Matthew 20:15 Meaning and Explanation
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The master asks whether he may not do as he pleases with his own money, and whether the worker is envious because he is generous.
What Does Matthew 20:15 Mean?
The master poses two searching questions. First, may he not do as he wishes with what belongs to him, since the money is his own? Second, is thine eye evil, because I am good? In that day an evil eye was a figure for envy and grudging resentment, while a good eye meant generosity. The master names the real issue: the worker's bitterness toward kindness.
Here the parable reaches its sharpest point. The complaint against grace is exposed as envy of goodness itself. God is free to be generous, and His generosity is good news unless we have schooled our hearts to resent it. The question lingers for every reader: when the Lord pours out mercy on those we think have earned less, do we rejoice in His goodness, or does our eye grow dark with envy at His grace?
Matthew 20:15 in the Original Language
ophthalmos poneros (ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός), 'evil eye' -- a Hebrew idiom for an envious, grudging, stingy disposition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 20:15
What does Matthew 20:15 mean?
The master asks whether he may not do as he pleases with his own money, and whether the worker is envious because he is generous.