The Lord shows that such unbelief justly and necessarily excludes itself, but not others, from blessing. It seemed the last place on earth to which a man in his condition should have gone. Succa, fol. The third and fourth legions had the same advantage in their turns. We have the natural tie here brought into prominence; and this was a claim that Christ slighted not. 3 He went out about nine o'clock . Johannine Writings Laborers in the Vineyard. What was that cup? Now he started out at about six o'clock in the morning, and hired these men who were standing in the marketplace to go out and work in his vineyard. For a day. Note, First, The church is God's vineyard; it is of his planting, watering, and fencing; and the fruits of it must be to his honour and praise. So He meekly retires, healing, yet forbidding it to be blazed abroad. Finally, we have all wound up, after the going forth of a testimony which was truly universal in its scope, by the judicial severance at the close, when it is not only the good put into vessels, but the bad dealt with by the due instruments of the power of God. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny." They were greatly displeased: The other ten disciples mistakenly thought that a unique honor had just been bestowed on James and John. Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 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. Possibly the first felt their vanity wounded by being paid after the others. But if you were silent and refused to confess your crimes, then each time he would lay the whip on heavier, and heavier, until you'd be forced to cry out your crime against the Roman government. "The Spirit lifted me [Ezekiel] up and brought me to the exiles in Babylonia in the vision given by the Spirit of God. As before he asserted his justice, so here his sovereignty; Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? It was true that He was made of woman, and made under the law; but He was Jehovah Himself, that lowly Nazarene. iv. He healed, and bore its burden on His heart before God, as truly as He took it away from men. No doubt the tempest was great; but what harm could it do to Jesus? The giving of a whole day's wages to those that had not done the tenth part of a day's work, is designed to show that God distributes his rewards by grace and sovereignty, and not of debt. Apply to the Son of David; lose not a moment; he is passing by, and thou art passing into eternity, and probably wilt never have a more favourable opportunity than the present. His wounds are those which he receives in the house of his friend. (Spurgeon). And they went. Still further, here is demonstrated the unshakable loyalty of the disciples. In the reception of the little children this is plain; it is not so generally seen in what follows. In his defilement he came to Jesus and sought to be cleansed, before the delivery of the sermon on the mount. Take what is yours and go! "Christ demands that the driving force in your life must be love. And it really was a heavy bondage trip. Not even their wonderful "attitude" entitled them to a day's pay. 45. Through the day, the landowner went to the place where the laborers gathered, found some standing idle in the marketplace, and hired them to do the work in his vineyard. The limit was reached by Peter the Lombard. (Matthew 20:3-7) Through the day, the landowner continues to hire workers. Not only shall the Judge of all the earth do right, but what will not He do who gives all good? Didst not thou agree to take up with heaven as thy portion, thy all, and to take up with nothing short of it? Idols, abominations, no longer infected that dwelling as of old. There never can be strength in the soul till forgiveness is known. To him who compares this with Luke 6:1-49, there need not remain a question as to the identity of the scene. 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. No doubt it is a tie of nature for this life only. They should think of them in terms of grace, any reward being an act of Gods grace. There are a great many decisions which have to be taken. They glorified God. It was going on, then, to the bitter end, and surely not without such suffering and sorrow as holy, unselfish, obedient love alone can know. If, amid the multitude of Christians, I choose to signalize such men as Paul, and Martyn, and Brainerd, and Spencer, and Summerfield - to appoint some of them to short labor but to wide usefulness, and raise them to signal rewards, I injure not the great multitude of others who live long lives less useful and less rewarded. 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). Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. What does it mean? You don't know what the challenge/date is until you scratch off a square similar to a scratch-off lottery ticket. Judas one of the twelve, who is listening to Him, will be the one who betrays Him. They cannot hurt the Christ. Matthew 20:16 in all English translations. The strange thing is that instinctively the world itself has accepted these standards. Secondly, The particular pleading with those that were offended with this distribution in gavel-kind. See Deuteronomy 24:15. Humble service is the great prerequisite, as shown by Jesus own ministry. 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. She said to him, "Speak the word that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand, and one on your left, in your Kingdom." Verse Matthew 20:16. He was to be scourged; few tortures in the world compared with the Roman scourge, and there we see the suffering of physical pain. And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. We are dependent, therefore, for determining this case, on the fact that Mark does habitually adhere to the chain of events. How thoroughly did our Lord take a lowly place for our sakes! Nor is this all. In what sense did Jesus, our Lord, take their infirmities, and bear their sicknesses? That was a test of his faith. They've missed the joy of what it is to serve the Lord. For many be called, but few chosen.The warning is repeated after the parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:14), and as it stands there in closer relation with the context, that will be the fitting place for dwelling on it. At that time Jesus answered, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. They did not understand what was happening, but they could see in every line of Jesus' body the struggle of his soul. It shows us his honesty. There are a great many things which have to be done at the moment or they will never be done. how is it that ye have no faith? Rome might at any time have recruited her armies by volunteers from such a mass of well-educated, hardy soldiers but she thought proper, to use the words of the Abbe Mably, that the honour of being chosen to serve in the wars should be the reward of the accomplishments shown by the citizens in the Campus Martius, that the soldier should have a reputation to save; and that the regard paid him, in choosing him to serve, should be the pledge of his fidelity and zeal to discharge his duty. It is not only the fact that God slighted matters of prescriptive ordinance because of the ruined state of Israel, who rejected His true anointed King, but there was this principle also, that certainly God was not going to bind Himself not to do good where abject need was. The world counts them great. Matthew 19:1-30 brings in another lesson of great weight. Here is demonstrated the new glory and the new greatness of suffering love and sacrificial service. He came to occupy not a throne, but a cross. The point of this one is that God will reward all His disciples justly, graciously, and generously. Mockery could go no farther. It is but a day's work that is here done. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took Him even as He was in the ship. It means quite simply this. What is mine, is mine to do with as I please." Jerusalem's proud, traditional hypocrisy is exposed, and grace fully blesses the tried Gentile. Even so the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.". If it be so, it is surely a ground of thankfulness to God; for it turns a stumbling-block into an evidence of the perfection of Scripture. 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. It was necessary to complete the picture. but it was far too much for the young man. [3.] Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. Counting from 6 a.m. therefore, the third hour is 9 a.m., the sixth hour is twelve midday, and the eleventh hour is 5 p.m. How little they had learnt the divine lesson of grace, not ordinances! Grace forms the hearts of those that understand it, according to the great manifestation of what God is, and what man is, too, given us in the person of Christ. The Gospels Matthew, Expository Sermons - From The Executable Outlines Series by Mark A. Copeland - Hundreds of free sermon outlines and Bible study materials available for online browsing and downloading. It means that no matter when a man enters the Kingdom, late or soon, in the first flush of youth, in the strength of the midday, or when the shadows are lengthening, he is equally dear to God. Mary Magdalene is named in all the lists; Mary the mother of James and Joses must be the same person as Mary the wife of Clopas; therefore the third woman is described in three different ways. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The first is, as it has been said, "All service ranks the same with God." He goes to raise the dead, and the woman with the issue of blood touches Him by the way. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? The ox had to be ready either for the supreme moment of sacrifice on the altar or the long labour of the plough on the farm. [1.] The priest, in chap. 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. Bishop PEARCE thinks it is an interpolation from Matthew 22:14. He had been there before. Warning those who were using this Love feast as an excuse just to sort of gorge themselves, and they were not really realizing the spiritual significance of these things. The Roman penny was, in our money, of the value of a sevenpence half-penny, a day's wages for a day's work, and the wages sufficient for a day's maintenance. Heartlight is supported by loving Christians from around the world. Lastly, Here is the application of the parable (Matthew 20:16; Matthew 20:16), in that observation which occasioned it (Matthew 19:30; Matthew 19:30); So the first shall be last, and the last first. Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with? Jesus blessedly answered their thoughts, had there only been a conscience to hear the word of power and grace, which brings out His glory the more. Going back just a little bit further, Peter had said to Jesus, "Lord, we have left all to follow thee"( Matthew 19:27 ). 20:29-34 When they were leaving Jericho, a great crowd followed him. As it has been put, this parable states implicitly two great truths which are the very charter of the working man--the right of every man to work and the right of every man to a living wage for his work. Not merely were there many pieces of value, but one pearl of great price. Sometimes a man dies full of years and full of honour, with his day's work ended and his task completed. Matthew 20:1-16 - It's Not About Seniority! - Bible My Adventure Challenge - Home - Facebook 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. vii. Mark gives them in the end of his second and the beginning of his third chapters. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. At the close of this chapter 9, in His deep compassion He bids the disciples pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into His harvest. Most clearly it is not so much a question of sin in the aspect of uncleanness (typifying deeper things, but still connected with the ceremonial requirements of Israel, as we find from what our Lord said in the chapter to the cleansed leper). To take on the position of the minister is to take on the position of the servant to the flock of God. 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. They plucked his hair, they smote his cheeks, they spat in his face. In the end of the chapter is set forth parabolically the unlimited forgiveness that suits the kingdom; here, I cannot but think, looking onward in strict fulness to the future, but with distinct application to the moral need of the disciples then and always. Now if you go back to the last verse of the previous chapter, you'll find this same statement. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. First of these comes the treasure hidden in the field, for which the man sells all he had, securing the field for the sake of the treasure. He was tricked by the seeming helplessness of Jesus; he took Jesus to be a mere man; he tried to retain hold of Jesus, and in trying to do so, he lost his power and was broken for ever. Sorrow would come full soon when He, the Bridegroom of His people, should be taken away; and then should they fast. He said unto them, Go also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that is what you shall receive. A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives. We begin with the comparatively limited significance it originally had. After Paul had preached on Mars Hill, there were those who said, "We will hear you again about this" ( Acts 17:32). The point of the parable was that God will graciously do more for some of those who work for Him than His justice demands. The circumstances of this serve to adorn the parable; but the general scope is plain, that the last shall be first. It is not a question of bringing in law to govern the kingdom or guide the Church. It was very different with the hired day-labourers. 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. On the evening of the day when He delivered the seven parables given in Matthew 13:1-58. He does not now compare the Jews to the Gentiles, (as in another passages) nor the reprobate, who swerve from the faith, to the elect who persevere; and therefore the sentence which is introduced by some interpreters, many are called, but few are chosen, does not apply to that point. Pauline Epistles Secondly, In all the dispensations of his grace, God gives or withholds the means of grace, and the Spirit of grace, as he pleases. Our Lord then answers, with perfect dignity, as well as grace; He puts before the disciples of John the real state of the case; He furnishes them with plain, positive facts, that could leave nothing to be desired by John's mind when he weighed all as a testimony from God. 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. (Matthew 20:32-34) Jesus heals the two blind men. This came out most blessedly through the disciples. Poetical Books The Gospels (E) They will condemn him to death 19and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged(F) and crucified. The point of this closing aphorism is not to suggest that God's ways are simply or only about an inversion of the status quo. In the Christian Church seniority does not necessarily mean honour. And the multitude around them said, "Shut up, hold your peace." And so they didn't really remember that He said He was going to rise the third day, until after the resurrection. Using the term "elect," Titus 1:1 reinforces the idea that God separates some few from the many who are called: "Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's . Minor Prophets Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. But if He here does not go beyond a hint of that which the Gentiles were about to receive on the ruinous unbelief and judgment of the Jew, He does not keep back their own awful course and doom in the figure that follows. He sits on the dust heap among the prison convicts. People simply do not and cannot MERIT salvation. These men did not all do the same work; but they did receive the same pay. Rather than seeking God as to whether or not you should buy a new car, you had to seek your elder or your shepherd. Jesus was no doubt very weakened by it. "Matthew: The Expositor's Bible Commentary" Volume 8 (Matthew-Luke) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1984), Clarke, Adam "Clarke's Commentary: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments with a Commentary and Critical Notes" Volume 5 (Matthew-Acts) (New York: Eaton and Mains, 1832), France, R.T. "The Gospel According to Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary" (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) (Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985), Meyer, F.B. In the chapter that follows we have a companion picture, carrying on, no doubt, the lord's presentation to Israel, but from a different point of view; for inMatthew 9:1-38; Matthew 9:1-38 it is not merely the people tried, but more especially the religious leaders, till all closes in blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. e. And to give His life a ransom for many: The death of Jesus the giving of His life purchased the freedom of His people. Notice the flow of the narrative as the . a. "According to your faith be it done unto you.". Now they no doubt had heard of the fame of Jesus. And He was Jesus, Emmanuel. 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." Read full chapter. I love that family strength among them. I do not believe that God would just allow His Son to take all of that suffering, if there were not some value to be received from that suffering. Matthew 20:1-16 is a true-to-life parable. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner: Like many of Jesus parables, this story is about an employer and those who work for him. He's being despised and rejected. People do not merit salvation either by works or by attitudes of trust. 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. Matthew 20:16 Interlinear: So the last shall be first, and the first When they came they that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man [the denarius] a penny. Shall we turn to Matthew's gospel chapter twenty, and continue our book-by-book study through the Word of God? And Peter quoting Isaiah looking back at that scourging said, "by His stripes, ye were, past tense, healed"( 1 Peter 2:24 ). 'God is love. This, I believe, is a great lesson, and too often forgotten. When it gets to where I have to sneak in the back door at the last minute, and sneak out before things are over, then I need to find something else to do, when you can no longer take time to minister to individuals.Now these men of course do give to us a very beautiful picture of people who are blind in sin, and there is the spiritualizing of the text, crying out for Jesus. "Oh, you bet you, we're able." They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' Note, The unchangeableness of God's purposes in dispensing his gifts should silence our murmurings. Thus Matthew, called at the very receipt of custom, follows Jesus, and makes a feast for Him. So He is telling the disciples this was going to happen. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with what is my own? We can never repay God for what he has done for us but we can always be grateful to him. When the world and the devil begin to rebuke, in this case, it is a proof that the salvation of God is nigh; therefore, let such cry out a great deal the more. (Clarke). When God settles all the accounts, then things are going to be valued by his standards and not the world's standards. Descending then upon the plateau, He delivered what is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot earn what God gives us; we cannot deserve it; what God gives us is given out of the goodness of his heart; what God gives is not pay, but a gift; not a reward, but a grace. He never doubted that James and John would maintain their loyalty. Note, [1.] But nothing turned aside the purpose of God, or the activity of His grace. It is not here a question of life (as in the seed at first), but a system of christian doctrine; not life germinating and bearing fruit, but mere dogma natural mind which is exposed to it. He was to be condemned to death; there we see the suffering of injustice, which is very hard to bear. Let them read their error in One who was evidently superior to the condition and the ruin of man in Israel. The discontent arose not because of any injustice in the landowner, but because of jealousy in the all-day workers (Matthew 20:9-15). ii. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Those last hired receive the most pay and are paid first. The New King James Version (NKJV) organises this chapter as follows: . Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." The Old Testament The servants are clearly divided into two classes. The Lord admired the faith superior to Israel's, and took that occasion to intimate the casting out of the sons or natural heirs of the kingdom, and the entrance of many from east and west to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of the heavens. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? This parable explains why the last will become first. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my . And so they were actually thinking evil, because of His good. The other workers hired through the day were not promised a specific wage, only whatever is right. ", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Therefore what shall we have? So thoroughly is it in view of Israel that our Lord does not say one word here about the Church, or the intervening condition of Christendom. Matthew 20:16. So the last shall be first, and the first last The GENTILES, who have been long without the true God, shall now enjoy all the privileges of the new covenant; and the Jews, who have enjoyed these from the beginning, shall now be dispossessed of them; for, because they here rejected the Lord, he also hath rejected them. Finally, this parable that illustrates the principle that Gods manner of rewarding is not like mans practice of giving rewards. This he said in the hearing of the disciple who would act the traitor: did no compunction visit his base heart? (Spurgeon), ii. It shows us his trust in men. No doubt the ship was covered with the waves; but how could that imperil the Lord of all? c. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you: The landowner did nothing to explain why he did it, other than simply to say I wish. The reasons for the landowners generosity were completely in the landowner himself, and not in the ones who received. The reason I consider to be plain; and the same principle applies to various other parts of our gospel where we have two cases mentioned, where in the other gospels we have only one. And someone said, "Jesus is going by." Jesus came to give his life a ransom for many. There are people who think that, because they have been members of a Church for a long time, the Church practically belongs to them and they can dictate its policy.