SEV Biblia, Chapter 20:12
Diciendo: Estos postreros slo han trabajado una hora, y los has hecho iguales a nosotros, que hemos llevado la carga y el calor del día.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Saying, these last have wrought but one hour , etc.] Thinking it hard, that they should have the same reward for the service of one hour, others had for the service of many. This is grudged by the Jews f1057 ; Bath Kol, a voice from heaven, went out and said, Ketiah bar Shallum, is prepared for the life of the world to come; Rabbi wept, and said, there is that obtains his world (or the world to come for himself) tja h[b , in one hour; and there is that obtains it in many years. The same observation is also made by the same person, on account of R.
Eleazar ben Durdia f1058 . So in the parable of the Jews above mentioned, which is the broken remains of a common proverb among them like f1059 this; it is observed, that there being one labourer among those that were hired, who did his work better than all the rest, and who was taken notice of by the king; that when at even the labourers came to take their wages, this labourer also came to take his; and the king gave him his wages equal with them, (or, as in another place, a perfect one,) the labourers began to press him with difficulty, (or as elsewhere ym[rtm , they murmured,) and said, Oh! our Lord, the king, we have laboured all the day; but this man has not laboured but two or three hours in the day, and he takes his wages, even as ours, or a perfect reward.
And so it follows here, and thou hast made them equal to us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day; of all the Jewish rites and ceremonies, which were burdensome and intolerable. The ceremonial law was a burden to the Jewish people; the multitude of sacrifices enjoined them, and the frequent repetition of them, together with the great number of other ordinances and institutions, produced a weariness in them; especially in the carnal part of them, who saw not the things typified by them, the use and end of them, and so did not enjoy spiritual pleasure in them, ( Malachi 1:13). It was a yoke, and a yoke of bondage to them, which brought on them a spirit of bondage, through the fear of death, which was the penalty annexed to it; and it was an insupportable one, which neither they, nor their forefathers, were able to bear, because it made them debtors to keep the whole law: and this was made still more burdensome, by the traditions of the elders, which were added to it, and which the Scribes and Pharisees obliged to the observance of; to which they themselves still added, and bound heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and laid them on mens shoulders. The law was a fiery law, and the dispensation of it was a hot and scorching one; it was uncomfortable working under the flashes of a mount, that burned with fire: the law worked wrath, and possessed the minds of men with a fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation. This may also be applied to such Christians, who are called to more severe service or sufferings for Christ, than others are; who are almost pressed down without measure, and endure fiery trials, are scorched, and made black, with the sun of persecution beating upon them; as the saints under the ten persecutions of the Roman emperors, and as the confessors and martyrs in the times of papal power and cruelty; and who, it might be thought, will have a greater degree of glory and happiness hereafter; and so some have been of opinion, that these are they that shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years, ( Revelation 20:4-6) But it rather seems, that others will be made equal with them, who have not endured what they have done; for all the dead in Christ, all that have part in the first resurrection, when Christ comes, as all the saints will then rise, will share in that glory; even the innumerable company, chosen, redeemed, and called, out of every nation, tongue, and people, and will be admitted to the same honour and happiness, ( Revelation 7:9,13,15-17) And this character will also agree with many other servants of Christ, who are called to harder and more laborious service than others are, and labour more abundantly in the Lords vineyard than others do, and are longer employed in it; as for instance, the Apostle Paul; and yet the same crown of righteousness that is laid up for him, and given to him, will be given to all that love the appearance of Christ, though they have not laboured for his names sake, as he has done.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-16 - The direct object of this parable seems to be, to show that though the Jews were first called into the vineyard, at length the gospel shoul be preached to the Gentiles, and they should be admitted to equa privileges and advantages with the Jews. The parable may also be applied more generally, and shows, 1. That God is debtor to no man. 2 That many who begin last, and promise little in religion, sometimes, by the blessing of God, arrive at a great deal of knowledge, grace, an usefulness. 3. That the recompense of reward will be given to the saints, but not according to the time of their conversion. It describe the state of the visible church, and explains the declaration that the last shall be first, and the first last, in its various references Till we are hired into the service of God, we are standing all the da idle: a sinful state, though a state of drudgery to Satan, may be called a state of idleness. The market-place is the world, and from that we are called by the gospel. Come, come from this market-place Work for God will not admit of trifling. A man may go idle to hell, but he that will go to heaven, must be diligent. The Roman penny wa sevenpence halfpenny in our money, wages then enough for the day' support. This does not prove that the reward of our obedience to God is of works, or of debt; when we have done all, we are unprofitabl servants; but it signifies that there is a reward set before us, ye let none, upon this presumption, put off repentance till they are old Some were sent into the vineyard at the eleventh hour; but nobody ha hired them before. The Gentiles came in at the eleventh hour; the gospel had not been before preached to them. Those that have had gospe offers made them at the third or sixth hour, and have refused them will not have to say at the eleventh hour, as these had, No man ha hired us. Therefore, not to discourage any, but to awaken all, be it remembered, that now is the accepted time. The riches of Divine grac are loudly murmured at, among proud Pharisees and nominal Christians There is great proneness in us to think that we have too little, an others too much of the tokens of God's favour; and that we do too much and others too little in the work of God. But if God gives grace to others, it is kindness to them, and no injustice to us. Carna worldlings agree with God for their penny in this world; and choos their portion in this life. Obedient believers agree with God for their penny in the other world, and must remember they have so agreed. Dids not thou agree to take up with heaven as thy portion, thy all; wil thou seek for happiness in the creature? God punishes none more tha they deserve, and recompenses every service done for him; he therefor does no wrong to any, by showing extraordinary grace to some. See her the nature of envy. It is an evil eye, which is displeased at the goo of others, and desires their hurt. It is a grief to ourselves displeasing to God, and hurtful to our neighbours: it is a sin that ha neither pleasure, profit, nor honour. Let us forego every proud claim and seek for salvation as a free gift. Let us never envy or grudge, but rejoice and praise God for his mercy to others as well as to ourselves.
Greek Textus Receptus
λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM οτι 3754 CONJ ουτοι 3778 D-NPM οι 3588 T-NPM εσχατοι 2078 A-NPM μιαν 1520 A-ASF ωραν 5610 N-ASF εποιησαν 4160 5656 V-AAI-3P και 2532 CONJ ισους 2470 A-APM ημιν 2254 P-1DP αυτους 846 P-APM εποιησας 4160 5656 V-AAI-2S τοις 3588 T-DPM βαστασασιν 941 5660 V-AAP-DPM το 3588 T-ASN βαρος 922 N-ASN της 3588 T-GSF ημερας 2250 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ τον 3588 T-ASM καυσωνα 2742 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Heat (kauswna). Rev., the scorching heat. The word is from kaiw, to burn. It refers to the dry, scorching heat born by the east wind. Compare Job xxvii. 21; Hos. xiii. 15. The wind blows from the Arabian desert, parching, dry, exciting the blood, and causing restlessness and sleeplessness. It seldom brings storms, but when it does, they are doubly destructive. During harvest the corn cannot be winnowed if the east wind blows, for it would carry away both chaff and corn. In Pharaoh's dream (Gen. xli. 6) the ears are blasted by it: Jonah's gourd is withered by it (Jon. iv. 8), and the vine in Ezekiel's parable of the Babylonian captivity is blighted by it (Ezek. xvii. 10).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
20:12 {Equal unto us} (isous autous hemin). Associative instrumental case hemin after isous. It was a regular protest against the supposed injustice of the householder. {The burden of the day and the scorching wind} (to baros tes hemeras kai ton kauswna). These last "did" work for one hour. Apparently they worked as hard as any while at it. A whole day's work on the part of these sweat-stained men who had stood also the sirocco, the hot, dry, dust-laden east wind that blasted the grain in Pharaoh's dream (#Ge 41:6), that withered Jonah's gourd (#Jon 4:8), that blighted the vine in Ezekiel's parable (#Eze 17:10). They seemed to have a good case.
