Matthew 20:1 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus opens a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who goes out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard.
What Does Matthew 20:1 Mean?
These words flow directly from the end of the previous chapter, where Jesus declared that many who are first shall be last, and the last first. To illustrate that reversal, He tells of a householder who rises early to bring laborers into his vineyard. In that world a vineyard was costly, tended work, and the master who seeks workers at dawn shows an eagerness to gather them in.
The picture is gentle but searching. God is the one who goes out looking, taking the initiative to call people into His work while the day is still young. The vineyard has long stood for the people of God, a place of fruitfulness and care. To be hired into it is no burden but a gift, an invitation to labor under a generous master who Himself comes seeking us.
Matthew 20:1 in the Original Language
oikodespotes (οἰκοδεσπότης), 'householder' -- the master of a house who holds full authority over its affairs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:1
What does Matthew 20:1 mean?
Jesus opens a parable comparing the kingdom of heaven to a landowner who goes out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard.