Matthew 20:3 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

About the third hour. — Reckoning the day after the Jewish mode, as beginning at 6 A.M., this would bring us to 8 A.M. The “market-place” of a town was the natural place in which the seekers for casual labour were to be found waiting for employment. In the meaning which underlies the parable we may see a reference to those who, like St. Matthew (Matthew 9:9) and the disciples called in Matthew 8:19-22, were summoned after the sons of Jonas and of Zebedee.

Matthew 20:3

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,