Chapter 20
Matthew 20:1-2
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which
went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them
into his vineyard.
Verses one through nineteen
of this chapter are a continuation Jesus discourse in the last part of chapter
nineteen.
Jesus told his disciples,
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a landowner. He went out early one morning to hire men to
work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay the men one penny, a denarion, or one
silver coin a day then he sent them to work in his vineyard.”
Matthew 20:3-4
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. And they went their way.
Christ continued, “And, when
he went out about nine AM, he saw others standing idly in the marketplace. So, he hired them to work in the
vineyard. He told these men, ‘I will pay
you what is right.’ So, they too went to work.”
Matthew 20:5-7
5 Again he went out about the sixth and
ninth hour, and did likewise.
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?
7 They say unto him, Because no man hath
hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is
right, that shall ye receive.
Later that day, about noon
and again at about three PM, them land owner hire others. Then, at about the five that afternoon, he
went out again, and found others standing idly, and said to them, “Why have you
stood here all day doing nothing?”
They responded, “Because
nobody hired us.”
So, the landowner said, “Go
to work in the vineyard; and I will pay you whatever is right.”
Matthew 20:8-9
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.
9 And when they came that were hired
about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
That evening, the vineyard
owner said unto his foreman, “Call the laborers, and give them their hire,
beginning from the last unto the first.” And, when they came to be paid those
that were hired about the Five PM were paid a silver coin.
Matthew 20:10-12
10 But when the first came, they
supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every
man a penny.
11 And when they had received it, they
murmured against the goodman of the house,
12 Saying, These last have wrought but
one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden
and heat of the day.
But, when the first hired
came, they thought that they should have received more, but they likewise were
paid one silver coin. And when they were
paid, they complained saying, “These last have worked just one hour, and you
have made them equal in pay to us, and we worked hard in the heat of the day.”
Lesson: God’s rewards for our labor are equal among
all who labor. Paul will receive exactly what you will receive,
Matthew 20:13-16
13 But he answered one of them, and said,
Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I
will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I
will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16 So the last shall be first, and the
first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
The landowner told them,
“Friend, I did you no wrong! Didn’t you agree to work for one silver coin? Take
it, go your way. I will pay those hired last, the same as I paid you. Isn’t it
legal for me to do I what with what is mine? Are you angry, because I am
generous?”
God’s rewards in Christ are
determined by God. His gifts are also
determined by Him.
Rom 9:15-16
15 For he saith to Moses, I
will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I
will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Finally, Jesus said, “So the
last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen.”
God rewards the work. Grace is not a work.
The timeframe does not enter
into the determination of rewards. It is
His choice! He is God!
Matthew 20:17-19
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took
the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and
the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes,
and they shall condemn him to death,
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles
to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise
again.
Then Jesus took the twelve to
Jesus spoke openly to the
Apostles about His coming crucifixion, but as we now know, they did not believe
Him.
That speaks volumes about the
Apostles. They simply could not accept
the plain truth of God’s plan. Do you
accept it?
Matthew 20:20-21
20 Then came to him the mother of
Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing
of him.
21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou?
She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right
hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Then James and John’s mother
brought her sons to Jesus. They bowed
down to Him, and wanted special treatment.
Jesus asked, “What do you
want?”
She answered, “Grant my sons
the right to sit beside you with one on you immediate right, and the other on
your immediate left, in your kingdom.”
Their mother wanted her boys
to be the leaders of the twelve.
This points to the fact that
there was no leader among the twelve, not even Peter.
Peter was the group
loudmouth, not the leader.
Matthew 20:22-24
22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know
not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to
be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are
able.
23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall
drink indeed 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.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were
moved with indignation against the two brethren.
However, Jesus answered and
said, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink of the cup (of
suffering) that I shall drink, and be baptized with the same baptism I must
suffer?”
They responded, “We are
able!”
Then Jesus said, “You shall
indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized with my baptism. However, to sit at my
right, and at my left, is not mine to give. It shall be given to them for whom
it is prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard that, they
resented the two brothers.
Personal ambition seems to
have abounded among Jesus’ early followers.
Matthew 20:25-28
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and
said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and
they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever
will be great among you, let him be your minister;
27 And whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant:
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
At that Jesus told them, “You
all know that the leaders of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they
exercise great authority over them.
“However it shall not be that
way among you. Whosoever wants to be great among you, shall become your
minister. And, whosoever will be your leader must be your servant in like
manner to the Son of man, who came not to be ministered to, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Did you get that? “However it shall not be that way among
you.” Roman Catholics despise the words
of the Bible! They claim
that Peter was an overlord.
Roman Catholic hatred for the words of Christ has led
to a pseudo-Christian group whose leaders do not understand Grace.
The Church may have
overseers, but it does not have overlords!
Those who pretend to be Church overlords are only pretenders, fakes!
Matthew 20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a
great multitude followed him.
As they stared to leave for
Mingled in the crowds that
followed Jesus and attend Church today are Satan’s henchmen.
Matthew 20:30-31
30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by
the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have
mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
31 And the multitude rebuked them,
because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have
mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
Two blind men were sitting by
the road. When they heard that was Jesus passing by they yelled, “Have mercy on
us, O Lord, thou Son of David.”
At that, the crowd scolded
them, and told them to keep quiet. But they screamed louder, saying, “Have
mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.”
Matthew 20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them,
and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
Jesus stopped and called them
asking, “What do you want me to do for you?”
He was the Christ and they
were blind! It seems obvious what they
wanted. However, Christ operated on a personal basis. They had to make their need known!
Matthew 20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes
may be opened.
They say to him, “Lord, open
our eyes.”
Matthew 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and
touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed
him.
Jesus had compassion on them,
and touched their eyes. Immediately their eyes received sight, and they
followed him.
Those whose eyes have been
opened to the truth of Christ will always follow Him!