to malice, jealousy, and envy, which shows itself in the darkened, unfriendly eye, that one is dissatisfied with the goodness of the master, with the generousness which does more than the situation demands. And so Jesus repeats the lesson of the story, chapter 19:30: “The last shall be first, and the first last. ” He that insists upon the recognition of his works and merit before the judgment of the Ruler, will find them woefully inadequate for the capturing of first place. Rather will this demand result in a person’s being made the least and the last in the kingdom of God, with the danger of being lost forever.
Christ here shows the peculiar, the singular justice that obtains in the kingdom of God. In temporal affairs, whatever a person accomplishes and merits will be credited to him as a matter of just reward. But the custom of the kingdom of God is different. Whenever the question is broached as to how a person may be justified before God and saved, the grace of God alone decides. He distributes the gifts of His kingdom according to His gracious will, and not according to natural worthiness or unworthiness. True it is that there is a difference between those that are called into the kingdom. Some have borne the heat and burden of the day, have labored most diligently all their lives, have been diligent in all good works, have left and denied many things for the sake of Christ’s name. Others have been converted late in life, they have spent a large part of their life in following the vain dreams of the world. In the very evening of their life they have heard and heeded the call of Jesus and have but little time left to show their faith in good works. But so far as their relation to God is concerned, they are on the same level with the first. The one group, as the other, is saved by faith alone. And should there be such people among the first as are proud of themselves, as point with conceit to their good works, to the fact that they have labored successfully in the external kingdom of Christ, as are offended at the goodness and mercy of God toward the lowly, they cannot maintain their position in the Church of mercy. Not being willing to be saved like the publicans and sinners, like the thief on the cross, they lose their salvation altogether; they bring upon themselves condemnation.
This parable of the laborers in the vineyard and the call of the Lord into His kingdom has always been considered a serious and searching lesson, and rightly so. But there is as much loving comfort as serious warning in the story. “This Gospel concerns those that are of the opinion that they are before God the first or the last; therefore it strikes mighty fine people, yea, it terrifies the greatest saints. For this reason Christ also holds it even before the apostles. For here it happens that some person may, in the sight of the world, be poor, weak, despised, yea, for the sake of God suffers, that there is no evidence that he is something, and still in his heart he is secretly full of self-conceit, and believes himself to be the first before God, and for that very reason is the last. On the other hand, if one is so fainthearted and shy that he believes himself to be the last before God, though before the world he has money, honor, and possessions, and is the first for his very meekness.”
The Call of the Gospel
“From the verse: Many are called, but few are chosen, many meddlesome heads draw various thoughts that are neither fitting nor divine, following this line of thought: He whom God has chosen will be saved without means; and again, he whom He has not chosen may do whatever he will, be as pious and believing as he will, still it is ordained unto him that he must fall and cannot be saved; therefore I shall let it go as it will. If I should be saved, it will be without my interference; if not, all that I do and attempt is futile. What manner of untoward, secure people grow out of such impious thoughts every one can figure out for himself. Now, on the day of the Magi [Epiphany], when we spoke of the verse of the Prophet Micah, it was sufficiently shown that such thoughts are to be shunned as the devil himself, and a different form to study and think about God’s will be chosen; that is, we should not bother God in His glory and in His election ( Versehung) , for there He is incomprehensible. And it is impossible that a person should not be offended by such thoughts, and either fall into despair, or else become absolutely godless and bold.
“But whosoever wants to know God and His will correctly, should go the right way, by which he will not be offended, but improved. The right way is Christ the Lord, when He says: ‘No man cometh unto the Father but by Me. ‘ Whoever, then, wants to know the Father correctly and come to Him, let him come to Christ first, and learn to know Him, namely, thus: Christ is the Son of God and almighty, eternal God. But what does the Son of God do? He becomes man for our sake, He becomes subject to the Law, in order to redeem us from the Law, He permits Himself to be crucified and dies on the cross, in order to pay for our sins; and He arises from the dead, in order to make, by His resurrection, an entrance into eternal life, and bring help against eternal death; and He sits at the right hand of God, in order to be advocate for us and to give us the Holy Ghost, by whom we may be ruled and led and kept against every temptation and suggestion of the devil. That means to know Christ rightly. When, then, this knowledge is good and firm in the heart, then begin and ascend into heaven and figure it out thus: Since the Son of God has done this for the sake of men, what follows with regard to the heart of God in its attitude toward us men, since His Son does this out of the Father’s will and command? Surely thy own reason must force thee to say: Since God has given His only-begotten Son for our sake, and for our sake has not spared Him, He surely can have no evil designs toward us. It is not His will that we should be lost, since He seeks and uses the supreme means to help us to life. In this way we may come to God in the right manner, as Christ Himself reaches, Joh 3:16: ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ‘ Just hold these thoughts against the others that grow out of the other opinion, and ye will find that the other thoughts are those of the unpleasant devil, by which a man must become offended, and either despair or become bold and godless, since he can expect nothing good from God, “Some draw other thoughts for themselves, and explain the words thus: Many are called, that is. God offers His grace to many; but few are chosen, that is, He imparts this grace to few, for only a few are saved. That is altogether a wicked understanding, for how can it be possible, if a person thinks and believes thus of God, that he will not become God’s enemy, since the absence of His will is the cause that we are not all saved? But just hold this opinion against the other which is found where people learn to know Christ the Lord first, and it will be found that such are all devilish blasphemies. Therefore there is an entirely different meaning in this verse: Many are called, etc. For the preaching of the Gospel is general and public for all that want to hear and accept it; and for that reason God has the Gospel preached so generally and publicly that everyone should hear, believe, and accept it, and thus be saved. But how do things go? As it follows in the Gospel: Few are chosen, that is, few assume such an attitude toward the Gospel that God is favorably inclined toward them. For some hear it. and pay no attention; others hear it and do not cling firmly to it, also do not want to make sacrifices or suffer for it; some hear it, but prefer money and goods and worldly lust. But that is not pleasing to God, and He does not want such people. That is what Christ calls ‘not being chosen,’ that is, not to behave so that God can be well pleased with them. But those are chosen people and well-pleasing to God that hear the Gospel diligently, believe in Christ, manifest their faith in good works, and suffer on that account what they must suffer.
“This understanding is the right understanding that can offend no one, but improves the people that they think: Well and good, since I should be well-pleasing to God and chosen of Him, it will not be the proper thing for me to live with a bad conscience, to sin against God’s commandment, and not hinder sin; but I must go to the preaching of the Word, pray God for His Holy Ghost, not permit the Word to leave the heart, defend myself against the devil and his suggestions, and pray for protection, patience, and assistance; then the result is splendid Christians. On the other hand, those that believe God to grudge salvation to some people, either become desperate or secure and godless, live like the beasts and think: It is all ordained whether I shall become saved or not; why should I hurt myself? No, not thus; thou hast the command, thou shalt hear the Word of God and believe, in Christ that He is thy Savior and has paid for thy sins. Remember this command, to follow it. If thou find thyself without faith, or weak, pray God for His Holy Ghost and do not doubt Christ is thy Savior, and thou shalt be saved through Him if thou believe on Him, that is, if thou take comfort in Him. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant this to us all! Amen.”
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 20:13-15. Friend, I do thee no wrong “Seeing I have given thee the hire which I promised thee, thou hast no reason of complaint; and if I choose to give unto those who came last into the vineyard as much hire as I have given to thee, who can find fault with it? I own it is an act of generosity; but am I not free to bestow what is mine own as I see proper? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? Because I am liberal and bountiful, art thou envious and covetous?” A malignant aspect is generally the attendant of a selfish envious temper, which was very characteristic of the Jews; this part of the parable, therefore, is a striking representation of God’s goodness in bestowing upon the Gentiles the Gospel dispensation, without subjecting them to the grievous burden of the Mosaic yoke. In Mat 20:14. The original words , might be rendered, take up that is thine; and implies that they not only murmured, but in their passion threw down upon the ground the money which they had received.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 20:13-15 . ] One , as representing the whole.
] Comrade , a mild way of introducing a rebuke, similar to “good friend” among ourselves. Comp. Mat 22:12 , Mat 26:50 . So also , . See Herm. ad Vig . p. 722. Comp. Wetstein.
] From the standpoint of justice .
] genitive of price. Somewhat different from the idea of Mat 20:2 .
] “Summa hujus vocis potestas,” Bengel.
] not to be taken in the general sense of: in my affairs (Fritzsche, de Wette), but, according to the context, to be understood in the more definite sense of: in disposing of my own property . Comp. , and Plato, Legg . ii. p. 969 C.
, . . .] see critical notes. The is not interrogative , as in Mat 12:10 , Mat 19:3 (for, according to the connection, the doubt implied in such a question would be entirely out of place), but the speaker is to be regarded as saying that, though such and such be the case, his right to do what he pleases with his own is by no means impaired, so that may be taken as almost equivalent to (Jacobs, Del. Epigr . p. 405; Hartung, Partikell . II. p. 212; Khner, II. 2, p. 991): if thine eye is evil ( i.e . envious, comp. Mar 7:22 , and , Pro 28:22 ; Sir 14:10 ), because I (I, on my part, hence ) am good! The mark of interrogation after is therefore to be deleted.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
Ver. 13. Friend, I do thee no wrong ] Friend he is called, not reprobate, though he were a murmurer, a merit monger. In arguing the case with others, use hard arguments, but in a soft language. This will soonest work; for man is a cross, crabbed creature, and if roughly dealt with, will sooner slight you for your passion than regard your reason, though never so convincing, because not well managed. There are a generation whose words are swords, whose tongues are rapiers to run men through with, upon every small occasion, and their throats as a gaping grave to bury them in,Rom 3:12-13Rom 3:12-13 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13, 14. ] , at first sight a friendly word merely, assumes a more solemn aspect when we recollect that it is used in ch. Mat 22:12 to the guest who had not the wedding garment; and in ch. Mat 26:50 by our Lord to Judas.
hardly denotes (as Stier in his 1st edn.) expulsion and separation from the householder and his employment: it is here only a word of course, commanding him to do what a paid labourer naturally should do.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 20:13-15 . The master’s reply .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 20:13 . , to one of them. It would have been undignified to make a speech in self-defence to the whole gang. That would have been to take the matter too seriously. The master selects a man, and quietly speaks his mind to him. , friend, comrade; familiar and kindly. Cf. Luk 15:31 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
one. Representing the whole body, as Peter was the “one” in Mat 19:27.
Friend. Greek. Hetairos = Comrade, more distant than philos (= beloved). Occurs only in Matthew (here; Mat 11:16; Mat 22:12; Mat 26:50).
wrong = injustice.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13, 14.] , at first sight a friendly word merely, assumes a more solemn aspect when we recollect that it is used in ch. Mat 22:12 to the guest who had not the wedding garment; and in ch. Mat 26:50 by our Lord to Judas.
hardly denotes (as Stier in his 1st edn.) expulsion and separation from the householder and his employment: it is here only a word of course, commanding him to do what a paid labourer naturally should do.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 20:13. , to one) who was a sample of the rest of the murmurers. Cf. concerning one, the Gnomon on ch. Mat 22:11.-, friend) An expression used also to those with whom we are not on friendly or intimate terms.[881]
[881] , at first sight a friendly word merely, assumes a more solemn aspect when we recollect that it is used in ch. Mat 22:12, to the guest who had not the wedding garment; and in ch. Mat 26:50, by our Lord to Judas Alford in loc.-(I. B.)
, I do thee no wrong) To do wrong to GOD is bad; but it is even worse to suppose ones self wronged by GOD: and this happens more often than is generally supposed.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Friend: Mat 22:12, Mat 26:50
I do: Gen 18:25, Job 34:8-12, Job 34:17, Job 34:18, Job 35:2, Job 40:8, Rom 9:14, Rom 9:15, Rom 9:20
Reciprocal: Mat 20:2 – he had Luk 15:31 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0:13
I do thee no wrong was a truthful statement for the householder was living up to his contract made at the time of employment.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
[Didst not thou agree with me for a penny?] in hiring of labourers, the custom of the place most prevailed; hence came that axiom, Observe the custom of the city; speaking of this very thing. There is also an example, “Those of Tiberias that went up to Bethmeon to be hired for labourers, were hired according to the custom of Bethmeon,” etc. By the by also we may observe that which is said by the Babylonians in the place cited…as the Gloss renders it, “Notice must be taken whether they come from several places; for at some places they go to work sooner, and at some later.”
Hence two things may be cleared in the parable before us: 1. Why they are said to be hired at such different hours; namely, therefore, because they are supposed to have come together from several places. 2. Why there was no certain agreement made with those that were hired at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, as with those that were hired early in the morning; but that he should only say, “Whatsoever is right I will give you”: that is, supposing that they would submit to the custom of the place. But, indeed, when their wages were to be paid them, there is, by the favour of the lord of the vineyard, an equality made between those that were hired for some hours, and those that were hired for the whole day; and when these last murmured, they are answered from their own agreement, You agreed with me. Note here the canon; “The master of the family saith to his servant, ‘Go, hire me labourers for fourpence’: he goes and hires them for threepence; although their labour deserves fourpence, they shall not receive but three, because they bound themselves by agreement, and their complaint is against the servant.”
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 20:13. Didst thou not agree with me? The legal claim is answered in a legal way.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 20:13-15. And he answered one of them Who spoke in the name of the rest; Friend, I do thee no wrong It is most apparent that I do not, in any degree, injure thee or any of thy companions. Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Didst thou not consent to obey the gospel, to enter the vineyard of the gospel church, and work diligently therein, on condition that thou wast admitted to a share of the blessings of it here, and to eternal life hereafter? If thou hast received what thou didst agree for, thou hast no reason to cry out of wrong. Though God is a debtor to none, yet he is graciously pleased to make himself a debtor by his own promise; for the benefit of which, through Christ, believers agree with him, and he will stand to his part of the agreement. Take that thine is, and go thy way If we were to understand this of that which is ours by debt or absolute property, it would be a dreadful word; we should be all undone, if we should be put off with that only which we could call our own. The highest creature must go away into nothing, if he must go away with that only which is his own. But understood, as it ought to be, of that which is ours by gift, the free gift of God, it teacheth us to be content with such things as we have; and, instead of repining that we have not more, to take what we have and be thankful. If God be better in any respect to others than to us, yet we have no reason to complain, while he is so much better to us than we deserve, in giving us our penny, though we are unprofitable servants. I will give unto this last That is, last called, namely, among the heathen; even as unto thee First called, namely, among the Jews, yea, and unto the last converted publicans and sinners, even as to those who were called long before. Observe, reader, the unchangeableness of Gods purposes in dispensing his gifts should silence our murmurings. It is not for us to gainsay what he does; and is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Yea, doubtless, to give either to Jew or Gentile a reward infinitely greater than he deserves. But can it be inferred from hence, that it is lawful or possible for the merciful Father of spirits to
Consign an unborn soul to hell!
Or damn him in his mothers womb?
Is thine eye evil because I am good? Art thou envious because I am gracious? Here is an evident reference to that malignant aspect which is generally the attendant of a selfish and envious temper.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
"Friend" is only a mild term of rebuke in this context. The landowner pointed out that he had not cheated those whom he hired earlier in the day. He had paid the wage they agreed to. It was his business if he wanted to pay the latecomers more than they deserved. The evil or envious eye (Mat 20:15) was an idiom depicting jealousy (cf. Mat 6:23; Deu 15:9; 1Sa 18:9).
The landowner’s rhetorical questions explained that he had distributed the wages as he had because he was gracious and generous as well as just (cf. Luk 15:11-32; Rom 4:4-6; Rom 11:6).