23 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto them, G846 Ye shall drink G4095 indeed G3303 of my G3450 cup, G4221 and G2532 be baptized G907 with the baptism G908 that G3739 I G1473 am baptized with: G907 but G1161 to sit G2523 on G1537 my G3450 right hand, G1188 and G2532 on G1537 my G3450 left, G2176 is G2076 not G3756 mine G1699 to give, G1325 but G235 it shall be given to them for whom G3739 it is prepared G2090 of G5259 my G3450 Father. G3962
I G1473 John, G2491 who G3588 also G2532 am your G5216 brother, G80 and G2532 companion G4791 in G1722 tribulation, G2347 and G2532 in G1722 the kingdom G932 and G2532 patience G5281 of Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 was G1096 in G1722 the isle G3520 that is called G2564 Patmos, G3963 for G1223 the word G3056 of God, G2316 and G2532 for G1223 the testimony G3141 of Jesus G2424 Christ. G5547
But G1161 to sit G2523 on G1537 my G3450 right hand G1188 and G2532 on G1537 my G3450 left hand G2176 is G2076 not G3756 mine G1699 to give; G1325 but G235 it shall be given to them for whom G3739 it is prepared. G2090
And G1161 if G1487 children, G5043 then G2532 heirs; G2818 heirs G2818 of God, G3303 G2316 and G1161 joint-heirs G4789 with Christ; G5547 if so be G1512 that we suffer with G4841 him, that G2443 we may be G4888 also G2532 glorified together. G4888
But G235 as G2531 it is written, G1125 G3739 Eye G3788 hath G1492 not G3756 seen, G1492 nor G2532 G3756 ear G3775 heard, G191 neither G2532 G3756 have entered G305 into G1909 the heart G2588 of man, G444 the things which G3739 God G2316 hath prepared G2090 for them that love G25 him. G846
It is a faithful G4103 saying: G3056 For G1063 if G1487 we be dead with G4880 him, we shall G4800 also G2532 live with G4800 him: If G1487 we suffer, G5278 we shall G4821 also G2532 reign with G4821 him: if G1487 we deny G720 him, he also G2548 will deny G720 us: G2248
And G2532 our G2257 hope G1680 of G5228 you G5216 is stedfast, G949 knowing, G1492 that G3754 as G5618 ye are G2075 partakers G2844 of the sufferings, G3804 so G3779 shall ye be also G2532 of the consolation. G3874
Who G3739 now G3568 rejoice G5463 in G1722 my G3450 sufferings G3804 for G5228 you, G5216 and G2532 fill up G466 that which is behind G5303 of the afflictions G2347 of Christ G5547 in G1722 my G3450 flesh G4561 for G5228 his G846 body's G4983 sake, G5228 which is G3603 the church: G1577
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 20
Commentary on Matthew 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
We have four things in this chapter.
Mat 20:1-16
This parable of the labourers in the vineyard is intended,
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 (Eph. 3:3-6); that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs: nor was any thing more provoking to the Jews than the intimation of it. Now this seems to be the principal scope of this parable, to show that the Jews should be first called into the vineyard, and many of them should come at the call; but, at length, the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and they should receive it, and be admitted to equal privileges and advantages with the Jews; should be fellow-citizens with the saints, which the Jews, even those of them that believed, would be very much disgusted at, but without reason.
But the parable may be applied more generally, and shows us,
We have two things in the parable; the agreement with the labourers, and the account with them.
But this may be, and commonly is, applied to the several ages of life, in which souls are converted to Christ. The common call is promiscuous, to come and work in the vineyard; but the effectual call is particular, and it is then effectual when we come at the call.
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. The best of the labourers, and those that begin soonest, having so many empty spaces in their time, and their works not being filled up before God, may truly be said to labour in the vineyard scarcely one hour of their twelve; but because we are under grace, and not under the law, even such defective services, done in sincerity, shall not only be accepted, but by free grace richly rewarded. Compare Lu. 17:7, 8, with Lu. 12:37.
To convince the murmurer that he did no wrong, he refers him to the bargain: "Didst not thou agree with me for a penny? And if thou hast what thou didst agree for, thou hast no reason to cry out of wrong; thou shalt have what we agreed for.' Though God is a debtor to none, yet he is graciously pleased to make himself a debtor by his own promise, for the benefit of which, through Christ, believers agree with him, and he will stand to his part of the agreement. Note, It is good for us often to consider what it was that we agreed with God for.
He therefore,
Mat 20:17-19
This is the third time that Christ gave his disciples notice of his approaching sufferings; he was not going up to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover, and to offer up himself the great Passover; both must be done at Jerusalem: there the passover must be kept (Deu. 12:5), and there a prophet must perish, because there the great Sanhedrim sat, who were judges in that case, Lu. 13:33. Observe,
Mat 20:20-28
Here, is first, the request of the two disciples to Christ, and the rectifying of the mistake upon which that was grounded, v. 20-23. The sons of Zebedee were James and John, two of the first three of Christ's disciples; Peter and they were his favourites; John was the disciple whom Jesus loved; yet none were so often reproved as they; whom Christ loves best he reproves most, Rev. 3:19.
It was likewise policy to ask first for a general grant, that he would do a certain thing for them, not in faith, but in presumption, upon that general promise; Ask, and it shall be given you; in which is implied this qualification of our request, that it be according to the revealed will of God, otherwise we ask and have not, if we ask to consume it upon our lusts, Jam. 4:3.
Observe,
Note,
He called them unto him, which intimates great tenderness and familiarity. He did not, in anger, bid them get out of his presence, but called them, in love, to come into his presence: for therefore he is fit to teach, and we are invited to learn of him, because he is meek and lowly in heart. What he had to say concerned both the two disciples and the ten, and therefore he will have them all together. And he tells them, that, whereas they were asking which of them should have dominion a temporal kingdom, there was really no such dominion reserved for any of them. For,
Observe,
Now this is a good reason why we should not strive for precedency, because the cross is our banner, and our Master's death is our life. It is a good reason why we should study to do good, and, in consideration of the love of Christ in dying for us, not hesitate to lay down our lives for the brethren, 1 Jn. 3:16. Ministers should be more forward than others to serve and suffer for the good of souls, as blessed Paul was, Acts 20:24; Phil. 2:17. The nearer we are all concerned in, and the more we are advantaged by, the humility and humiliation of Christ, the more ready and careful we should be to imitate it.
Mat 20:29-34
We have here an account of the cure of two poor blind beggars; in which we may observe,
They heard that Jesus passed by. Though they were blind, they were not deaf. Seeing and hearing are the learning senses. It is a great calamity to want either; but the defect of one may be, and often is, made up in the acuteness of the other; and therefore it has been observed by some as an instance of the goodness of Providence, that none were ever known to be born both blind and deaf; but that, one way or other, all are in a capacity of receiving knowledge. These blind men had heard of Christ by the hearing of the ear, but they desired that their eyes might see him. When they heard that Jesus passed by, they asked no further questions, who were with him, or whether he was in haste, but immediately cried out. Note, It is good to improve the present opportunity, to make the best of the price now in the hand, because, if once let slip, it may never return; these blind men did so, and did wisely; for we do not find that Christ ever came to Jericho again. Now is the accepted time.