Go to Related Reading
About this book

Matthew

About this book
Chapter 20

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.⁠ 2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. 4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing. 6 And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 8 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay.⁠ 10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 11 When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 13 And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. 15 Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”⁠ 17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the 12 aside privately and said to them on the way, 18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death, 19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet on the third day, he will be raised.” 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. 21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 Now when the other 10 heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 31 The crowd scolded them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Texts in conversation

Compare Matthew 20:16 and Ruth Rabbah 3:1

New Testament · Rabbinic

Share:

Summary

In Matthew 20, Jesus gives the late workers the same pay as those who worked all day. Rabbinic tradition in Ruth Rabbah similarly describes a reversal of rank, connecting both passages with rewards that overturn ordinary expectations.

Passages

Matthew 20:16

New Testament
10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 11 When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 13 And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 14 Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you. 15 Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

Ruth Rabbah 3:1

Rabbinic · Aggadah
That is what the verse said: “Small and great are there; and a servant is free from his master” (Job 3:19) – Rabbi Simon said: This is one of four verses that are similar to one another. “Small and great are there” – in this world, one who is small can become great, and one who is great can become small. But in the future, one who is small cannot become great and one who is great cannot become small. “And a servant is free of his master” – that is, he does the will of his Maker [yotzero], angers his [evil] inclination [yitzro]; when he dies, he goes free, as it is stated: “And a servant is free of his master.” Rabbi Meyasha, grandson of Rabbi Yehoshua, was gravely ill for three days. After three days he recovered. His father said to him: ‘Where have you been?’ He said to him: ‘I was in a chaotic world.’ He said to him: ‘What did you see there?’ He said to him: ‘I saw many people who are respected here and disgraced there.’ When Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish heard, they went to visit him. His father said to them: ‘Have you heard what this child said?’ They said to him: ‘What did he say?’ He related the matter to them. Reish Lakish said: ‘Is it not an explicit verse? “So said the Lord God: Remove the mitre, and lift the crown; this shall no longer be; exalt the abased, and abase the exalted”’ (Ezekiel 21:31).
700–950 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Ruth Rabbah

References

"... Myron Bialik Lerner gave in his Hebrew academic dissertation some concrete examples about the stylistic devices in the New Testament and in Midrash Ruth. They concern the good works, the merits which are valid also in the world to come and the evil inclination. There is always the same old literary pattern in both of them. The antithesis between this world and the coming one is expressed as follows ... Matthew shows a similar model too ... a certain extract of the Sermon on the Mount proves that this pattern typical to Amoraic era was used already in the Gospel. Jesus said according to the translation of Lerner that a) every good tree a) bears good fruit, b) but every bad tree b) bears bad fruit and a) a good tree cannot b) bear bad fruit b) nor can a bad tree a) bear a good fruit ..."
Risto Santala, The Midrash of the Messiah: The Messiah and His Meal in Midrash Ruth Chapters V, VII and VIII and Its Roots and Reflections in Corresponding Jewish Literature (2002), 170–171.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Tags

Your feedback

Matthew 20:16 and Ruth Rabbah 3:1

Leave a comment

Your questions and comments are welcome!

Comments

Glossary

Search the Library