14 Take G142 that thine G4674 is, and G2532 go thy way: G5217 G1161 I will G2309 give G1325 unto this G5129 last, G2078 even G2532 as G5613 unto thee. G4671
And he said, H559 Come H3212 with me, and see H7200 my zeal H7068 for the LORD. H3068 So they made him ride H7392 in his chariot. H7393
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Jehu, H3058 Because thou hast done well H2895 in executing H6213 that which is right H3477 in mine eyes, H5869 and hast done H6213 unto the house H1004 of Ahab H256 according to all that was in mine heart, H3824 thy children H1121 of the fourth H7243 generation shall sit H3427 on the throne H3678 of Israel. H3478 But Jehu H3058 took no heed H8104 to walk H3212 in the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 with all his heart: H3824 for he departed H5493 not from the sins H2403 of Jeroboam, H3379 which made Israel H3478 to sin. H2398
Son H1121 of man, H120 Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 caused H5647 his army H2428 to serve H5647 a great H1419 service H5656 against Tyrus: H6865 every head H7218 was made bald, H7139 and every shoulder H3802 was peeled: H4803 yet had he no wages, H7939 nor his army, H2428 for Tyrus, H6865 for the service H5656 that he had served H5647 against it: Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I will give H5414 the land H776 of Egypt H4714 unto Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon; H894 and he shall take H5375 her multitude, H1995 and take H7997 her spoil, H7998 and take H962 her prey; H957 and it shall be the wages H7939 for his army. H2428 I have given H5414 him the land H776 of Egypt H4714 for his labour H6468 wherewith he served H5647 against it, because they wrought H6213 for me, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Therefore G3767 when G3752 thou doest G4160 thine alms, G1654 do G4537 not G3361 sound a trumpet G4537 before G1715 thee, G4675 as G5618 the hypocrites G5273 do G4160 in G1722 the synagogues G4864 and G2532 in G1722 the streets, G4505 that G3704 they may have glory G1392 of G5259 men. G444 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 They have G568 their G846 reward. G3408
But G1161 thou, G4771 when G3752 thou prayest, G4336 enter G1525 into G1519 thy G4675 closet, G5009 and G2532 when thou hast shut G2808 thy G4675 door, G2374 pray G4336 to thy G4675 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 secret; G2927 and G2532 thy G4675 Father G3962 which G3588 seeth G991 in G1722 secret G2927 shall reward G591 thee G4671 openly. G1722 G5318
Moreover G1161 when G3752 ye fast, G3522 be G1096 not, G3361 as G5618 the hypocrites, G5273 of a sad countenance: G4659 for G1063 they disfigure G853 their G846 faces, G4383 that G3704 they may appear G5316 unto men G444 to fast. G3522 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 G3754 They have G568 their G846 reward. G3408
And G1161 he said G2036 unto him, G846 Son, G5043 thou G4771 art G1488 ever G3842 with G3326 me, G1700 and G2532 all G3956 that I have G1699 is G2076 thine. G4674
But G1161 Abraham G11 said, G2036 Son, G5043 remember G3415 that G3754 thou G4771 in G1722 thy G4675 lifetime G2222 receivedst G618 thy G4675 good things, G18 and G2532 likewise G3668 Lazarus G2976 evil things: G2556 but G1161 now G3568 G3592 he is comforted, G3870 and G1161 thou G4771 art tormented. G3600
God forbid: G3361 G1096 yea, G1161 let G1096 God G2316 be G1096 true, G227 but G1161 every G3956 man G444 a liar; G5583 as G2531 it is written, G1125 That G3704 thou mightest G302 be justified G1344 in G1722 thy G4675 sayings, G3056 and G2532 mightest overcome G3528 when G1722 thou G4571 art judged. G2919
Now G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 what things soever G3745 the law G3551 saith, G3004 it saith G2980 to them who are under G1722 the law: G3551 that G2443 every G3956 mouth G4750 may be stopped, G5420 and G2532 all G3956 the world G2889 may become G1096 guilty G5267 before God. G2316
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.