Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 20].
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20:1 {For} (\gar\). The parable of the house illustrates the
aphorism in 19:30. {A man that is a householder} (\anthr•p•i
oikodespot•i\). Just like \anthr•p•i basilei\ (18:23). Not
necessary to translate \anthr•p•i\, just "a householder."
{Early in the morning} (\hama pr•i\). A classic idiom. \Hama\ as
an "improper" preposition is common in the papyri. \Pr•i\ is just
an adverb in the locative. At the same time with early dawn,
break of day, country fashion for starting to work. {To hire}
(\misth•sasthai\). The middle voice aorist tense, to hire for
oneself.
20:2 {For a penny a day} (\ek d•nariou t•n h•meran\). See on
¯18:28. "Penny" is not adequate, "shilling" Moffatt has it. The
\ek\ with the ablative represents the agreement (\sunph•n•sas\)
with the workmen (\ergat•n\). "The day" the Greek has it, an
accusative of extent of time.
20:3 {Standing in the marketplace idle} (\hest•tas agor•i
argous\). The market place was the place where men and masters
met for bargaining. At Hamadan in Persia, Morier in _Second
Journey through Persia_, as cited by Trench in his _Parables_,
says: "We observed every morning, before the sun rose, that a
numerous band of peasants were collected, with spades in their
hands, waiting to be hired for the day to work in the surrounding
fields."
20:4 {Whatsoever is right} (\ho ean •i dikaion\). "Is fair"
(Allen), not anything he pleased, but a just proportionate wage.
Indefinite relative with subjunctive \ean=an\.
20:6 {All the day idle} (\hol•n t•n h•meran argoi\). Extent of
time (accusative) again. \Argoi\ is \a\ privative and \ergon\,
work, no work. The problem of the unemployed.
20:10 {Every man a penny} (\ana d•narion kai autoi\). Literally,
"themselves also a denarius apiece" (distributive use of \ana\).
Bruce asks if this householder was a humorist when he began to
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Matthew: Chapter 20)