Matthew Chapter Twenty
Laborers in the Vineyard
20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
Jesus continues answering Peter’s series of questions regarding, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25b) and where does he and the other disciples “fit in.” Jesus first told them that wealthy people will have great difficulty in entering the Kingdom of Heaven, that truth shattered their basic understanding of salvation as they were taught growing up that wealth was a sign of being blessed by God. Naturally they wondered who would be qualified to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, especially for those that gave up their careers like them. Jesus then explained that those that gave up everything to follow Him will be rewarded in heaven. However, even though some might be ‘rewarded’, all believers will be granted the same access and privileges, to emphasize this point Jesus presented this parable.
In this parable, God is the “Master of the house,” and all of the laborers are believers, people who have accepted Jesus as their Savior. The “days wages,” (a denarius)[1] represents eternal life with Jesus. Regardless if a laborer worked from early morning to the last hour, each one was paid the same wage, namely their entrance to heaven. When the early arrivals saw they were ‘paid’ the same as those who only worked a fraction of the time, they began to complain. The Master reminded them that they agreed to be paid a denarius for a day’s work, and asks why then are they complaining about His being generous to those that arrived later? The Master asks a valid question, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” Jesus then closes the parable with the reverse order of the last verse of chapter nineteen, again pointing out that the last ones accepting Jesus will be the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and the first ones accepting Jesus will be last, regardless of how long or how much effort was made, all will be treated equally, no partiality.
Some manuscripts have the phrase “for many are called, but few chosen” (or similar) appended to the end of verse 14 (see NKJV, KJV). Believed by most scholars to have been added erroneously by copyists, perhaps recalling the end of a similar parable in Matthew 22:14 and adding it here.
Considerations
When the master of the house in Jesus’ parable asks, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” (see verse 15), from the perspective as the one who is the employer choosing what his employees get paid, our human logic and reasoning can accept that premise, even though not everyone will agree that it is fair. It is when we try to apply human wisdom and logic to understand the decisions of God is where and when we humans fail. Before we attempt to determine what is fair in life we should remember a few things, the first one is that we are not God, which means we cannot fully understand God, nor can we reason like He does. The second thing we need to remember is that He is a sovereign God, and that He will do what He wants and will bless anyone He chooses (see Exodus 33:19; Psalm 115:3), but that doesn’t mean that He will arbitrarily change His mind or do something that is outside His nature or character (see Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29). God always keeps His promises!
Human beings are simply not wired to understand the sovereignty of God. Even with the Word of God given to us in Scripture, mankind continues to struggle in their attempt to know and understand God. The apostle Paul wrote, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)
God is outside of time,[2] being the creator of time, He is not influenced by time. In Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8, they tell us that a day is like a thousand years to God. Neither verse refers to the days of creation in Genesis, for they are dealing with God not being bound by time. In 2 Peter 3:8 the context is in relation to Jesus’ second coming, pointing out the fact that with God a day is just like a thousand years. Since God does not experience time like we do, a day is to Him is no different than a thousand years. These verses have nothing to do with the definition of a day, about the days of creation, nor are they equations to be used for interpreting Scripture or prophecy.
Another great dilemma for us to comprehend regarding God’s sovereignty is to understand how an omniscient God can know what was going to happen and yet still allow it to happen. This dilemma has two levels, the first is in regard to God allowing people to disobey, and the other is in regard to a specific event or occurrence. God knew that man’s hearts would get corrupted, yet He gave man a free will to either obey or disobey. Why? The simple answer is that God did not want mindless ‘robots’, but faithful followers. In that sense, we truly cannot disappoint Him, as He already knows what we are going to do, but we can certainly cause Him great sorrow. The other level regarding specific events is equally difficult to understand, we can use the example of a newly hired mail-room employee questioning a decision that the company’s CEO made, like the mail-room employee, we don’t have access to all the facts, nor do we have the training or ability to process the information even if we did have access. The only answer we have is that God loves us, why? The Bible teaches that the answer to that question is beyond our ability to comprehend (see Ephesians 3:19), other than He truly does love us.
Another viewpoint regarding this parable is to see that since the Jews understood that they were the “Chosen People” (see Genesis 17:7; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 14:2; Amos 3:2) and the term ‘vineyard’ is an often-used reference to the nation of Israel in Scripture[3], they would have interpreted this parable at the beginning to be about them. But now someone matching the Messiah’s description shows up, not only not ‘freeing’ the Jewish people from the oppression of Roman rule (as thought to be the Messiah’s primary goal), He is now offering and making it possible for anyone to go to heaven. From their perspective many Jews thought they had an exclusive relationship with God and now Jesus arrives and offers salvation to anyone who confesses their sins and trusts Him to do as He promised when they die. All without the need to comply with the law given to Moses, no special diet, no circumcision, no sacrifices needed, nothing required, other than faith in Jesus Christ. From a Jew’s perspective that was wrong and certainly not fair. After all, they were there first, but since the law cannot save (remember no human can comply with the requirements for salvation), all people, including the Jews, need to accept Jesus as their Savior as all are saved through the efforts and blood of Jesus. He did all the work, He fulfilled the requirements of the law. We can see why this parable would have been offensive to many Jews.
Final Time Jesus Foretells of His Death
[Text parallels Mark 10:32-34 and Luke 18:31-34]
20:17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
This is the fourth and final time Jesus spoke to His twelve disciples about His death. The first time was an indirect reference (see Matthew 12:40), the second and third times were like this passage, using straightforward and very direct language (see Matthew 16:21-23 and 17:9-13). Because the first reference to His death used an indirect approach, it is often not counted (therefore referring to this as the third and final time). Again, the basic points are covered: When in Jerusalem, Jesus will be arrested, condemned to die by the chief priests[4] and scribes, He will be handed over to the Gentiles to be flogged and executed (referring to the Roman government because the Jews no longer had the authority to use capital punishment), and then three days after His death, be raised to life again. Jesus wanted them to understand well enough that when these events started to unfold, that they were not only expected but had to occur. He probably told them multiple times in the hope that they would remember, because He knew that they would continue to deny in their minds the possibility of these events could actually occur.
Considerations
Capital Punishment by the Jews Revoked
As previously mentioned, one of the greatest prophecies regarding Jesus was given by Israel (previously known as Jacob) as a blessing to his son Judah.[5] This prophecy is recorded in Genesis 49:8-12, from that text we learn that their kings and leaders will come from the tribe of Judah and that all of his brothers will bow before him. We also learn that the Messiah will come from the same royal line. As the prophecy notes that the ‘scepter’, an emblem of power over the Israelites, would never leave the tribe of Judah. This first began when David became king over the nation of Judah and then later all tribes (when altogether they were called Israel), the position of leadership (the ‘scepter’), never did depart from the tribe of Judah (being a single dynasty in the line of Judah), until Jesus came. And since Jesus is from the tribe of Judah and will live forevermore, the scepter never did, nor will it ever, depart from Judah. But from an earthly perspective, it was thought to have departed from Judah (since the region was often under the influence of foreign nations and kings). The definition of leadership (as represented by the word ‘scepter’) by most Jews was defined as being one who had the authority to render capital punishment. When the Sanhedrin was restricted by Roman law to put someone to death, many Jews thought God had turned His back on them, if true that would have indeed been a very serious concern. However, little did the Sanhedrin and the Jews know that just a few years before the Roman Emperor Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) who made the decree revoking the Jew’s ‘supreme’ power, there was in the town of Bethlehem one born, in the line of Judah, the Messiah, the King of Kings, our Savior! He who lives forever! Strictly speaking, the scepter never did depart and never will depart from the Tribe of Judah!
In the Bible, and many other ancient writings, “going down” refers to one heading north and “going up” was to proceed south. It is believed that this practice came from Egypt where going up the Nile would be to head south. According to the Corpus of Historical American English,[6] the English phrase “up north” first showed up in literature in the early 1830’s, reversing the meanings. In this passage, “going up” can also refer to the significant elevation change from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.
A Mother’s Bold Request
[Text parallels Mark 10:35-45]
20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.
As mentioned earlier, pride is the opposite of humility[7] and a detriment to be effective followers of Jesus, Christians must be humble like their Savior. If nothing else, this event helps us recognize that human beings haven’t changed through the years, or at least the desire for political power and self-importance hasn’t changed. Here, James and John along with their mother approach Jesus with a proposal. In Mark’s account, he notes that James and John come to Jesus and tell Him, “We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (see Mark 10:35), asking Him to agree even before being asked! Sounds like a little-child’s ploy for approval, knowing what they are going to ask for is wrong or out of the question. Here in Matthew’s account, the mother is asking that her two sons be given the best ‘seats’ in heaven. One might ask, where did this come from? Did it start with the mother? What did they tell her about Jesus? There are a number of potential answers to these questions, but perhaps the most overlooked point is that they clearly did not know what was going to happen to Jesus, even though He just finished telling them the sequence of events again.
Being patient and loving, Jesus tells them that they do not know what they are asking for and then asks them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” The reference to “drinking the cup,” refers to enduring something to the end. As they did not understand Jesus’ arrest, suffering, death, and resurrection, they certainly could not comprehend the events and ministry that followed, but they answered, “We are able.” Knowing that they would both later die as a result of their evangelism efforts, Jesus agreed that they would indeed drink His cup. Jesus then told them that what they asked for was not something He could grant. Those that will sit on the right hand and on the left hand in His kingdom are for those chosen and prepared for by His Father.
When the other ten disciples heard about this audacious and bold request, they were indignant (Greek ‘ēganaktēsan’,[8] grieved, resentful). Knowing how they were competitive and seeking the same recognition (see Matthew 18:1; Mark 9:34; Luke 9:46; 22:24), they were undoubtedly envious in their resentment.
20:25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus brings His disciples together to teach them that the ways of the world do not apply in His Kingdom. He tells them that the rulers of the Gentiles (Greek ‘ethnōn’,[9] people distinct from others, other nations) exercise their authority by ‘lording’ over them (Greek ‘katakyrieuousin’,[10] overpower, subdue), and those rulers have “great ones” above them. He explains that the ways of His Kingdom are just the opposite, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.” (verses 26b-27, NLT) Jesus then points out that even He came, not to be served but to serve and offer His life as a ransom (Greek ‘lytron’,[11] price paid for redeeming captives, in context delivering people from the bondage of sin) for many.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
[Text parallels Mark 10:46-52 and Luke 18:35-43]
20:29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
As Jesus and His disciples left Jericho, Matthew notes that they were being followed by a large crowd. Shortly afterwards they come across two blind men sitting alongside the road. When the blind men heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out to Him, apparently loud enough to be rebuked by the people to be quiet. But they just got louder, calling Jesus, the “Son of David,” a Messianic title.[12] Jesus asks the blind men, “What do you want me to do for you?” They asked for their eyes be opened, and Jesus, having compassion for them touched their eyes and immediately they were able to see. They then joined the crowd that was following Jesus.
There are some unbelievers that attempt to find and exploit any potential contradiction in the Bible and use it as evidence that Scripture cannot be trusted. The various seemingly conflicting accounts of this event has created some controversy. Here in Matthew, they encounter two blind men as they were leaving Jericho. In Mark’s account, Jesus and His disciples were also leaving Jericho when they encounter one blind man, named Bartimaeus. In Luke’s account, Jesus and the crowd were approaching Jericho when they encountered only one blind man too. Why the differences? Were they approaching or leaving Jericho? Were there one or two blind men? Some say this proves that the text is inaccurate and therefore untrustworthy. However, there are a number of ways to explain the variations without concluding that they are wrong. The fact that there are variations points out that the authors did not collaborate their stories, there is no evidence of collusion. Here are a few potential reasons as to why there are some differences: 1) they encountered one blind man when entering Jericho and another upon leaving (as a writer Matthew often summarizes events, sometimes leaving details out, for example see Matthew 4:23-25; 9:35-38); 2) since there were two cities named Jericho next to each other, one being a relatively new garden city built around a royal estate (during the late Hasmonean and early Herodian periods),[13] and the other being essentially the abandoned ruins of the old city, when Jesus went from one city to the other, Matthew and Mark recorded that they were leaving Jericho, while Luke recorded that they were entering Jericho; and 3) being similar but different events.
Matthew and Mark clearly affirm the healing occurred as Jesus left the city (Matt. 20:29; Mark 10:46). But Luke speaks of healing one blind man as He entered the city. This is supported by the fact that Luke refers only to a “multitude” of people being present as Jesus entered the city (18:36), but both Matthew (20:29) and Mark (10:46) make a point to say there was a “great multitude” of people there by the time Jesus left the city. If the word spread of the miraculous healing on the way into the city, this would account for the swelling of the crowd. It might also explain why two blind men were waiting on the other side of the city to plead for Jesus to heal them. Perhaps the first blind man who was healed went quickly to tell his blind friends what happened to him. Or maybe the other blind men were already stationed at the other end of the city in their customary begging position. At any rate, there is no irresolvable difficulty in the passage.[14]
Considerations
Some ask why Jesus had to ask the blind men what they wanted Him to do for them. They point out that Jesus, knowing their thoughts and being omniscient, He would have already known what they were going to ask. The reason is similar to the reason why God requires people to ask for things in prayer. He will never force His will on people, the choice must be ours. A good example of this can be found in Revelation when Jesus said to the church in Laodicea, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20) The image depicts Jesus standing at a door wanting to come into that church, but someone has to desire His presence and open the door. God always gives us a choice. For example, If we want salvation through Jesus, we need to confess our sins and ask Him for forgiveness, which He will provide.
Why would one desire to remain unhealthy? Some point out that an infirmity can become desirable when the condition provides an opportunity for income or attention that would otherwise not be attainable for the individual. If that person believed that their condition was favorable, they would have to consider what they would need to do for a living if they were healed.
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[1] See commentary under Matthew 17:24-27; 18:23-35.
[2] See Considerations under Matthew 12:1-8 regarding “The Dilemma of the Sabbath.”
[3] See Considerations under Matthew 21:45-46 regarding “The Nation of Israel as God’s Vineyard.”
[4] See Considerations under Matthew 26:3-5 " versus High Priest."
[5] See commentary under Matthew 1:3-5.
[6] Corpus of Historical American English (COHA). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://corpus.byu.edu/coha/
[7] See Considerations under Matthew 18:5-6 regarding “Pride.”
[8] Strong’s Greek 23.
[9] Strong’s Greek 1484.
[10] Strong’s Greek 2634.
[11] Strong’s Greek 3083.
[12] See commentary under Matthew 9:27-31 regarding the title “Son of David.”
[13] Negev, A. (1990). In The Archaeological encyclopedia of the Holy Land (3rd ed.). New York: Prentice Hall Press.
[14] Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (p. 353). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.