Matthew 20

The following material is adopted from John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew and his Study guide. Additional material taken from sources listed at the end

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— Prayers ( Blue )

— Promises ( Green )

— Warnings ( Red )

— Commands ( Purple )

Read and summarize

Q: Why do you think some people think that God is unfair ( 19:30-20:16 )?

Equality in the Kingdom ( 19:30-20:16 )

— The prophet Ezekiel ministered to the children of Israel during the Babylonian captivity

— He repeatedly had to remind them and warn them about their sins, one of those sins was that of accusing God of being unfair and unjust ( Ezek 18:2-4 )

— Twice in Ezekiel 18 the Lord says, “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?” ( Ezek 18:25; cf. v29 )

— When men doubt the justice and fairness of God, it is always because of their own perverted views of justice and of Him

— In no area is God’s impartiality more significant and wonderful than in regard to salvation

— No matter what men’s circumstances might be when they come to Christ, and no matter how well or poorly they may serve Him after coming, they receive the same glorious salvation

— Notice that this chapter opens with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, which is a continuation, begun in the last chapter, of Jesus' remarks on rewards

Q: The landowner agreed to pay the first group of workers a denarius. What did he offer to pay the second, and subsequent group of workers ( 19:30-20:7 )?

The Participants in Kingdom Equality ( 19:30-20:7 )

( 19:30-20:7 ) But many who are first will be last, and the last first. 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius 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 to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. 5 Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’

— In this parable, God is the landowner, and the believers are the workers

— The landowner agreed to pay the first group of men a denarius, the wage of a Roman soldier

— Hired men in the first hour ( 6:00 am), third hour ( 9:00 am), the sixth hour ( noon ) and the ninth hour ( 3:00 pm )

— Then at the very end of the day the landowner went back and hired more men about the eleventh hour ( 5:00 pm )

— The last group only worked one hour

— The radical point of the proverb is that those hired about the eleventh hour … each… received a denarius, a whole day’s wages, as their pay

Going Deeper

— There should be no chapter break here

— This parable only appears in Matthew’s gospel

— The very use of “for” in verse 1 shows that this parable is meant to be an explanation of the preceding verse, But many that are first shall be last, and the last first

—What Jesus says is that what happens God unfolds his judgment may be compared in the following story-illustration

— Here, those who came last are paid first; those who came first must wait and see what happens to those who arrived late

Q: Why did those who were hired first expect to be paid more ( 20:9-12 )?

The Objection to Kingdom Equality ( 20:9-12 )

( 20:9-12 ) And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

— It does not mention it in the parable, but those hired in the third, sixth and ninth hours were also paid a denarius

— It is understandable that those who worked all day expected to be paid more; at the rate that the eleventh hour group was paid they would have received 12 days pay for one day’s work

The Vindication of Kingdom Equality ( 20:13-16 )

( 20:13-16 ) But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

— Jesus further clarified the membership rules of the kingdom of heaven entries is by God's grace alone

— This parable speaks especially to those who feel superior because of heritage or favored position, to those who feel superior because they have spent so much time with Christ, and the new believers as assurance of God's grace

— This parable is not about rewards but about salvation

— It is a strong teaching about grace, God's generosity

— We should begrudge those who turn to God the last moments of life, because, in reality, no one deserves eternal life

— Many people we don't expect to see in the kingdom will be there.

— The criminal who repented as he was dying ( Luke 23:40 – 43 ) will be there along with people who have believed and served God for many years

— Those who come to Christ and follow Him all receive the same gift of salvation

— We should be thankful that the landowner (the Lord) goes out early and then again and again to find those who will come to His kingdom

— Do you resent God's gracious acceptance of the despised, the outcast, and the sinners who have turned him for forgiveness?

— Are you ever jealous of what God has given to another person?

— Instead, focus on God's gracious benefits to you, and be thankful for what he what you have

Called

— many are called, but few are chosen

— The efficacious saving call of salvation, not the general call

Going Deeper

— Here the Lord is not teaching about the differences of rewards but the equality of salvation

— All believers will receive “the crown of life” ( James 1:12; Rev 2:10 )

Ten Principles from the Parable

( 1 ) God sovereignly initiates and accomplishes salvation. The landowner went out looking for workers, and it was he who asked them to work in his vineyard. Every person who believes is first sought by the Father ( John 6:39 )

( 2 ) God establishes the terms of salvation. The measure of God’s gift of salvation is not man’s merit but His own grace

( 3 ) God continues to call men into His kingdom. He keeps going back to the marketplace. “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working,” Jesus said ( John 5:17 )

( 4 ) God redeems everyone who is willing. “The ones who comes to me I will certainly not cast out,” Jesus said ( John 6:37, 39 )

( 5 ) God is compassionate to those who have no resources and acknowledge their hopelessness. When the men in the last group told the landowner they were standing idle because no one would hire them, he hired them.

( 6 ) All who come to the vineyard worked. They may have come at the last hour, but they worked. Even the penitent thief who died on the cross still testifies today to the saving grace of God

( 7 ) God has the divine authority and ability to keep His promises. At the end of the day there was no shortage of funds to pay each man. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to pay for the sins of the whole world

( 8 ) God always gives what He promises. All were paid more than they were worth. In an infinitely greater way, no believer is qualified to receive God’s least favor and even the best person is blessed immeasurably beyond what he could possibly deserve

( 9 ) With humility and a genuine sense of unworthiness is the only right attitude in which a person may come to the Lord

( 10 ) The final principle is that of God’s sovereign, overarching grace. The men’s work had no relationship to what they were paid. Even less do men’s works of supposed righteousness have any relationship to what they receive through faith in Jesus Christ. Just as sin is the great equalizer that causes every man to “fall short of the glory of God” ( Ro 3:23), God’s grace is the great equalizer that removes sin and makes every believer equally acceptable to Him in Christ

( 19:16 ) Martin Luther in his 95 Theses (1517) referred to this verse in theses 63-66. He criticized the treasure of merit. He said, the treasures of the gospel are nets to catch wealthy people, whereas the treasures of indulgences are nets to catch the wealth of men

In the arithmetic of earth, if each heir receives an equal share of an inheritance, each gets only a certain fraction of the whole amount. But heaven is not under such limits, and every adopted child of God will receive the full inheritance with the Son. Everything that Christ receives by divine right, we will receive by divine grace. The parable of the laborers in Matthew 20:1-16 illustrates this graciousness, showing that all who server Christ will receive the same eternal reward, irrespective of differences in their service. MacArthur, Romans. Romans 1-8. Moody Press, 1987.

Q: How many times now has Jesus predicted His death and resurrection? What was the reaction of the disciples ( 20:17-19 )?

The Sufferings of Christ ( 20:17-19 )

( 20:17-19 ) Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

— Jesus predicted His death for the third time (16:21, 17:22, 23 )

— But the disciples still didn’t accept and believe what He meant

— They continued to argue over their positions in Christ’s kingdom ( 20:20-28 )

— Like their fellow Jews, the disciples were looking for a lion not a lamb

Going Deeper

— It is not surprising that in addition to The Twelve there were also others who followed Jesus

— Since the Lord knew that it would not be wise to announce His suffering and death to all his followers (cf 16:20 ), he took the twelve disciples aside, so that in private He could speak to them

How to be Great in the Kingdom ( 20:20-28 )

( 20:20-28 ) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” 22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink 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 is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

— The two sons of Zebedee were James and John; the theory is that this women was Salome, the sister of Mary who was the mother of Jesus, and that she was accordingly an aunt of Jesus, so that James and John, her sons, were his cousins

— This section speaks to how we are to be great in the kingdom of God and it does not involve self-aggrandizement

— The world promotes self-esteem, self-fulfillment, and self-glory

— They have become a major industry that ranges from exercise programs to motivation for executive success

— Whenever the church has been spiritually strong it has distrusted its own wisdom and strength and looked to the Lord’s

self-fulfillment

— Note this very carefully: The mother of Zebedee’s sons was looking for heavenly rewards for her boys. But Heaven is for the asking. You do nothing, nothing, for salvation. You are saved by faith in Christ through His marvelous grace. However, your place, your position, your reward in heaven is determined by what you do down here on earth

Going Deeper

— It is only the humble heart, the servant’s heart, the enjoys greatness in the kingdom of God

— Hezekiah, king of Judah, “humbled the pride of his heart” ( 2 Chron 32:26 )

— Manasseh, another king of Judah, “humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers” ( 2 Chron 33:12 )

— Josiah, king of Judah, to whom the Lord said, “”Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God... I truly have heard you” ( 2 Chron 34:27 )

— Isaiah, who confessed, “I am a man of unclean lips” ( Is 6:5 )

— Each of these heroes in Scripture characterized the person who is great in God’s sight, because they refused to seek personal prominence but gave all prominence to the Lord

— The disciples had, indeed, left everything to follow Jesus

— But, like many Christians in every age since that time, they had not completely let go of pride, selfishness, and worldly standards

—While Jesus ministered on earth, the Twelve were far from such self-giving, self-effacing discipleship

— Consequently, Jesus’ third and most detailed prediction of His passion and death fell on deaf ears

— No sooner had He again finished mentioning His death and resurrection than two of the disciples tried to secure from Him a place of honor for themselves

The more a believer suffers in this life for the sake of his Lord, the greater will be his capacity for glory in heaven. Jesus made this relationship clear in Matthew 20:21-23, when He told James, John, and their mother that elevation to prominence in the future kingdom will be related to experiencing the depths of the cup of suffering through humiliation here and now. As with the relationship between works and rewards (see 1 Cor 3:12-15), the spiritual quality of our earthly life will, in some divinely determined way, affect the quality of our heavenly life. It should be added that since the ultimate destiny of believers is to glorify God, it seems certain that our heavenly rewards and glory in essence will be capacities for glorying Him

Political Power Play ( 20:20-21 )

( 20:20-21 ) Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

— The mother of James and John came to Jesus and "kneeling down, ask a favor of him."

— She gave Jesus worship, but her real motive was to get something from him

— Too often this happens in our churches and in our lives

— We play religious games, expecting God to give us something in return

— True worship, however, the doors and praises Christ for who He is and what He has done

— According to 27:56, the mother of James and John was at the cross with Jesus was crucified

— Some have suggested that she was the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother

— A close family relationship may prompt her to make this request for her sons Self-Serving Ambition ( 20:22-24 )

— The other disciples were upset with James and John for trying to grab the top positions

— All the disciples wanted to be the greatest ( 18:1 ) but Jesus taught them that the greatest person in God's kingdom is a servant of all

— This verse demonstrates the first wrong way to spiritual greatness: using the influence of family and friends to one’s advantage

Q: Jesus did not speak directly to the mother but addressed James and John. What cup was He referring to ( 20:22-25 ) ?

Self-Serving Ambition ( 20:22-25)

( 20:22-24 ) But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” 23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink 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 is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.

— The second wrong way to spiritual greatness is self-serving ambition

— The cup that Jesus was about to drink was the cup of suffering and death

— Jesus was saying, “Don’t you realize by now that the way to eternal glory is not through wordly success and honor but through suffering?”

— The apostle Paul learned that the way to great glory is through great affliction for Christ’s sake

— “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” ( 2 Cor 4:17 )

— Another wrong way to achieve spiritual greatness is to lord over people ( 20:24 )

How to be Great ( 20:26-28 )

( 20:26-28 ) Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

— Jesus described leadership from a new perspective

— Instead of using people, we are to serve them

— Jesus’ mission was to serve others and to give his life away

— A real leader has to servant’s heart. Servant leaders appreciate others worth realize that they're not of any job.

— If you see something that needs to be done, don't wait to be fast. Take the initiative and do it like faithful servant

— This is a new approach to service and greatness, and it ought to be very clear in the minds of those who are engaged in Christian service. If you are going to sing for the Lord, please don't walk over all the other soloists. If you are trying to be a preacher of the gospel, don't try to push aside every other minister. If you are trying to be a church officer, don't do it at the expense of someone else. Our Lord makes it very clear that the way to be great and the way to serve Him is to take the lowest place.

Going Deeper

The wrong way to spiritual greatness

( 1 ) Using family and friends to one’s advantage ( 20:20-21 )

( 2 ) Self-serving ambition ( 20:22-25 )

( 3 ) A dominant dictator ( 20:25a )

His life a ransom for many

— This passage is clear proof of Christ’s substitutionary atonement

The Pattern for True Greatness ( 20:28 )

( 20:28 ) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

— A ransom was the price paid to release a slave from bondage

— Jesus often told his disciples that he must die, but here he told them why to redeem all people from the bondage of sin and death

— The disciples thought that as long as Jesus was alive, he could save them

— But Jesus revealed that only his death would save them and the world

— The ransom paid does not involve a payment to Satan

— Rather, the ransom is offered to God — to satisfy His justice and wrath against sin

— The price paid was Christ’s own life — as a blood atonement ( cf Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22 )

— This, then, is the meaning of the cross: Christ subjected Himself to the divine punishment against sin on our behalf (cf. Is 53:4-5 ); suffering the brunt of divine wrath in the place of sinners was the “cup” that he spoke about having to drink ( 20:22 )

— This is a tremendous verse, and every Christian ought to memorize it. This verse should be at your fingertips so that when an opportunity to witness comes, you will be able to tell just why Jesus Christ came into the world and what His mission was, because there is still confusion at that point

Going Deeper

— The emphasis of this verse is the in the words just as the Son of Man

— What Jesus says about Himself should also characterize His followers

— “I am the perfect Pattern,” He was saying, “Your supreme Example. My attitude should be Your attitude, and My kind of living should be your kind of living. If you want to be great as God wants you to be great, be like Me.”

The Blind who Saw ( 20:29-34 )

( 20:29-34 ) Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

— Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the last time

— His arrest, trial and crucifixion were but a few weeks away

— The Twelve would one day look back on the healing in Jericho and realize that their Lord was never too preoccupied to be compassionate, never in too much agony Himself to be insensitive to the agony of others

Their Persistent Plea ( 20:29-31 )

— Matthew reports that there were 2 blind men, while Mark and Luke mention only one

— This is probably the same event, but Mark and Luke singled out the more vocal of the 2 men

— According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus was leaving Jericho; Luke reports that the miracle occured as they drew near to Jericho

— Notice that they addressed Him accurately -- O Lord, thou son of David. They acknowledged His kingship. The Syrophoenician at first called Him the son of David, but the Lord reminded her that she had no claim on Him in this way. These men, however, were Jews and did have a claim on Him, and they exercised their claim!

— The blind man called Jesus son of God because the Jews knew that the Messiah would be a descendent of David ( Is 9:6,7; 11:1; Jer 23:5,6 ) these blind beggars could see that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, while the religious leaders who witnessed Jesus miracles were blind to his identity, refusing to open their eyes to the truth

— Seeing with your eyes doesn't guarantee seeing with your heart

Their Supernatural Privilege ( 20:32-34 )

— Although Jesus was concerned about the coming events in Jerusalem, he demonstrated what you just told the disciples about service (20:28) by stopping to care for the blind

— The blind men followed Jesus; they gave evidence of physical and spiritual healing

— Jesus healed multitudes of people.

— There was no formula that He followed for healing— Jesus is the formula

— Faith was not a requirement for healing

— He healed many people at the request of others as in the case of centurion who pleaded for the healing of his paralyzed servant ( 8:5-13 )

— The infants He healed and those he raised from the dead obviously were not able to exercise any sort of faith

— Whereas the NT tells of of countless people who were healed without faith, it reports that none were saved without faith ( Eph 2:8 )

Additional Resources

MacArthur, John. Matthew 16-23. Moody Press, 1988.

MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. Moody, 1985.

MacArthur, Romans. Romans 1-8. Moody Press, 1987.

Life Application Study Bible. Zondervan, 2011.

J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee.

Hendriksen, William. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.

Bible Study Questions: https://www.bible-studys.org/Bible%20Books/Matthew/Matthew%20Chapter%2020.html

William Hendriksen. Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.

RC Sproul. Matthew: An Expositional Commentary. Ligonier Ministries, 2019.