Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
MATTHEW 20:12KJVWhat does Matthew 20:12 mean?
Matthew 20:12 shows workers complaining that those who worked only one hour were made equal to those who worked all day in the heat and bore the hardest part of the labor. The verse highlights their frustration at receiving the same reward despite their longer and tougher effort.
In this verse, Jesus is telling a parable about laborers hired at different times of the day. The workers who started early are speaking to the landowner, upset that the latecomers received the same pay. The scene emphasizes the sense of unfairness felt by those who believe they deserve more because of their longer service.
The Greek behind Matthew 20:12
- ἴσους (isous, G2470): This word means "equal." The workers are upset because the landowner has treated the latecomers as equals, despite their shorter hours. This highlights the main tension in the story—equality in reward, not in effort.
- βάρος (baros, G922): Translated as "burden," this word refers to the weight or hardship of the day's work. The early workers stress the difficulty they endured, which they feel sets them apart.
- καῦμα (kauma, G2742): This word means "heat," specifically the scorching heat of the day. It adds vivid detail to the complaint, showing the physical toll the early workers experienced.
Why Matthew 20:12 matters
- This verse helps clarify the emotional response of the early workers, making the parable’s lesson about fairness and generosity more relatable and vivid.
- The verse draws attention to the idea of equality in the kingdom of heaven, challenging common assumptions about reward based on effort or time served.
- By focusing on the workers’ complaint, Matthew 20:12 sets up the landowner’s response, which reveals the deeper message of the parable about God’s grace.