34 So G1161 Jesus G2424 had compassion G4697 on them, and touched G680 their G846 eyes: G3788 and G2532 immediately G2112 their G846 eyes G3788 received sight, G308 and G2532 they followed G190 him. G846
And G2532 he took G618 him G846 aside G2596 G2398 from G575 the multitude, G3793 and put G906 his G846 fingers G1147 into G1519 his G846 ears, G3775 and G2532 he spit, G4429 and touched G680 his G846 tongue; G1100
Finally, G1161 G5056 be ye all G3956 of one mind, G3675 having compassion one of another, G4835 love as brethren, G5361 be pitiful, G2155 be courteous: G5391
For G1063 we have G2192 not G3756 an high priest G749 which cannot G3361 G1410 be touched with the feeling G4834 of our G2257 infirmities; G769 but G1161 was G3985 in G2596 all points G3956 tempted G3985 G3987 like G2596 as G3665 we are, yet without G5565 sin. G266 Let us G4334 therefore G3767 come G4334 boldly G3326 G3954 unto the throne G2362 of grace, G5485 that G2443 we may obtain G2983 mercy, G1656 and G2532 find G2147 grace G5485 to help G996 in G1519 time of need. G2121
To open G455 their G846 eyes, G3788 and to turn G1994 them from G575 darkness G4655 to G1519 light, G5457 and G2532 from the power G1849 of Satan G4567 unto G1909 God, G2316 that they G846 may receive G2983 forgiveness G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 inheritance G2819 among G1722 them which are sanctified G37 by faith G4102 that is in G1519 me. G1691
When G5613 Jesus G2424 therefore G3767 saw G1492 her G846 weeping, G2799 and G2532 the Jews G2453 also weeping G2799 which came G4905 with her, G846 he groaned G1690 in the spirit, G4151 and G2532 was troubled, G5015 G1438 And G2532 said, G2036 Where G4226 have ye laid G5087 him? G846 They said G3004 unto him, G846 Lord, G2962 come G2064 and G2532 see. G1492 Jesus G2424 wept. G1145
When he had thus G5023 spoken, G2036 he spat G4429 on the ground, G5476 and G2532 made G4160 clay G4081 of G1537 the spittle, G4427 and G2532 he anointed G2025 G1909 the eyes G3788 of the blind man G5185 with the clay, G4081 And G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Go, G5217 wash G3538 in G1519 the pool G2861 of Siloam, G4611 (which G3739 is by interpretation, G2059 Sent.) G649 He went his way G565 therefore, G3767 and G2532 washed, G3538 and G2532 came G2064 seeing. G991
And G1161 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 Suffer ye G1439 thus G5127 far. G2193 And G2532 he touched G680 his G846 ear, G5621 and healed G2390 him. G846
Then G1161 Jesus G2424 called G4341 his G846 disciples G3101 unto him, and said, G2036 I have compassion G4697 on G1909 the multitude, G3793 because G3754 they continue G4357 with me G3427 now G2235 three G5140 days, G2250 and G2532 have G2192 nothing G3756 G5101 to eat: G5315 and G2532 I will G2309 not G3756 send G630 them G846 away G630 fasting, G3523 lest G3379 they faint G1590 in G1722 the way. G3598
Then G5119 touched he G680 their G846 eyes, G3788 saying, G3004 According G2596 to your G5216 faith G4102 be it G1096 unto you. G5213
It is good H2896 for me that I have been afflicted; H6031 that I might learn H3925 thy statutes. H2706
Before I was afflicted H6031 I went astray: H7683 but now have I kept H8104 thy word. H565
Wherefore G3606 in G2596 all things G3956 it behoved him G3784 to be made like G3666 unto his brethren, G80 that G2443 he might be G1096 a merciful G1655 and G2532 faithful G4103 high priest G749 in things pertaining to G4314 God, G2316 to G1519 make reconciliation for G2433 the sins G266 of the people. G2992
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.