1
Mt 20:1-16.
英文原文
Mt 20:1-16.
PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD.
This parable, recorded only by Matthew, is closely connected with the
end of the nineteenth chapter,
being spoken with reference to Peter's question as to how it should fare with those who, like himself, had left all for Christ. It is designed to show that while they would be richly rewarded, a certain equity would still be observed towards later converts and workmen in His service.
1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, &c.--The figure of a vineyard, to represent the rearing of souls for heaven, the culture required and provided for that purpose, and the care and pains which God takes in that whole matter, is familiar to every reader of the Bible.
(Ps 80:8-16; Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; Lu 20:9-16; Joh 15:1-8).
At vintage time, as WEBSTER and WILKINSON remark, labor was scarce, and masters were obliged to be early in the market to secure it. Perhaps the pressing nature of the work of the Gospel, and the comparative paucity of laborers, may be incidentally suggested,
Mt 9:37, 38.
The "laborers," as in
Mt 9:38,
are first, the official servants of the Church, but after them and along with them all the servants of Christ, whom He has laid under the weightiest obligation to work in His service.
2
無標題
2. 和工人講定一天一錢銀子——即一日的常價。
就打發他們進葡萄園去。
英文原文
2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny--a usual day's hire.
he sent them into his vineyard.
3
無標題
3. 約在巳初出去——約上午九點，即工作日的四分之一已過之後：十二小時的日是從六點到六點計算。
看見市場上還有閒站的人——未受雇的人。
英文原文
3. And he went out about the third hour--about nine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six.
and saw others standing idle in the market place--unemployed.
4
無標題
4. 就對他們說，你們也進葡萄園去，所當給的——按着他們的時間成正比例，公正、公平。
我必給你們。他們也進去了。
英文原文
4. And said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right--just, equitable, in proportion to their time.
I will give you. And they went their way.
5
無標題
5. 約在午正和申初又出去——即約在正午和下午三點鐘。
也是這樣行——每次都雇用新的工人，打發他們進他的葡萄園去。
英文原文
5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour--about noon, and about three o'clock in the afternoon.
and did likewise--hiring and sending into his vineyard fresh laborers each time.
6
無標題
6. 約在申初——距工作日結束只剩一個小時；無論是應徵還是雇用，這都是極不尋常的時辰。
又看見還有人閒站，就對他們說：你們為甚麼整天在這裡閒站呢？——他們當然不是在適當的時候沒有在那裡，或沒有願意應徵的心；但既然他們如今願意了，日子還沒有結束，「還有空位」，他們也被雇用了，條件與其他所有人相同。
英文原文
6. And about the eleventh hour--but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging
and found others standing idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle?--Of course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time; but as they were now willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest.
8
無標題
8. 到了晚上——即主人與工人結算的時候（見
De 24:15）；
指向末日交帳的日子。
葡萄園的主對管事的說——相當於基督自己，被描繪為「為兒子治理祂的家」（見
Heb 3:6；
參見
Mt 11:27； Joh 3:35; 5:27）。
叫工人來，給他們工錢，從後來的起，到先來的為止——這是一個值得注意的指示——後雇的先發。
英文原文
8. So when even was come--that is, the reckoning time between masters and laborers (see
De 24:15);
pointing to the day of final account.
the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward--answering to Christ Himself, represented "as a Son over His own house"
(Heb 3:6;
see
Mt 11:27; Joh 3:35; 5:27).
Call the labourers and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first--Remarkable direction this--last hired, first paid.
9
無標題
9. 約在申初雇的人來了，各人得了一錢銀子——一整天的工資。
英文原文
9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny--a full day's wages.
10
無標題
10. 及至那先雇的來了，他們以為必要多得——這就是那種精打細算、唯利是圖的靈，曾經在彼得的問題（見
Mt 19:27）
中——雖然或許非常輕微地——露過頭，而這個比喻正是要一勞永逸地在基督的僕人中除掉它。
英文原文
10. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more--This is that calculating, mercenary spirit which had peeped out--though perhaps very slightly--in Peter's question
(Mt 19:27),
and which this parable was designed once for all to put down among the servants of Christ.
11
無標題
11. 他們得了，就埋怨家主——更確切地說，「家主」，這詞與
Mt 20:1
中的一樣。
英文原文
11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house--rather, "the householder," the word being the same as in
Mt 20:1.
12
無標題
12. 說：我們整天勞苦受熱，那後來的只做了一小時，你竟待他們和我們一樣嗎——燃燒的炎熱。
of the day——我們不但做得更久，而且是在一天中更難熬的時段工作。
英文原文
12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat--the burning heat.
of the day--who have wrought not only longer but during a more trying period of the day.
13
無標題
13. 家主回答其中的一人說——無疑是抱怨一方代言人。
*朋友，我不虧負你，你與我講定的不是一錢銀子嗎？*等
英文原文
13. But he answered one of them--doubtless the spokesman of the complaining party.
and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? &c.
15
無標題
15. 我的東西難道不可隨我的意思用嗎？因為我作好人，你就紅了眼嗎？——即「你們訴諸公義，而你們的口因此被堵住了；因為你們所講定的工錢已經付給你們了。你們的案子既已結案，我與其他工人所定的條件與你們無關；而且當你們自己承認受到公正對待時，對施與別人的慷慨心懷嫉妒，既是對鄰舍不配得的嫉妒，也是對那僱用你們並賞賜你們服事之恩典的不滿。」
英文原文
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?--that is, "You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is shut; for the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other laborers you have nothing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, when by your own admission you have been honorably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbor, and discontent with the goodness that engaged and rewarded you in his service at all."
16
無標題
16. 這樣，那在後的將要在前；在前的將要在後了——意即：「要小心，免得因放縱那班對最後雇來之人所得一錢銀子發怨言者的心態，你們自己雖先進葡萄園，反倒失去你們的一錢銀子；而最後進來的人，或因深知自己來得遲，反倒生出謙卑的心志，並因蒙恩得雇且獲賞而滿懷感恩，至終反居首位。」
因為被召的人多，選上的人少——這是我們主簡潔而含義豐富的格言之一，在不同情境下不止一次說過。（見 Mt 19:30；22:14）。
新約幾乎一貫所論的「召」，神學家稱之為有效的呼召，即隨附對意志的超自然運作以確保其同意。但此處並非此意；因為此處「被召的」與「選上的」明顯有別。此處只能作「被邀請的」解。所以含義是：許多人接受了福音的邀請，神卻從未「揀選他們，藉著聖靈成為聖潔和相信真道而得救」（2Th 2:13）。
但有人會問：這與我們這比喻的主題有何關係？大概是要教訓我們：有人終身在基督的服事中勞苦，卻因他們至終所表現的心態，使人太清楚地看出：在神與他們靈魂之間，他們從來不是蒙揀選的工人。
英文原文
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last--that is, "Take heed lest by indulging the spirit of these murmurers at the penny given to the last hired, ye miss your own penny, though first in the vineyard; while the consciousness of having come in so late may inspire these last with such a humble frame, and such admiration of the grace that has hired and rewarded them at all, as will put them into the foremost place in the end."
for many be called, but few chosen--This is another of our Lord's terse and pregnant sayings, more than once uttered in different connections. (See
Mt 19:30; 22:14).
The "calling" of which the New Testament almost invariably speaks is what divines call effectual calling, carrying with it a supernatural operation on the will to secure its consent. But that cannot be the meaning of it here; the "called" being emphatically distinguished from the "chosen." It can only mean here the "invited." And so the sense is, Many receive the invitations of the Gospel whom God has never "chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth"
(2Th 2:13).
But what, it may be asked, has this to do with the subject of our parable? Probably this--to teach us that men who have wrought in Christ's service all their days may, by the spirit which they manifest at the last, make it too evident that, as between God and their own souls, they never were chosen workmen at all.
17
Mt 20:17-28.
Mt 20:17-28。
第三次明確預告祂將受苦、受死與復活——雅各和約翰的野心請求，以及主的回答 （= Mr 10:32-45；Lu 18:31-34）。
解經部分，見 Mr 10:32-45 註釋。
英文原文
Mt 20:17-28.
THIRD EXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPROACHING SUFFERINGS, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION--THE AMBITIOUS REQUEST OF JAMES AND JOHN, AND THE REPLY. ( =
Mr 10:32-45; Lu 18:31-34).
For the exposition, see on
Mr 10:32-45.
29
Mt 20:29-34.
Mt 20:29-34。
兩個瞎子得醫治 （= Mr 10:46-52；Lu 18:35-43）。
解經部分，見 Lu 18:35-43 註釋。
英文原文
Mt 20:29-34.
TWO BLIND MEN HEALED. ( =
Mr 10:46-52; Lu 18:35-43).
For the exposition, see on
Lu 18:35-43.
Mt 20:1-16.
葡萄園 作工的 比喻。
這比喻唯馬太所記，與第十九章末了緊密相連，是針對彼得的問題——像他那樣為基督撇下一切的人，將要如何——而說的。其設計是要表明：他們雖要豐富得賞，但在對待在他事工中較後歸正的人和工人方面，仍要維持某種公平。
*1. 因為天國好像家主，*等等——以葡萄園代表為天國培育靈魂、為此所需並所供的培植、以及神在這整件事上所用的心力和勞苦，這種比喻對每個聖經讀者都很熟悉。
(Ps 80:8-16； Isa 5:1-7； Jer 2:21； Lu 20:9-16； Joh 15:1-8)。
在葡萄收成之時，如 WEBSTER 與 WILKINSON 所言，勞力缺乏，主人必須早早上市場以得之。也許福音之工的迫切性、以及工人的相對稀少，也是順便暗示的，
Mt 9:37, 38。
"工人"，如
Mt 9:38，
首先是教會的任職僕人，但其次，在他們之後並與他們並列，是基督的一切僕人，他使他們背負最重的本分，要在他的事工中作工。