Matthew (Written)

Monday, 25 May 2026

And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ Matthew 20:6

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Around, also, the eleventh hour, having exited, he found others having stood inactive. And he says to them, ‘Why, here, you ‘having stood all the day’ inactive?’” (CG)

In the previous verse, it said that the housemaster went out at the sixth and ninth hours to hire more people. Jesus next says, “Around, also, the eleventh hour.”

There is an emphasis in these words with the inclusion of the article before “eleventh.” In the other instances, there was no article. This emphasizes the fact that it is right at the end of the day, about 5 pm. Twilight would be coming, and the day would be complete.

In John 11:9, Jesus says, “Are there not twelve hours in the day?” Though probably not specifically talking about a workday, it would signify the duration of a day where work could be accomplished. As Jesus next says in John 11:9, “If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.” That builds upon what Jesus said in John 9 –

“I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4, 5

Because the housemaster is hiring day laborers, they would be hired out for the full day. As there is still more light, it says the housemaster, “having exited, he found others having stood inactive.”

These guys had been standing around the market, ostensibly, for an entire day. It is true that some of them may have gotten up later, had things to do at the house, took the morning off for some reason, etc., but for the most part, the next verse indicates they would be people who have come early for the sole purpose of finding work. Because of this, it next notes, “And he says to them, ‘Why, here, you ‘having stood all the day’ inactive?’”

He seems incredulous that they had been lolling around all day doing nothing. What is to be done with such people?

Life application: Imagine being a day laborer today. You have a bike to get you to the office, where day laborers go. In the early morning, someone comes in and says he has work digging out stumps. It is a very labor-intensive job. You know, because you did it before. You decide to pass on taking that job.

Throughout the day, people keep getting assigned to jobs, but every time someone comes by, you have missed the call. One time, you went to the bathroom. The next time you went outside to stretch your legs, after that, your wife called and said little Johnny is sick. While trying to console her, two other guys are selected. Each time, a job has slipped past you.

Toward the end of the day, nobody else has come by to hire anyone. Just as you are getting up to get back on your bike and head home, someone walks in and asks why you have been sitting around all day. Do you take it as an insult? Do you take it as light humor? Do you consider it an indictment concerning your skinny frame?

Or does his tone ring of sincerity, really wanting to know why you weren’t selected for work, as if he might be able to help out next time you come for work? The scenario is possible, and it doesn’t just apply to work. Some people are looking for marriage in their lives, and it keeps eluding them.

Others may be looking for the opportunity to buy a home, but each time one becomes available, something always comes up to interfere with it coming about. It seems like life is against you in this regard. The thing is, we all have to continue on with life.

Are we going to bear a grudge against God? Will we think we are destined for failure? Do people perceive us as incapable? People go through such times questioning their situation. If you are a believer in God, you should remember that at one time you were not saved and now you are.

You had the greatest change a person can ever experience. And it was solely by God’s grace that it came about. If you can remember that truth, clinging to it through the trials, you will be able to hold fast to the fact that God was with you, is with you, and will never abandon you. It doesn’t matter what people may think about you, and it is one hundred percent certain that you are not destined for failure.

God selected you through the gospel to be his. Whatever trial you are facing, He is there with you as you go through it. So hold fast to Him. If the house is meant to come, it will. If not, you still have an eternal home ahead. If a husband or wife comes along, that is great, but if not, you are a part of the bride of Christ, the church.

The temporary lives we live are a blip in the eternal scheme of things. Eyes on Jesus! You are His. Everything else falls behind that as a reason for being joy-filled at all times.

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2

Lord God, we have needs in this life that You are faithful to tend to. We also have desires as we walk in this world. Search us out and help us as we strive for what we want. It may be that such things are not meant to come about, but we can still pray for them, knowing that You are tending even to the desires of our hearts according to Your wisdom. Thank You that You are always with us in this walk of life. Amen.

Sunday, 24 May 2026

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. Matthew 20:5

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Again, having exited around ‘sixth and ninth hour’, he did likewise.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus continued the parable concerning the workers. The housemaster hired someone in the third hour, telling him that he should go work in the vineyard, and he would pay the person what was right. Jesus continues, saying, “Again, having exited around ‘sixth and ninth hour’, he did likewise.”

A new word is seen, hósautós, as thus. It is derived from hos, in that manner, and autos, the reflexive pronoun use of the third person. Taken together, they signify in a like manner. A single word that conveys the sense is likewise.

The housemaster saw the need for additional laborers to complete his anticipated workload and twice headed out to look for more laborers. The two times he went out would have been about noon and about 3 pm, halfway through the day and three-quarters of the way through it. He would have assured his laborers the appropriate pay in a similar manner to what he said to those he hired at the third hour.

Life application: The housemaster has a set plan for how much will get done. As needed, he went out to obtain more laborers to have the job completed accordingly. This could have been handled in various ways. He could have gone out to the field and promised those who labored already a bonus based on staying late or putting in more effort.

Instead, he went to the market looking for more people who could labor. Those in the market may have come later, or maybe they already turned down various jobs, hoping for that which would match their particular skill set or preferences.

The housemaster did not need to call these men, but he did. And they could have refused the offer. Thus, their employment offer is one based on the housemaster’s graciousness. And more, the acceptance by these men was based on their free will to choose or decline the proposed labors or the amount of pay. There is nothing forced in the process.

Along with these things, there is the obvious thought that would be on the minds of those hired later. They would assume they would be paid less, having worked fewer hours. But there might be a sense of relief that they didn’t have to work in the midday sun. The labors later in the day would be less burdensome unless they were personally energized out of grateful hearts to do even more than was asked of them.

Think about what is going on in the minds of the housemaster as well as those who have been called to serve in the field. Where do you mentally fit into the narrative? Jesus is giving us instructions on what the kingdom of the heavens is like. Therefore, we are reflected somewhere in the parable. How do you want to be remembered when you stand before the Lord to receive your wages? That day is coming, so be wise about how you approach it –

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:9-15

“Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10

Lord God, we have all been called to accomplish tasks for Your kingdom. What we do with our calling has been left up to us. May we be responsible with our days, striving forward in anticipation of honoring You with our lives each day as we rise and set out upon the path of our lives. Amen.

Saturday, 23 May 2026

and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Matthew 20:4

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And to them, he said, ‘You go, also you, into the vineyard, and whatever if it should be righteous, I will give you.’ And these, they departed.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that in the third hour, the housemaster went out and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. He continues, saying, “And to them, he said, ‘You go, also you, into the vineyard.’”

With a quarter of the day gone, the chances of getting a job are waning. This offer was certainly good news for the men who were dependent on work to make ends meet. It may be preferable to wait a bit more for a good tiling job in someone’s house out of the full sun, but what if such a job didn’t materialize?

And more, this guy was willing to be fair, as Jesus says concerning their conversation, “and whatever if it should be righteous, I will give you.”

If he is a man of integrity, his word is a surety that he won’t cheat them at the end of the day. That is as much a risk as waiting, because he may be a person looking to cheat those who are getting desperate for any work just to make enough for dinner. But he has promised, and work is needed. Therefore, it says, “And these, they departed.”

No easy job like being a donkey valet has arisen. No exciting job, like laying mosaic tiles, has been offered. Working in the vineyard means standing, cutting, weeding, carrying heavy buckets of grapes, or whatever else is demanded by the on-site foreman. And all of it will be in the weather, even if a storm arises, but at least it is a job. And so, off they go.

Life application: When we have a job with a steady income, we generally don’t worry a great deal about how we will get through the day, week, or month. Yes, we may have mechanical problems with our car, but that will just mean less fun stuff like movies and going out for dinner for a few weeks.

But what happens when we suddenly lose our jobs? We have to mentally reconstruct our entire life’s paradigm. What can we do without? What will we be willing to do if no comparable job arises to fill our void? How will we be able to keep our children in their favorite activity next becomes how will we be able to keep our car? That soon turns into, how can I keep the house?

Each part of our existence gets a bit more precarious, starting with the least important, but leading to the most important. Sometimes, these are self-inflicted wounds. But other times, such a loss comes right out of the blue. The company isn’t doing well, and jobs are being cut. Then what will you do?

During such times, we have spiritual decisions to make that we may have avoided during times of prosperity. If we believe in God, or if we “think” He might be there, we start to think about Him. Then we start to talk to Him. Then we start to really call out to Him. Eventually, we ask friends who know Him well to pray for us.  Finally, we even begin going to church.

God has allowed the catastrophe to occur. In this allowance, we start to put Him first. This is good. If it is a permanent change, this is very good. However, we may get a job out of the blue. It is better than the one before. Things suddenly take an upturn in our lives. We forget to thank God for the relief. We stop going to church. We reprioritize with even more stuff in our lives.

This is just one set of possibilities. Maybe the return to church becomes permanent. We now see everything through a new and permanent God-centered paradigm. We become unshakeable in our faith, even if the new job collapses after a few months.

Where does your ultimate hope lie? If it isn’t in God in Christ, it is a futile hope indeed. But even that hope must have a sure context to ground you –

“And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-19

If we have the hope of the resurrection deeply grounded in us. Everything, good and bad, that comes our way is just a blip on the road to eternal glory. What is it that motivates you above all else?

Lord God, may we find our hope in You alone. Everything else is temporary and ultimately tragic because it cannot last. But our hope in You is based on what is eternal. Thank You for the sure hope we possess in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Friday, 22 May 2026

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, Matthew 20:3

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And having exited about the third hour, he saw others having stood in the market, inactive.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus continued the parable of the workers in the vineyard, noting that the housemaster agreed to hire laborers for a denarius and then sent them into the vineyard. He continues now, saying, “And having exited about the third hour.”

The Pulpit Commentary does a great job of describing the timing of the day –

“It seems that at this time the Jews divided the day, reckoned between sunrise and sunset, into twelve equal parts, the length of these divisions varying according to the season. The day in Palestine at longest consisted of fourteen European hours twelve minutes, and at shortest of nine hours forty-eight minutes, so that the difference between the longest and shortest division of the so called Jewish “hour” was twenty-two minutes. It is usual to consider the Hebrew day as lasting from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the sixth hour corresponding to our noon, the first hour being 7 o’clock and the third 9 a.m. This estimate, though not absolutely correct, is near enough to the fact to serve all expository purposes. The four periods mentioned in the parable are quarters of the working day, in which a proportional part of the day’s wages might be earned.”

By this time, a quarter of the working day has expired. It might be that in checking the progress in the vineyard, he sees that there is a need for more laborers. Or it may be that at the early hour, these men had not yet arrived at the gathering place. Or it may be that the laborers were there and declined his original offer for one of various reasons. Whatever the case may be, Jesus next says of the housemaster, “he saw others having stood in the market, inactive.”

The agora, market, was already seen in Matthew 11:16. It is from ageiro, to gather. It is a place where people gather. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were dragged to the agora before the rulers by those looking for a judgment against them. In Acts 17, Paul witnessed to people in the agora in Athens.

One can see that the market was a place where the community gathered for various reasons, including judicial matters, at least in some places. In the case of the housemaster, he was still looking for ready hands to assist in the vineyard. Arriving there, he found some just lolling around twiddling their fingers.

Life application: Above, various possibilities were given concerning why the men were in the agora at this hour. Some of them may not have wanted to work in vineyards, instead hoping to get a job laying tile. Others may have been off getting a breakfast burrito when the housemaster showed up.

By this third hour, they may be regretting not being more aggressive in getting a job for the day. With each waning hour, the chance of getting hired would go down. Likewise, one would normally get less money for less work. The words, therefore, speak of seizing the opportunities set before you.

Each of us must prioritize what we will do throughout the day. Circumstances may not be perfect, but is it more important to work inside laying tile, or is it more important to have a full day’s wages to pay for food for the family? The way we look at opportunities will say a lot about where our ultimate priorities lie.

Foolish people will stick stubbornly to foolish choices. At the end of the day, they may regret what they decided upon, they may turn to theft to cover their bad choices, or they may lie to their family about why there is no food. And yet, quite often, they will go out the next day and make more bad choices.

So we can learn from watching others as much as through our own errors, if we are willing to pay attention. Above all, there is one choice that must be decided upon. As there truly is no guarantee of tomorrow, we should be wise and discerning about this particular choice –

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. ² For He says:
‘In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  2 Corinthians 6:1, 2

Be wise. Call on Jesus today. If you are reading this, it means that you were brought to this commentary for a reason. God has done the necessary work to align your life with this choice. He has also done all that is necessary for you to be saved. All He asks is for you to believe what He has done is sufficient. Accept His offer of peace today.

Glorious Lord God, thank You for having brought us to the place where we have heard the message of salvation and applied it to our lives. Help us now to walk faithfully in that salvation all our days. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Thursday, 21 May 2026

Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. Matthew 20:2

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Having also harmonized with the toilers from ‘denarius, the day,’ he sent them into the ‘vineyard, his’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus began the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. He continues that now, saying, “And having harmonized with the toilers.”

An amount was agreed on (harmonized) between him and those who will be in his employ. This is what will happen with any day laborer, and it is what happens with any hired staff in any job. Even military service sets the terms of payment, regardless of if it is compulsory or voluntary enlistment.

People want to know what to expect for their labor before entering into it. This goes back to the earliest records of the Bible. In Genesis 29, it says –

“And he said, Laban, to Jacob, ‘(Indeed) not my brother, you. And you served me gratuitously? You must (surely) cause to declare to me what your wages!’ ¹⁶And to Laban, two daughters. ‘Name, the whopping’ Leah, and ‘name, the diminutive’ Rachel. ¹⁷And ‘eyes, Leah’ tender. And Rachel, she was ‘beautiful, form’ and ‘beautiful, appearance.

¹⁸And he cherished, Jacob, Rachel. And he said, ‘I will serve you seven years in Rachel, your daughter, the diminutive.’

¹⁹And he said, Laban, ‘Good I giving her to you from my giving her to ‘man, another’. You must (surely) sit with me!’ ²⁰And he served, Jacob, in Rachel seven years. And they were, in his eyes, according to ‘days, ones’ in his ‘cherish, her’.” Genesis 29:15-20 v(CG).

Such arrangements are wholly appropriate, and they are considered binding. If either side defaults on the agreement, it is considered theft. If the owner doesn’t pay, he has stolen the time and effort of the laborer. If the laborer refuses to work according to whatever standard was set forth, he is considered to have stolen the property of the owner. Understanding this, Jesus notes that the agreement was “from ‘denarius, the day,’.”

The denarius was introduced in Matthew 18:28. It was a small silver coin used in Roman currency. It was approximately 53 grams of silver. Its value changed according to the strength of the Roman currency system, as any nation’s currency does. But for this parable, it is accepted as a day’s labor by both parties. With that agreed on, “he sent them into the ‘vineyard, his’.”

It is his property. The vineyard was either planted by him or tended to since he acquired the property. His time, money, and resources have been used to keep the vineyard in proper shape. On the other side, the laborer has needs and desires that he anticipates based on what he will earn. His abilities have been evaluated, and he is to perform according to what the owner expects from those abilities.

Life application: In the story of Jacob and Laban, Laban cheated Jacob. Instead of giving him Rachel for seven years of labor, he gave him Leah. Only after the marriage was consummated did Jacob realize what had happened. He had his years of labor essentially stolen from him.

Laban then offered Rachel for another seven years of labor. Jacob agreed to this, but it was not the original agreement. Laban had seven years to marry off Leah, and he didn’t do it, connivingly setting Jacob up to serve him longer so that Laban could unjustly benefit from him.

Understanding this, be sure to count your pay before you take it for a deposit. And for sure, gents, be sure to lift the veil on the woman you are about to marry. Under it, she might not be who you think.

Lord God, what a wonderful story is found in Jacob’s two wives and two concubines. There is law, and there is grace. And there are two exiles during those periods for the nation of Israel. And yet, You have brought them back again to fulfill the final promises in Your word to this unruly people. May that day be soon. Amen.