3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he . Here is the first mention of the mode of Jesus death and of the Gentiles part in it (only the Romans could crucify people). (Carson). Start for FREE. Yet man, in face of all, is so deceived of the enemy, that he prefers to be left with the demons rather than enjoy the presence of the Deliverer. 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. "Who is my mother? (3.) It was a scorned Messiah who, when rejected of His own people, Israel, turned to the Gentiles by the will of God: it was One who could look upon publicans and sinners anywhere. "Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! We have here not only our Lord's ministry in the first parable, but in the second parable that which He does by His servants. The Gentiles, who are newly called in, have as much of the privileges of the kingdom of the Messiah as the Jews have, who have so long been labouring in the vineyard of the Old-Testament church, under the yoke of the ceremonial law, in expectation of that kingdom. Luke-Acts One of the great fundamental facts to which we must hold on, even when we hate and loathe and despise ourselves, is that Jesus believes in us. To take on the position of the minister is to take on the position of the servant to the flock of God. 20:1-16 The direct object of this parable seems to be, to show that though the Jews were first called into the vineyard, at length the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and they should be admitted to equal privileges and advantages with the Jews. 3 He went out about nine o'clock . To me it is evident, from a careful comparison of them all, as I think it is capable of clear and adequate proof to an unprejudiced Christian mind, that neither Matthew nor Luke confines himself to such an order of events. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. If to conquer with Christ meant to suffer with Christ, they were perfectly willing to face that suffering. When it came time to pay the workers, the men hired last were paid first and paid for a full day of work! 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. In the case of the laborers, those who worked all day did not deserve their pay after having thrown it on the ground. 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. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him ( Matthew 20:29-34 ). But if Matthew here laid aside all question of time, it was in view of other and weightier considerations for his object. 16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last.". The call to serve God is the gift of His grace. Even at such a time that was not the end of his words, for he finished with the confident assertion of the Resurrection. 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. 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. After this (what makes it still more unquestionable) comes the case of the demoniac. [1.] They looked for a conqueror; they received one broken on a cross. If we compare the eighth chapter, for example, with the corresponding circumstances, as far as they appear, in the gospel of Mark, we shall find the latter gives us notes of time, which leave no doubt on my mind that Mark adheres to the scale of time: the design of the Holy Ghost required it, instead of dispensing with it in his case. Next, we behold Him meeting the centurion after another manner altogether. 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. "And forthwith when they were come out of the synagogue they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John; but Simon's wife's mother was sick of a fever, and anon they tell Him of her. Subsequent, considerably, to this was the case of the centurion's servant, preceded a good while before by the cleansing of the leper. What does it mean? Will be betrayed: Conceivably, Jesus could have been delivered to the religious authorities without this. Every man has to learn that true greatness lies, not in dominance, but in service; and that in every sphere the price of greatness must be paid. Jesus was no doubt very weakened by it. But this is enough to silence all murmurs and objectors, that God is sovereign Lord of all, and may do what he will with his own. Let those who have so little experience of what man is, even in the regenerate, beware lest they impute to the Baptist such an acting of a part as shocks us, when Jerome imputed it to Peter and Paul in the censure of Galatians 2:1-21. 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. (i) It is in one sense a warning to the disciples. We read in the book of Acts that Herod stretched forth his hands against the church and had James beheaded. 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. James was the first of the apostolic band to die a martyr ( Acts 12:2). ", 'The Lord Is My Savior, Shield, Refuge, and Stronghold'. Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. Matthew calls her the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mark calls her Salome; and John calls her Jesus' mother's sister. A few I have chosen for higher stations in the church. What Does It Really Mean That Your Body Is a Temple? a. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? This was testing matters more closely. It is important to see that the landowner did not treat anyone unfairly, though he was more generous to some than to others. 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 . "If you really want to be great in the kingdom of God, learn to be the servant of all. People do not merit salvation either by works or by attitudes of trust. The unparalleled grace of the Saviour must form and fashion the saints henceforth. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father." It was an imperfect faith but they acted on it; and Jesus accepted it. This parable does not teach that God will reward all His disciples equally. The system of grace is foreign to us: God deals with us according to who He is, not according to who we are. In the distribution of future joys, as it was in the gathering of the manna, he that shall gather much, will have nothing over, and he that shall gather little, will have no lack, Exodus 16:18. What shall be their wages? Yet Jesus was confident that He would be delivered to the Gentiles. Here is demonstrated the new glory and the new greatness of suffering love and sacrificial service. There is no question of to whom the ransom was paid. But the single eye of Jesus at once detects the snare of Satan into which natural thought led, or at least exposed, Peter to fall. No sooner had Peter pronounced to Jesus the truth of His person, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," than Jesus holds the secret no longer. It was true that He was made of woman, and made under the law; but He was Jehovah Himself, that lowly Nazarene. Secondly, Others are savingly wrought upon in middle age; Go work in the vineyard, at the third, sixth, or ninth hour. 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. If the gospel dies in England, write on its tomb, Betrayed. If our churches lose their holy influence among men, write on them, Betrayed. What care we for infidels? Secondly, the prophecy of Psalms declared, "not a bone of Him shall be broken"( Psalms 34:20 ). (v) Here also is the generosity of God. iii. The parable sets about to correct this misguided notion. Oh, for grace so to bow and bless God, even when our little travail seems in vain! Thus many are called by the preaching of the Gospel, but few are found who use their advantages in such a way as to become extensively useful in the Church-and many in the Church militant behave so ill as never to be admitted into the Church triumphant. iii. And yet the true faithful saints of God, who have been obedient to the bidding of the Lord to go into the vineyard, and no matter what place, what time, it is their faithfulness to the call of God in going for which God makes the reward.In fact, I do believe that many times those who have been called to a more prominent ministry will actually receive a much lesser reward because we get so much reward now. In particular, to represent to us that concerning the kingdom of heaven, which he had said in the close of the foregoing chapter, that many that are first shall be last, and the last, first; with which this parable is connected; that truth, having in it a seeming contradiction, needed further explication. He takes accordingly the title of the "Son of man" for the first time in this gospel. He also strongly claimed his right to do what he wanted with what was his. This attitude threatened to be carried forward into the Christian Church. i. He said unto them, Go also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that is what you shall receive. Basically what He is teaching is that as we serve the Lord in His vineyard, that what really counts is the fact the Lord sent me. 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. They worked in the heat of the day while others shaded themselves. That which was the first in order chose the four citizens who were judged the most proper to serve in the war; and the six tribunes who commanded the first legion chose one of these four, whom they liked best. Minor Prophets Subsequently to that, the scribe offered to follow Jesus whithersoever He went. The evil eye was an idiom used to refer to jealousy (cf. A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it; the ox was facing two things an altar and a plough; and the inscription read: Ready for either. (Barclay), ii. d T. Hieros. This is a wonderful, simple question God has not stopped asking. Judas one of the twelve, who is listening to Him, will be the one who betrays Him. And because they were sent of God, they each one received from the Lord that same portion.Sometimes we see people who on their deathbed receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and they enter into eternal life. About the third hour, [nine o'clock in the morning], he saw others standing idle in the market place, and he said unto them; Go into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. So, then, we learn that the mother of James and John was named Salome, and that she was the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. Matthew 20. He's been with them now for almost three years, and He feels it necessary to draw them now into that more intimate fellowship with His suffering, as He has set His face to go to Jerusalem, knowing exactly what awaits Him there. 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 is telling the disciples this was going to happen. In Matthew it is their mother. [Note: Norman A. Huffman, "Atypical Features in the Parables of Jesus," Journal of Biblical Literature 97 (1978):209. The pay was perfectly normal; a denarius or a drachma was the normal day's wage for a working man; and, even allowing for the difference in modern standards and in purchasing power, 4 pence a day was not a wage which left any margin. Is there unrighteousness with God? Inattention to this has perplexed many. They boast, as the prodigal's elder brother did, of their good services; We have borne the burthen and heat of the day; that was the most they could make of it. said the Lord; and then stretched forth His hand toward His disciples with the words, "Behold my mother and my brethren! See here. 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. Instead of repining that we have no more, let us take what we have, and be thankful. And then he said interesting things for this cause; "There are many who are weak and sick among you, because they do not understand the Lord's body"( 1 Corinthians 11:30 ). Nothing was more a mystery in the gospel dispensation than the rejection of the Jews and the calling in of the Gentiles; so the apostle speaks of it (Ephesians 3:3-6); that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs: nor was any thing more provoking to the Jews than the intimation of it. Under grace, we cant come to God complaining, Dont I deserve better than this; because God will reply, Does this mean that you really want Me to give you what you deserve?. He is also the writer of many of the letters that you find in your New Testament.". of Scripture. So it was here. The old people and work then closed in principle, and a new work of God in the kingdom of heaven was disclosed. When do you suppose these conversations actually occurred, if we go to the question of their date? This was an entirely normal arrangement. In this manner, each tribe successively chose four soldiers, till the legions were complete. 13. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point The rich young ruler was not converted: far from being so, he could not stand the test applied by Christ out of His own love, and, as we are told, "went away sorrowful." Jerusalem's proud, traditional hypocrisy is exposed, and grace fully blesses the tried Gentile. Yet is He the Son of man who hath power on earth to forgive sins; and He uses His authority. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." Thus, the present dealings of God in grace, the actual shape taken by the kingdom of heaven, the calling of the Gentiles, the formation of the Church, are all passed completely over. He had no reason to quarrel with the master; for what he gave was absolutely his own, Matthew 20:15; Matthew 20:15. However suitable to the Jewish expectation that He should be found a man, undeniably there was that apparent which was infinitely above the Jew's thought; for the Jew showed his own degradation and unbelief in the low ideas he entertained of the Messiah. When He reaches the house, minstrels were there, and people, making a noise: the expression, if of woe, certainly of impotent despair. His assessment is quite simply--how many people has he helped? v. Living under grace is sort of a two-edged sword. 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." Out in the world, said Jesus, it is quite true that the great man is the man who controls others; the man to whose word of command others must leap; the man who with a wave of his hand can have his slightest need supplied. Thereon, coming into the ship, the wind ceases, and the Lord exercises His gracious power in beneficent effects around. 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 2:26). Jesus gives the parable of the laborers in the vineyardHe foretells His crucifixion and resurrectionHe came to give His life as a ransom for many. The Church, which is His body and bride, has a far more intimate place, even though true of the same persons. 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." The better MSS., indeed, omit it here. All of this takes the simple picture Jesus gave too far. 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. The point of this one is that God will reward all His disciples justly, graciously, and generously. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. But it would be unusual for a wealthy "landowner" to locate his own . The parable may also be applied more generally, and . Jesus emphasized that both the calling and the choosing of God is based on His grace especially His choosing. "And He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city." Outwardly it was a condition of comparative cleanness. The crown set before us is a crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge shall give. I can't wait until you send Jesus with power and show things as they should be and reward people based on their character, their hearts, their gratitude for your grace, and their service. The man's walk before them testifies to the reality of his forgiveness before God. They had the desperation appropriate for those who know that today is the day of salvation. The failure of this greatest of women-born only gives Him the just occasion to show the total change at hand, when it should not be a question of man, but of God, yea, of the kingdom of heaven, the least in which new state should be greater than John. These words of Jesus gave rise to an old and complicated theological question: to whom did Jesus pay the ransom? 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. How often the heart shows itself, not merely by what we ask, but by the uncalled-for feelings we display against other people and their faults! Unfortunately, they have missed the blessing of knowing God, and serving God all their lives. 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. There is such tremendous reward just in being able to minister to people, the feedback that comes from it is so rewarding. In the pagan world humility was regarded, not so much as a virtue, but as a vice. That was all over for the moment through Israel's blind sin; He was going to suffer, not yet reign, at Jerusalem. (iv) These two blind men were not afraid to bring a great request. The circumstances of this serve to adorn the parable; but the general scope is plain, that the last shall be first. Laborers in the Vineyard. THE LORDSHIP OF THE CROSS ( Matthew 20:20-28 continued). Therein is greatness. (Matthew 20:11-15) The complaint of the early workers. None the less does the Lord uphold it, purged of what accretions had come in to obscure its original and proper character. i. James had to be ready to be the first to die among the disciples; John had to be ready to live the longest Christian life and testimony among them. And the third day He will rise again.. We can count on God dealing with us justly, graciously, and generously whether we serve God all our lives or only a short time having become His disciples later in life. The world counts them great. Now according to the historians, this scourging was such an awful taxing thing upon the person that many people never made it to the cross. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. They may come at the beginning of their life, in their youth, in adulthood, in old age, or at the very end. Thirdly, Others are hired into the vineyard in old age, at the eleventh hour, when the day of life is far spent, and there is but one hour of the twelve remaining. Finally, this parable that illustrates the principle that Gods manner of rewarding is not like mans practice of giving rewards. That they might possibly be outstripped by their successors in profession, and, though they were before others in profession, might be found inferior to them in knowledge, grace, and holiness. So this seems to be the words that couch this particular parable. 2. a. last will be on the same footing as the first, and the first as the last, those who esteem themselves last shall be first, and those who esteem themselves 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. It is best understood as a parable about grace and reward. without holiness no man shall see the Lord. This, I believe, is a great lesson, and too often forgotten. Take that which is yours, and go your way: and I will give unto this last even as unto thee. There are a great many things which have to be done at the moment or they will never be done. The Lord, no doubt, knew the heart of His servant, and could feel for him in the effect that circumstances took upon him. Bishop PEARCE thinks it is an interpolation from Matthew 22:14. Though there be degrees of glory in heaven, yet it will be to all a complete happiness. This tested their thoughts of the glory of Jesus. Would he go back on his point of no return? "Life is not fair! Praise God!" (Matthew 20:1-16) | Bible.org 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. He promised to pay all the later workers fairly. If there were, so to speak, a justification of circumcision by faith, undoubtedly there was also the justification of uncircumcision through their faith. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. 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. All rights reserved worldwide. So the last will be first, and the first last. He was there for the express purpose of glorifying God. 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. 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. Jesus gave everything to bring men back to God; and we must walk in the steps of him who loved to the uttermost. You don't know what the challenge/date is until you scratch off a square similar to a scratch-off lottery ticket. And when the devil was come out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel." And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. When He reigns as David's Son, there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts. It is hard for those that do or suffer more than ordinary for God, not to be elevated too much with the thought of it, and to expect to merit by it. 3. I am certain that everyone that was afflicted had heard of the fame of Jesus. As before he asserted his justice, so here his sovereignty; Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? But it is expressly the pattern after which He was to deal, and will deal, with Israel. On the other hand, by far the greater weight of tradition goes to show that John lived to a great old age in Ephesus and died a natural death when he must have been close on a hundred years old. In it there is the comfort of God. A man came there first thing in the morning, carrying his tools, and waited until someone hired him. but what a heart was His! iii. They did not understand what was happening, but they could see in every line of Jesus' body the struggle of his soul. The Old Testament Isaiah prophesied the fact that He would be scourged, but in prophesying the fact, Isaiah tells us the reason. Work for God will not admit of trifling. Then, in Mark 3:1-35, there are notes of time more or less strong. Matthew 20:16New International Version. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. A daily devotional about God's power for our battles. i. . Now what is Jesus seeking to teach by this parable of sending forth the laborers into the vineyard? For less than $5/mo. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister [or servant]; And whosoever will be the chief among you, let him be the bondslave ( Matthew 20:23-27 ): Jesus here is teaching the servanthood of the ministry and the path to greatness. Anyone who took this parable as a practical basis for employment would soon be out of business." Usually they hated and despised them, and hoped for nothing but their destruction. The power of divine grace is magnified in the conversion of some, when they are in the midst of their pleasures and worldly pursuits, as Paul. Now this is their final trip to Jerusalem. He that would be great among you, let him be your servant and if you want to be chief, then become the bondslave." What Jesus calls upon his followers to do he himself did. but it was far too much for the young man. The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, 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.