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A man that is a householder. It is enough to meet a difficulty which many feel by the simple plea that the reason assigned is in my judgment a valid explanation, and in itself a sufficient solution of the apparent discrepancy. But whereas the most unlikely people entered the kingdom, those for whom it had been prepared were excluded (Matthew 20:16). And so with the other conversation: "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father;" it was after the glory of Christ had been witnessed on the holy mount, when man's selfishness of heart showed itself in contrast to the grace of God. We begin with the comparatively limited significance it originally had. But they in turn will deliver Him to the Gentiles, who will first of all mock Him. Thus it was not merely that there was an evil heart of unbelief in the Jew particularly, but law and grace cannot be yoked together. But what a mercy that those who appear now to be rejected may be called in another muster, enrolled, serve in the field, or work in the vineyard? but what a heart was His! Wretched we, that we should need such proof of it; wretched, that we should be so slow of heart to answer to it, or even to feel its immensity! The leper approaches the Lord with homage, but with a most inadequate belief in His love and readiness to meet his need. Matthew 5:45). Error: Passwords should have at least 6 characters, Error: Usernames should only contain letters, numbers, dots, dashes, or underscores. In what sense did Jesus, our Lord, take their infirmities, and bear their sicknesses? He was to be scourged; few tortures in the world compared with the Roman scourge, and there we see the suffering of physical pain. So we have a farther scene. We can never repay God for what he has done for us but we can always be grateful to him. To where they exercised such dominion and authority and lordship over people, that they inserted themselves between the people and God. "Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom? But this, though perhaps legitimate enough as an application of the parable, is clearly secondary and subordinate, and must not be allowed to obscure its primary intention. The point in the beginning of the next chapter (Matthew 20:1-34) is not reward, but the right and title of God Himself to act according to His goodness. Where did they come from? Of one of the disciples, whose state may have been specially present to our Lords mind, this was, we know, only too fatally true. To hire laborers for his vineyard: The landowner went to the marketplace, which was the gathering place for day laborers. It is not for such depending creatures as we are to quarrel with our Sovereign. His reply came in stages. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. Wisdom Literature It was not more truly Christ's kingdom as man than He was God's own Son, His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased, who was now to be heard, rather than Moses or Elias, who disappear, leaving Jesus alone with the chosen witnesses. 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. When they had divided among them the command of the four legions to be formed, the consuls summoned to the capitol, or Campus Martius, all the citizens who, by their age, were obliged to bear arms. But nothing would stop the two blind men; for them it was a matter of sight or blindness, and nothing was going to keep them back. The laws of that kingdom are not wrapt up in parables, but plainly set down, as in the sermon upon the mount; but the mysteries of that kingdom are delivered in parables, in sacraments, as here and Matthew 13:1-58; Matthew 13:1-58 The duties of Christianity are more necessary to be known than the notions of it; and yet the notions of it are more necessary to be illustrated than the duties of it; which is that which parables are designed for. And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And He said to her, What do you wish? She said to Him, Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.. When evening came, the master of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the workers, and give them their pay, beginning from the last and going on until you come to the first.' Instead of giving her at once a reply, He leads her on step by step; for so He can stoop. How many times during communion has God touched me physically, and ministered to me physically, as I received that work of Christ for my own physical need?So Jesus predicts His crucifixion finally, and then rising again. Those hired later correspond to other people who became Jesus disciples later in His ministry. 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. 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.. He promises, First, A penny,Matthew 20:2; Matthew 20:2. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. iii. Of course, there is often the order of time, but through the central part, and not infrequently elsewhere, his setting forth in order turns on another principle, quite independent of mere succession of events. The faithful and true witness, it was His to display that power in goodness which shall be put forth fully in the world to come, the great day when the Lord will manifest Himself to every eye as Son of David, and Son of man too. It was really after the transfiguration recorded in chapter 17 of our gospel. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 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. Matthew 20 | ESV Bible | YouVersion (vi) Surely that brings us to the supreme lesson of the parable--the whole point of work is the spirit in which it is done. That they might mock me, scourge me, and crucify me, but I will rise again on the third day.Now again whenever Jesus talked to His disciples about His death, this thought was so repulsive to them, their minds just turned off, and they never heard, "I am going to rise again on the third day." To my mind, the depth of such grace only enhances the beauty of Jesus, and is the very last possible ground that justifies man in thinking lightly of the Saviour. Matthew 19. He had been preparing them for the new things, and the impossibility of making them coalesce with the old. Do not let us dwell too much upon it, for we all share the honor given to each. Jesus was no doubt very weakened by it. As the elder brother, in the parable of the prodigal, repined at the reception of his younger brother, and complained of his father's generosity to him; so these labourers quarrelled with their master, and found fault, not because they had not enough, so much as because others were made equal with them. and a sinking ship are serious difficulties to a man. i. With them, to be unemployed for a day was disaster. Remember, God doesn't look at us the way this world does. There must be the mouth to praise the Lord, and speak of the glorious honour of His majesty, as well as eyes to wait on Him. In our gospel we have not seen the apostles called and ordained. LOVE'S ANSWER TO NEED'S APPEAL ( Matthew 20:29-34 ). 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. Our job as disciples is to keep searching and including the lost, the last, and the least in the Kingdom and not just those who can bring us some benefit. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." (Matthew 20:24-28) The disciples reaction; Jesus sets forth true greatness. ", 'The Lord Is My Savior, Shield, Refuge, and Stronghold'. Jesus recognized that they didnt really understand, but they would. None the less does the Lord uphold it, purged of what accretions had come in to obscure its original and proper character. 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 evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first. And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. So the last shall be first, and the first shall be last: for many are called, but few are chosen ( Matthew 20:5-16 ). Parallel use in Matthew 19:30 where the closing expression of chapter 19 opens the parable in chapter 20. Considerable time, it is true, elapsed between the two facts; but this only makes it the more sure and plain, that they are grouped together with a divine purpose. . It ought to be so with every forgiven soul. Matthew 20:16 Context 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? The Pharisees were enraged at a power they could not deny, which rebuked themselves so much the more on account of its persistent grace; but Jesus passes by all blasphemy as yet, and goes on His way nothing hinders His course of love. The point isnt that all have the same reward though all Gods people do go to the same heaven (where they will have reward in different measure). It shows us his trust in men. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. Matthew 20:16-20 NIV - "So the last will be first, and the - Bible Gateway For a day. Those who recognize the grace they have received by being included in God's Kingdom . Those who had come first thought that they would receive more; but they too received 4 pence each. When He reaches the house, minstrels were there, and people, making a noise: the expression, if of woe, certainly of impotent despair. The only reason we will receive any reward is that God has called us to be His workers. It is all of grace and not of debt; nor does that exclude obedience. This is one of the most revealing passages in the New Testament. But yet people who have been faithful to that service, to which God has employed them, whether it be intercessory closet prayer that nobody knows anything about, and I think when we get to heaven we are going to be surprised when we see those who are sitting on the front row. But he answered, and said unto them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: did you not agree to work for a penny? When God settles all the accounts, then things are going to be valued by his standards and not the world's standards. He is talking about, no doubt, the scourging that He was going to receive, because it could not be that any of His bones should be broken. 3. The evil eye was a jealous, envious eye. Very apt we all are to undervalue the deserts of others, and to overvalue our own. It is simply designed to teach that in the church, among the multitudes who will be saved, Christ makes a difference. And I do believe that in communion there should always be healing services, where people as they take the broken bread and remember the suffering of Jesus Christ, by faith receive the result of that suffering; the purpose for which God allowed Him to be suffered, and receive healing and strength in your body. The book features 50 challenges to do with your partner at affordable price points (FREE to about $50). "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice." Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Their expectation was so focused on Jesus establishing an immediate political kingdom, and these words from Jesus were so contrary to that anticipation, these words just went over their heads. It probably was no more than a grave though passing difficulty, which he desired to have cleared up with all fulness for their sakes, as well as his own. ), but as some charitable generous householders keep poor men to work, in kindness to them, to save them from idleness and poverty, and pay them for working for themselves. The age of serving in the army was from seventeen to forty-five, and the manner in which they were chosen was the following: -. The New Testament Therefore let him who would meet God visit the prison cell before going to the temple. 3. It was after our Lord had called the twelve, and ordained them not after He had sent them forth, but after He had appointed them apostles that the Lord comes down to a plateau upon the mountain, instead of remaining upon the more elevated parts where He had been before. And then Paul warned the Corinthians about the manner in which they did partake of the Lord's supper. The Lord, no doubt, knew the heart of His servant, and could feel for him in the effect that circumstances took upon him. Verse 29 gives us strict time. If there were, so to speak, a justification of circumcision by faith, undoubtedly there was also the justification of uncircumcision through their faith. In view of the context, the 12 disciples correspond to the workers hired at the beginning of the day, the beginning of Jesus public ministry. c. But to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give: Jesus here showed remarkable submission to His Father. Saul saw that David prospered, and he eyed him,1 Samuel 18:9; 1 Samuel 18:15. Probably thisto 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. 5. a. Matthew 20:16 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary - Bible Study Tools 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). He was ignorant of himself, because ignorant of God, and imagined that it was only a question of man's doing good for God. Matthew 20:16. Let not those that come in at the eleventh hour, be put behind the rest, but, lest they should be discouraged, call them first. This world looks at the outward appearance, but God knows our hearts. And every Jewish mother wants the best for her son. Nonetheless God had the right to give just as great reward to those whose service was not as long. "My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. i. They used their waiting time in considering their own superiority to the latecomers. (Spurgeon). c. For many are called, but few chosen: This was said in the context of this illustration of grace. Secondly, Whatsoever is right,Matthew 20:4-7; Matthew 20:4-7. And the third day He will rise again.. 45. And Jesus tells him, "Look no one has left anything, but what in this life he get a hundredfold, and in the life to come, eternal life"( Matthew 19:29 ). And the third day He will rise again, Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, But to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant, Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, When they heard that Jesus was passing by, David Guzik :: 1 Corintios 7 Principios Sobre el Matrimonio y la Soltera, David Guzik :: 1 Juan 2 Impedimentos para una comunin con Dios, David Guzik :: Gnesis 3 La tentacin y cada del hombre, David Guzik :: Gnesis 2 La CreacinTerminada; Adn en el Jardn del Edn, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus and the Holy Trinity (Walter Martin), 1 Samuel 1-10 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Genesis 15-18 (1979-82 Audio) (Chuck Smith), Third Person of the Trinity (Chuck Smith), Second, a warning that Gods manner of distributing reward is not necessarily the manner of men (. No doubt the ship was covered with the waves; but how could that imperil the Lord of all? The people whose hearts are yielded to him will be recognized as his children no matter their rank or riches by worldly standards. Next, He lays bare the capricious unbelief of man, only consistent in thwarting every thing and one that God employs for his good; then, His own entire rejection where He had most laboured. The point is that God rewards on the principle of grace, and we should therefore expect surprises. 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. Yet it shall not be so among you: Their desire for position and status showed they did not yet know the nature of Jesus in respect to leadership and power. Pentateuch The request of James and John not unnaturally annoyed the other disciples. Now what is Jesus seeking to teach by this parable of sending forth the laborers into the vineyard? And the third day He will rise again: Jesus was remarkably specific in this announcement of His fate, and foretold many things over which He had no apparent control. And she said unto him, Grant that these my two boys may sit, the one your right hand, and the other on your left, in your kingdom ( Matthew 20:20-21 ). His cup may be drunk in one great moment; his cup may be drunk throughout a lifetime of Christian living. Origen said it was the devil; Gregory of Nyssa objected that this put the devil on the same level as God, and allowed the devil to dictate terms to God. Those whom Christ fed miraculously, though of different sizes, men, women, and children, did all eat, and were filled. In Matthew 14:1-36 facts are narrated which manifest the great change of dispensation that the Lord, in setting forth the parables we have just noticed, had been preparing them for. It is my will to give to this last man the same as to you. And still is he betrayed! All rights reserved. Hence, lower down in the chapter, after the demon was cast out of the blind and dumb man before the amazed people, the Pharisees, irritated by their question, Is not this the Son of David? Gregory the Great took the picture to even more grotesque, almost revolting, lengths. The better MSS., indeed, omit it here. Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. It is true, we have only one in Mark, as in Luke; whereas in our gospel we have two. Evidently it is the change of dispensation that is in question and at hand, the cutting off of the fleshly seed for their unbelief, and the bringing in of numerous believers in the name of the Lord from among the Gentiles. Jesus deliberately and open-eyed sets out for Jerusalem and the Cross. If we turn toMark 1:1-45; Mark 1:1-45, the proof of what I have said will appear as to the leper. Kagawa was left standing in a ragged old kimono. The Lord pleads the cause of the disciples. You shall indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Hence, he waits to present their rejection of the Messiah, as morally complete as possible in his statement of it, though necessarily not complete in outward accomplishment. Then, alas! And we who have served the Lord all of our lives and we enter into eternal life. Though a testimony to them, still it was in the result a recognition of what Moses commanded. He here is predicting the fact that He is going to be scourged. 2. As he had asserted in ( Matthew 19:30 ) and which is clearly illustrated by this parable, as it may be applied to Jews or Gentiles, or to nominal and real Christians: for many be called; externally, under the ministration of the Gospel, as . Minor Prophets Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the. i. God could not be limited by a question of place; His word was enough. And they went their way. i. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. To all justice shall be done. To all to whom the rewards of heaven are promised they shall be given. . Deliver Him to the Gentiles: Jesus knew that the religious leaders of the Jews did not have authority to carry out capital punishment themselves; yet sometimes they executed men despite this prohibition (Acts 7:54-60). i. of Scripture. It was clearly a question of connection with the apostle of the circumcision ( i.e., Peter's wife's mother). My Adventure Challenge - Home - Facebook Hugh Martin reminds us that a great teacher used to say that the saddest words in all Shakespeare's plays are the words: "Othello's occupation's gone." 4. (SeeMatthew 9:32-33; Matthew 9:32-33.) See Deuteronomy 24:15. The Campus Martius was the grand field in which they were disciplined: there, they accustomed themselves to leaping, running, wrestling, bearing burdens, fencing, throwing the javelin, c., and when, through these violent exercises, they were all besmeared with dust and sweat, in order to refresh themselves, they swam twice or thrice across the Tyber! We need not dwell upon it. There is hope of old sinners, that they may be brought to true repentance; nothing is too hard for Almighty grace to do, it can change the Ethiopian's skin, and the leopard's spots; can set those to work, who have contracted a habit of idleness. Judas had been called, but would not be among the chosen either for the higher work or for its ultimate reward-Interpreting the parable as we have been led to interpret it, we cannot for a moment imagine that its drift was to teach the disciples that they would forfeit their place in the kingdom. A fish was the last being for man to make his banker of; with God all things are possible, who knew how to blend admirably in the same act divine glory, unanswerably vindicated, with the lowliest grace in man. He was never too busy to minister to individual needs. 8, could not deny what was done in the case of the leper, who showed himself duly, and brought his offering, according to the law, to the altar. The point of this one is that God will reward all His disciples justly, graciously, and generously. I say not how fax he had realized this profound truth; I say not that he could have defined his thoughts; but he knew and declared His command of all as truly God. "On his first night he was asked to share his bed with a man suffering from contagious itch. "The Spirit lifted me [Ezekiel] up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God. I have endeavoured, though, of course, cursorily, and I feel most imperfectly, to give thus far Matthew's sketch of the Saviour as the Holy Ghost enabled him to execute it. They looked for the raging Lion of Judah; they received the gentle Lamb of God. Second, this passage sheds a light upon the Christian life. 1. Adventure Challenge 47 - Matthew 20.16 - YouTube But Jesus answered and said, You do not know what you ask. a. 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. This made it to be plainly and only a difficulty for God to solve. It is the death-blow to human tradition and ordinance in divine things, and in reality depends on the truth of the absolute ruin of man a truth which, as we see, the disciples were very slow to recognize. For this challenge, you'll need dinner at home and two nerf guns. [1.] Matthew 11:1-30, exceedingly critical for Israel, and of surpassing beauty, as it is, must not be passed over without some few words. Reader, whosoever thou art, act in behalf of thy soul as these blind men did in behalf of their sight, and thy salvation is sure. Gentile as he was, he was for that very, reason the less narrowed in his thoughts of the Saviour by the prevalent notions of Israel, yea, or even by Old Testament hopes, precious as they are. On this the Lord proceeds to take a step farther, and makes a deeper inroad, if possible, upon Jewish prejudice. In that market-place men stood waiting because no one had hired them; in his compassion the master gave them work to do. Some consider that John the Baptist enquired solely for the sake of his disciples. No doubt they had heard of the wondrous power of Jesus; and no doubt they wondered if that power might ever be exercised for them. But it was for a land of darkness and sin and death that Jesus came from heaven the Messiah, not according to their thoughts, but the Lord and Saviour, the God-man.