Matthew 20:6
And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
Original Language Analysis
περὶ
about
G4012
περὶ
about
Strong's:
G4012
Word #:
1 of 20
properly, through (all over), i.e., around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive cas
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἑστήκατε
stand ye
G2476
ἑστήκατε
stand ye
Strong's:
G2476
Word #:
9 of 20
to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively)
ἀργοί
idle
G692
ἀργοί
idle
Strong's:
G692
Word #:
10 of 20
inactive, i.e., unemployed; (by implication) lazy, useless
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
11 of 20
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
λέγει
saith
G3004
λέγει
saith
Strong's:
G3004
Word #:
12 of 20
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an
αὖτοῖς
unto them
G846
αὖτοῖς
unto them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
13 of 20
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Τί
Why
G5101
Τί
Why
Strong's:
G5101
Word #:
14 of 20
an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
ἑστήκατε
stand ye
G2476
ἑστήκατε
stand ye
Strong's:
G2476
Word #:
16 of 20
to stand (transitively or intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively)
ὅλην
all
G3650
ὅλην
all
Strong's:
G3650
Word #:
17 of 20
"whole" or "all", i.e., complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb
τὴν
G3588
τὴν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
18 of 20
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Hebrews 6:12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.John 9:4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.Acts 17:21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Historical Context
Workers hired at the eleventh hour faced economic disaster—a partial day's wage couldn't feed a family. The master's inquiry shows compassion, not accusation. In Jesus's parable, these represent Gentiles, sinners, and social outcasts who were excluded from covenant privilege through no fault of their own—like the tax collectors and prostitutes entering the Kingdom before the religious elite (21:31).
Questions for Reflection
- How does the master's question challenge assumptions about those outside the church being uninterested in spiritual things versus being overlooked or excluded?
- What does the eleventh-hour hiring teach about God's willingness to receive those who come to faith late in life or in history's final hour?
- In what ways might the church, like the early-hired laborers, resent God's gracious inclusion of eleventh-hour converts?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And about the eleventh hour he went out (περὶ δὲ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν ἐξελθών, peri de tēn hendekatēn hōran exelthōn)—The eleventh hour, approximately 5 PM in a workday that began at 6 AM, represents the final opportunity before sunset when work ceased. The master's going out at this late hour demonstrates grace's extravagance, seeking workers when only one hour remains. This hiring seems economically irrational but reveals God's heart.
Why stand ye here all the day idle? (τί ὧδε ἑστήκατε ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀργοί, ti hōde hestēkate holēn tēn hēmeran argoi)—The master's question assumes desire for employment, not laziness. The adjective ἀργός (argos, idle, unemployed) describes involuntary inactivity, not sloth. These workers waited all day without opportunity, highlighting that exclusion from Kingdom labor is often circumstantial, not volitional. The master's question invites explanation, showing concern for their plight.