The following article was written for the 2004 Bellview Lectures

Someone has said, "an idle mind is the devil’s workshop." This statement is not found in the Bible, but a similar question was asked "Why stand ye here all the day idle" (Matt. 20:6)? Often times questions are a way to get someone’s attention. Questions are a very effective way of teaching. Jesus often asked questions of those who were attempting to trap Him in His words. Jesus often answered questions with a question.

What is the context of the question "Why stand ye here all the day idle" (Matt. 20:6)? Jesus puts forth the parable of the Laborers (Matt. 20:1-16). A parable is a comparison between a familiar fact and a spiritual truth. This parable explains the statement made by Jesus in the preceding verses (Matt. 19:28-30). This parable is in response to a question asked by Peter, "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore" (Matt. 19:27).

The parable consists of a householder, a vineyard, a market place and laborers. The householder went out early in the morning into the market place to hire laborers to work in his vineyard and agreed with the laborers concerning payment. He went out again the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour and finally the eleventh hour. The household did not make an agreement with these laborers concerning payment for work they would accomplish. Each time the householder went out he found some standing idle. The householder asked the question concerning being idle all day to those he found the eleventh hour. At the end of the day each worker was paid starting with the last hired. Each worker received the same amount. Those that had worked all day received the payment for which they had agreed at the beginning of the day, but they were not pleased with the fact that all were paid the same wage. The householder answers the complaint concerning payment for work accomplished. It was not wrong for the householder to give payment as it pleased him. The householder represents Christ. The vineyard represents the church. The laborers represent the workers. The question the householder asked the ones that had been standing idle all day is an important question for today. Why are so many today standing all day idle?

Words have meanings. If one is to comprehend the meaning of a passage of scripture, he must understand the meaning of the words and how they are used in their context. To help understand the question Jesus asked, one needs to look at the words He used in the context in which He used them.

What does the word "why" mean? Webster’s dictionary gives several different meanings for this little word. Some of those definitions include, "for what cause, reason, or purpose...used to express mild surprise, hesitation, approval, disapproval, or impatience...." But the important question is, how is the word defined in the Bible, and what is the context of the word? The word "why" is found at least two hundred thirty eight times in the Bible, one hundred two of those are found in the New Testament. The word which is translated why (tis) in Matthew 20:6 is found five hundred thirty eight times in the New Testament (Smith, 346). This word is translated "what" two hundred sixty times, "who" one hundred two times, "why" sixty-seven times, "whom" twenty-five times, "which" seventeen times, "whose" nine times, "whether" eight times, "whereunto" six times, etc. (Smith, 346). Was the householder desiring to know the reason these men had been standing all day idle or was he surprised that they had not been working? Was this his way of mildly rebuking those who were standing idle?

What does the phrase "stand ye" mean? This phrase "stand ye" is found only four times in the Bible, two times in the Old Testament (2 Chr. 20:17; Jer. 6:16) and two times in the New Testament (Matt. 20:6; Acts 1:11). The word which is translated "stand ye" (his’temi) means "to cause or make to stand; to place, put, set...to bid to stand by, set up (Acts 1:23; 6:13)...to make firm, fix, establish...to cause a person or thing to keep his or its place...to set or place in a balance, to weigh...to stand by, stand near (indicating the purpose or act or condition of the one standing) (Matt. 20:6; Luke 23:10; Acts 1:11)...to stand, continue safe and sound, stand unharmed (Acts 26:22)...to stand ready or prepared (Eph. 6:14)...to be of a steadfast mind" (Thayer, 307). This word is translated "stand" one hundred fifteen times, "set" eleven times, "establish" five times, "stand still" four times, "stand by" three times, etc. (Smith, 182). In this context the householder was asking why these men were standing near by and not already working.

continued next week