FRAMEWORKS:
Matthew, chapter 20
v.1-16
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
v.17-19
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
v.20-28
A Mother's Request
v.29-34
Two Blind Men Receive Sight
v.1-16
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
v.1
(Jesus tells about vineyard
workers) “For
the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in
the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
v.2
(the owner pays the first
employed in the day) He
agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his
vineyard.
v.3
(later he goes out to
hire more) “About
nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the
marketplace doing nothing.
v.4
(he says I'll pay you
what is right) He
told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay
you whatever is right.'
v.5
(twice more in the day
he did the same thing) So
they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the
afternoon and did the same thing.
v.6
(yet again he draws in
some unemployed) About
five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing
around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day
long doing nothing?'
v.7
(he takes them on as
well) “‘Because
no one has hired us,' they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also
go and work in my vineyard.'
v.8
(at the end of the working
day it's time for payment) “When
evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call
the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last
ones hired and going on to the first.'
v.9
(the last ones in come
and are paid) “The
workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each
received a denarius.
v.10
(when the rest come they
are all paid the same as those in last) So
when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive
more. But each one of them also received a denarius.
v.11,12
(they grumble about this)
When they received
it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘
These who were hired last worked
only one hour,' they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us
who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
v.13
(but he points out they
all agreed when taken on) “But
he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend.
Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?
v.14
(go, I want to bless
everyone the same) Take
your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the
same as I gave you.
v.15
(don't be envious of
my generosity to those who come [later in life]) Don't
I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you
envious because I am generous?'
v.16
(again, kingdom values
are reversed) “So
the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
[Comment:
Jesus tells a parable about vineyard workers to explain
that it is pure grace that any of us enter the kingdom of God.]
v.17-19
Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
v.17
(they start off for Jerusalem)
Now Jesus was
going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and
said to them,
v.18,19
(he explains again that
he will die there) “We
are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered
over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will
condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to
be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will
be raised to life!”
[Comment:
Jesus again predicts his forthcoming death. See 16:21
on.]
v.20-28
A Mother's Request
v.20
(the mother of James
and John comes asking for a favour) Then
the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and,
kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
v.21
(she wants her sons to
be top people in the kingdom) “What
is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these
two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left
in your kingdom.”
v.22
(you don't know what
that entails says Jesus) “You
don't know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you
drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.
v.23
(only my Father decides
who will be what) Jesus
said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at
my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to
those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
v.24
(the ten are indignant)
When the ten
heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
v.25
(Jesus points out that
it's in the world it works like that) Jesus
called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise
authority over them.
v.26-28
(not so in the kingdom
where values are reversed) Not
so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your
slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
[Comment:
The mother of James and John petitions Jesus on their
behalf and he explains why it's not possible for him to do that,
and then teaches the disciples again on humility and servant-heartedness.]
v.29-34
Two Blind Men Receive Sight
v.29
(leaving Jericho a big
crowd follow) As
Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed
him.
v.30
(two blind men call out
for help) Two
blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that
Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy
on us!”
v.31
(the crowd reject them
but they carry on crying out) The
crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted
all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
v.32
(Jesus asked them what
they wanted) Jesus
stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?”
he asked.
v.33
(our sight!) “Lord,”
they answered, “we want our sight.”
v.34
(he healed them both)
Jesus had compassion
on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their
sight and followed him.
[Comment:
Jesus heals two blind men outside Jericho.]
Continue
to Chapter 21