See Deuteronomy 24:15. And to these men who were blind, they saw this as their one opportunity for a whole new life. This world looks at the outward appearance, but God knows our hearts. Sinners are said to labour in the very fire (Habakkuk 2:13), whereas God's servants, at the worst, do but labour in the sun; not in the heat of the iron furnace, but only in the heat of the day. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard . Examine the Scripture, and you will see for yourselves. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. Surely not by inaccuracy; surely not by indifference to order, but contrariwise by divine wisdom that arranged the facts with a view to a purpose worthy of itself: God's arrangement of all things more particularly in this part of Matthew to give us an adequate manifestation of the Messiah; and, as we have seen, first, what He was to the appeal of the Jew; next, what He was and would be to Gentile faith, in still richer form and fulness. But the Lord could not send her away without a blessing, and without a blessing reaching to His own glory. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach." Or is your eye evil because I am good? Matthew 5:45). A mere Jew would have been defiled. So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, What do you want Me to do for you? They said to Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And the same day, when the even was come, He saith unto them, let us pass over unto the other side. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18We are going up to Jerusalem,(C) and the Son of Man(D) will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. It often happens that we are easily discouraged from seeking the presence of God. And then he repeats this again. Take notice of the care with which the Spirit of God here omits all reference to this: "And a certain scribe came." Johannine Writings It was the custom in Palestine for a Rabbi to teach as he walked along the road; and no doubt those around Jesus could not hear what Jesus was saying for this clamorous uproar. Possibly the first felt their vanity wounded by being paid after the others. When he had come to an agreement with them that they would work for 4 pence a day, he sent them into his vineyard. The first of these lessons is, "Many first shall be last, and last first." He did them no wrong, and had broken no promise. The only reason we will receive any reward is that God has called us to be His workers. To underscore this, Jesus will give a parable (20:1-16) that amplifies the principle: 'many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first'," (20:16; 16:25). They did not see why they should be allowed to stake their claims to preeminence. To you, be all praise and honor and power and glory, both now and forever. But this may be, and commonly is, applied to the several ages of life, in which souls are converted to Christ. He was there for the express purpose of glorifying God. The Greek word is constantly so used as an expression of contempt, "This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils." Thus it is easy to see, that the reason for here putting together the leper and the centurion lies in the Lord's dealing with the Jew, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, in His deep grace working in the Gentile's heart, and forming his faith, as well as answering it, according to His own heart. He welcomed his bed-fellow. but what a heart was His! The New Testament Yes, it was His to rule and command the sea, even as the land and all that in them is. Those hired later correspond to other people who became Jesus disciples later in His ministry. Even those hired early in the day received a reward, and the landowner had been gracious and generous in hiring them and not others. So, when those who had been engaged about five o'clock in the afternoon, came, they received 4 pence each. And still is he betrayed! The crown set before us is a crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge shall give. GO GO GO! So long as it is all we have to give, all service ranks the same with God. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the. Through this parable Jesus assured Peter and the disciples that they will be rewarded but the principle of many who are first will be last and the last first (Matthew 19:30) meant that God may not reward as man expects even as the parable illustrated. yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Jesus gave everything to bring men back to God; and we must walk in the steps of him who loved to the uttermost. woe unto thee, Bethsaida! She replied, "In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.". c. Lord, Son of David: However, in their desperation they glorified Jesus. Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first: These are day laborers, so they are paid at the end of each day. It is a question, then, of internal evidence, what that particular order is which God has employed in each different gospel. And then Paul warned the Corinthians about the manner in which they did partake of the Lord's supper. Luke, too, tells how Jesus took the disciples to himself alone that he might try to compel them to understand what lay ahead ( Luke 18:31-34). If the harvest was not ingathered before the rains broke, then it was ruined; and so to get the harvest in was a frantic race against time. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money. b. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. He comes to do not his own will, but the will of him that sent him, and so he correctly says of rank in his kingdom, It is not mine to give. In the end of this chapter (15) is another miracle of Christ's feeding a vast multitude. Taken together, the entire picture is one of great suffering. They're on the way to Jerusalem; they've come down the Jordan Valley. These men did not all do the same work; but they did receive the same pay. "Who is my mother? Whatever is right I will give you whatever is right you will receive: The landowner promised the earliest workers a days wage (a denarius a day). We are put to our choice; for hired we must be (Joshua 24:15); Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. Neither would Jewish disciples necessarily receive more than Gentile disciples whom God calls later in His program of preparation for the kingdom (cf. And it really was a heavy bondage trip. He answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. However imperfect it may be, if faith is there, Jesus accepts it. Not only were they healed, but they also followed the One who did great things for them. 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. "And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us." After this (what makes it still more unquestionable) comes the case of the demoniac. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.. No man can ever claim that he began to follow Jesus under false pretences. They had heard of the miracles that He had wrought, up in the area of Galilee, around Capernaum. They measured Jesus by their own impotence. [1.] Abstulit, sed et dedit--He hath taken away; but he originally gave. He knew what they needed and what they wanted, but God still wants us to tell Him our needs as a constant expression of our trust and reliance on Him. If to conquer with Christ meant to suffer with Christ, they were perfectly willing to face that suffering. They couldn't see Him. This attitude threatened to be carried forward into the Christian Church. Then says the unclean spirit, "I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. But, from first to last, what a trial of spirit, and what triumph! If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. (Matthew 20:17-19) Jesus again reveals the fate waiting for Him at Jerusalem. Minor Prophets Jesus' conclusion to the parable mirrors the formula introduced at Matthew 19:30, which leads into the parable: "So the last will be first, and the first will be last" (20:16; see also 19:30). What care we for those who curse and blaspheme? 748.]. vii. Matthew 20. The nature of envy; It is an evil eye. When He uttered the words, "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me," it is to me evident that there was an allusion to the wavering let it be but for a moment of John's soul. And, behold, there were two blind men who were sitting by the way side, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, saying, Have mercy upon us, O Lord, thou son of David. "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David!" She was a regular member of the disciple group who accompanied Jesus (Matthew 27:56), so her involvement in her sons ambitious ideas is hardly surprising. (France). But the master well knew that 4p a day was no great wage; he well knew that, if a workman went home with less, there would be a worried wife and hungry children; and therefore he went beyond justice and gave them more than was their due. b. i. Once you scratch off the challenge, you have to do it. That is on the debit side of the account of the disciples; but there is much on the credit side. Thus, in the chapter before us, we have a very comprehensive sketch of the Lord's manifestation from that time, and in type going on to the end of the age. All through their history the Jews had dreamed of the Messiah; but the Messiah of whom they had dreamed was always a conquering king, a mighty leader, one who would smash the enemies of Israel and reign in power over the kingdoms of the earth. Historical Books What an anticipation of the walk by faith, not by sight, in which the Gentiles, when called, ought to have glorified God, when the rejection of the Messiah by His own ancient people gave occasion to the Gentile call as a distinct thing! The grand lesson is that men do not deserve or merit salvation. i. The disciples should expect to be rewarded; but they should not be surprised if, when rewards are distributed, God will reward others in unexpected ways. All rights reserved worldwide. Take what is yours and go your way. They are the circumstances that preceded the discourse upon the mount, as given in Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29. The evil spirits asked leave to pass into the herd of swine, which thus typify the final condition of the defiled, apostate mass of Israel; their presumptuous and impenitent unbelief reduces them to that deep degradation not merely the unclean, but the unclean filled with the power of Satan, and carried down to swift destruction. It is tragic that we have a professional ministry that so often seeks people to cater to it, rather than to realize that they are the servants of all. i. There is such tremendous reward just in being able to minister to people, the feedback that comes from it is so rewarding. PREVIOUS Matthew 20:15 NEXT Matthew 20:17. The world will respect, and admire, and sometimes fear, the man of power; but it will love the man of love. Thus He points out the utter moral incongruity of fasting at that moment, and intimates that it was not merely the fact that He was going to be rejected, but that to conciliate His teaching and His will with the old thing was hopeless. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" The parable of the workers in the vineyard 20:1-16. It was an imperfect faith but they acted on it; and Jesus accepted it. i. The payment shall not be wholly deferred till the morning of the resurrection; but then, in the evening of the world, will be the general account, when every one shall receive according to the things done in the body. The disciples had been summoned to work in the vineyard. Particular epochs in Luke are noted with great care; but, speaking now of the general course of the Lord's life, a little attention will discover, from the immensely greater preponderance paid to the consideration of time in the second gospel, that there we have events from first to last given to us in their consecutive order. 33), it is added, "And with many such parables spake He the word unto them . & Sanhedrim, fol. This, I believe, is a great lesson, and too often forgotten. He stands with the juvenile delinquents. The Old Testament Parents, and the disciples, like the Pharisees, were shown that grace, just because it is the expression of what God is to a ruined world, takes notice of what man in his own imaginary dignity might count altogether petty. Matthew 20:16 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org The idea was you were to confess the crimes that you had committed against Rome, and as you confessed your crimes, the man who was administering that scourging would go easier and easier on you. This made it to be plainly and only a difficulty for God to solve. When those who had worked all day found that the landowner paid the same amount to the late-comers as he paid to them, they complained. See here. When do you suppose these conversations actually occurred, if we go to the question of their date? So the last shall be first, and the first last. Saul saw that David prospered, and he eyed him,1 Samuel 18:9; 1 Samuel 18:15. When did this take place, if we enquire into it merely as a matter of historical fact? Many a man, who, as the world counts it, is a poor man, will be great in the Kingdom, because he never thought in terms of reward but worked for the thrill of working and for the joy of serving. It is a saying of R. Simeon ben Jochai d, "I have seen the children of the world to come (elsewhere e it is, of the chamber), , "and they are few".''. Historical Books So little old Jewish mama coming to Jesus with her two sons. i. To him who compares this with Luke 6:1-49, there need not remain a question as to the identity of the scene. Wisdom Literature Thus, the fourth chapter of Mark coincides, marked with such data as can leave no doubt. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink: Their answer (We are able) seems to come a little too quick. The book features 50 challenges to do with your partner at affordable price points (FREE to about $50). This is the third time that Jesus warned his disciples that he was on the way to the Cross ( Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23). b. essayed to destroy the testimony with their utmost and blasphemous contempt. Those that have had gospel offers made them at the third, or sixth hour, and have resisted and refused them, will not have that to say for themselves at the eleventh hour, that these had; No man has hired us; nor can they be sure that any man will hire them at the ninth or eleventh hour; and therefore not to discourage any, but to awaken all, be it remembered, that now is the accepted time; if we will hear his voice, it must be to-day. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. What instrument so suitable? The woman of Canaan, out of the borders of Tyre and Sidon, appeals to Him; a Gentile of most ominous name and belongings a Gentile whose case was desperate; for she appeals on behalf of her daughter, grievously vexed with a devil. (Matthew 20:22-23) Jesus answers James and John: when you ask for a place of special status, do you know what you ask for? Beracot, fol. And thus He, whose glory was so forgotten by His disciples Jesus, Himself thinks of that very disciple, and says, "For me and thee.". Thus the great tree and the leavened mass are in fact the two sides of Christendom. What the account was; and in that observe. Let us set them down. 2. Note, [1.] Jesus, nevertheless, owned all that could be owned in him. If God shall bless your brother, and make him ten times more useful than you are, then you see that he is blessing you not only blessing him, but you. In immediate juxtaposition to this stands the Gentile centurion, who seeks healing for his servant. The system of law is easy to figure out: you get what you deserve. Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. He tells him that those he envied should fare as well as he did; "I will give unto this last, even as unto thee; I am resolved I will." They mock the calm utterance of Him who chooses things that are not; and the Lord turns out the unbelievers, and demonstrates the glorious truth that the maid was not dead, but living. No matter when a man comes to Christ, he is equally dear to him. At its close we see the leper approaching the Lord, after He had been preaching throughout Galilee and casting out devils. The indignation of the ten doubtless sprang less from humility than jealousy plus fear that they might lose out. (Carson). ii. In the Christian Church seniority does not necessarily mean honour. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. He is first of all betrayed by Judas to the chief priests, because Judas made a bargain with the priests to turn Jesus over to them. get to know the Bible better! Three things the master of the house urges, in answer to this ill-natured surmise. Note, All that by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality, shall undoubtedly obtain eternal life (Romans 2:7), not as wages for the value of their work, but as the gift of God. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Do not let us dwell too much upon it, for we all share the honor given to each. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Third, this passage sheds a light on Jesus. Neither did He need to wait for His exaltation as man; for He was ever God, and God's Son, who therefore, if one may so say, waits for nothing, for no day of glory. Of course, the facts of the cross were necessary to give it an evident and literal fulfilment; but we have it first apparent in His life, and it is blessed to see it thus accomplished, as it were, in what passed with Himself; fully realized in His own spirit, and the results exposed before the external facts gave the fullest expression to Jewish unbelief. It was to James and John that Jesus spoke. This is a wonderful, simple question God has not stopped asking. The system of grace is foreign to us: God deals with us according to who He is, not according to who we are. Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Whether you love to hike, bike, paddle or simply chase waterfalls, we have an Adventure Challenge for you! It is a just prefiguration of what will be in the close of the age the mass of the unbelieving Jews, now impure, but then also given up to the devil, and so to evident perdition. Many people are in the ministry for what they can receive (either materially or emotionally) from their people instead of for what they can give. In later days others will come in. Matthew 20:16 - John Darby's Synopsis We may remark that, when the Lord answers Peter, it was the consequence of having left all for Christ upon His call. Yet He confidently said it would happen. He was not called. "The parable is emphasizing a right attitude in service." In what follows we have that which is necessary, to complete the picture of the other side. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." Time would fail now to dwell on this chapter, interesting as it is. mother of the sons of Zebedee ( Matthew 27:56). The people whose hearts are yielded to him will be recognized as his children no matter their rank or riches by worldly standards. Thus the point that meets us in the conclusion of the chapter is, that while every character, every measure of giving up for His name's sake, will meet with the most worthy recompence and result, man can as little judge of this as he can accomplish salvation. And after the supper He took the cup, likewise and said, this cup is a new covenant in my blood, which is shed for the remission of sins, and as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death, until He comes"( 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ). And you guessed it already its a quote from the bible \"so the last shall be first \u0026 the first last\"which of course made me think of a competition type challenge !!! A man is not a Christian if his first concern is pay. Suffering from the disloyalty of friends. "Jesus deliberately and cleverly led the listeners along by degrees until they understood that if Gods generosity was to be represented by a man, such a man would be different from any man ever encountered." Many words are not now required for that which is happily familiar to most here. In truth, this was Emmanuel, God with us. The first is the defence of the disciples, grounded on analogies taken from that which had the sanction of God of old, as well as on His own glory now.
