Matthew 20

Review

Matthew 19 began to teach about the values of the Kingdom of Heaven and teaching the disciples that the view they had of the world was not to be the view of the Kingdom.

Matthew 19:3-12 taught about marriage, divorce, and voluntarily remaining unmarried

God gifts some to be able and even called to be unmarried but His Will for the vast majority of us is to be married to a Godly husband or wife and to have children and raise them in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” Ephesians 6:4 “4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

This fulfills the “dominion mandate” given to Adam in the Garden Genesis 1:28 “28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Which in turn leads to God being glorified in the saving of souls and lives that show His glory lived out in this life AND the eternal life to come

Matthew 19:13-15 taught about the value of children to God and the judgement to any that would lead them to any other than the Father Himself

Matthew 19:16-26 taught about wealth and a right relation of us to money when it comes to priorities and service and ensuring we not make money an idol we rely on more than on the God of the Bible with the parable of the young rich man

Then Peter asks Jesus since those that sell everything have treasure in heaven, how much more will the disciples have given up everything have:

Rewards

Matthew 19:27–30 KJV

27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

The Parable of Equal Wages for Unequal Work

Matthew 20:1–16 KJV

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

1: labourers: not even the security of a slave. No way to provide except working each day

2: penny: denarius or 1 days wage

3: third hour was between 8 and 9 am; based on 12 hour work day beginning at 6 AM; “standing idle” not lazy, no one is hiring them, maybe skill, maybe looks, maybe disabilities

5: sixth hour was between 11 and 12; ninth hour was between 2 and 3 pm

6: eleventh hour was between 4 and 5 pm

7: this last group not lazy

Third Prediction of the Passion

Matthew 20:17–19 KJV

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.

most detailed of the 3 (far north before they start to Jerusalem 16:21, after they set off but still in Galilee 17:22-23)

Status in the Kingdom of Heaven: James and John

Matthew 20:20–28 KJV

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. 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. 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.

same question in 18:1-4; Jesus answered them then using a child that the least would be first

22: cup is judgement (Psalm 75:8 “8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.” ) also suffering of God’s people (Isaiah 51:17-23 “17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. 19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? 20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God. 21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: 22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.”)

26: minister = diakonos (deacon Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3 teach as those practically “taking care” the provision of food to the poor, widows, etc.)

27: servant = duolos (slave not free to do what they wish but bound to obey a master Matthew 8:9 “9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” Matthew 10:24 “24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.”

28: Son of Man Daniel 7:13-14 “13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”

Jesus death is our ultimate example of unselfish service. Remember though, Jesus in giving his life served the Father, not us!

“ransom for many”: Careful not to read too much of what we know the Bible says later back into here, but hard to write a better brief summary of Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53:5-6 “5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

This was the purpose of Jesus’ coming:

Matthew 5:17 “17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Matthew 9:13 “13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Matthew 10:34-35 “34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”

John 9:39 “39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

John 10:10 “10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

John 12:46-47 “46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

Sight Restored

Matthew 20:29–34 KJV

29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 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. 32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

29: Jericho was the last settlement those going to Jerusalem for Passover would go through after crossing the Jordan and before starting the long climb to the Jewish capital 3000 ft above

Matthew 9:27-30 “27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.”

Now here 2 more blind men given sight. In between are both religious leaders and disciples not being able to see the true purpose of Jesus, the Messiah

Matthew 21 to Matthew 28 will cover the week leading to Easter