New Testament · Gospel

Matthew 20:14

The Last Will Be First

Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Matthew 20:14 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Matthew 20:14, in plain English

He says, 'Take your pay and go. I choose to give this last worker the same as I gave you.'

Why it's here

The owner isn't taking anything from anyone. He's just choosing to give more than expected to the last ones.

Who's speaking

The landowner asserts his right to be outrageously generous.

Where it sits in the story

Nobody lost anything. The owner just chose to be generous. And that's what made the first workers furious.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

The owner dismisses the worker: 'Take your pay and go' — then asserts his right to give the last worker the same wage, exercising sovereign generosity.

Language and setting

The landowner's prerogative to give as he chooses mirrors God's sovereign right to dispense grace freely.

Voice

The landowner exercises his authority to be generous beyond contractual obligation.

Significance

The owner makes clear: justice requires giving you what was promised; grace allows me to give others more than they earned.

In context

Matthew 20:12–16

12‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’

13But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius?

14Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you.

15Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Read all of Matthew 20 — Workers hired at day's end receive the same wage as those who sweated since dawn. God's generosity offends our scorekeeping instincts.

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