3 And G2532 he went out G1831 about G4012 the third G5154 hour, G5610 and saw G1492 others G243 standing G2476 idle G692 in G1722 the marketplace, G58
But G1161 whereunto G5101 shall I liken G3666 this G5026 generation? G1074 It is G2076 like G3664 unto children G3808 sitting G2521 in G1722 the markets, G58 and G2532 calling G4377 unto their G846 fellows, G2083 And G2532 saying, G3004 We have piped G832 unto you, G5213 and G2532 ye have G3738 not G3756 danced; G3738 we have mourned G2354 unto you, G5213 and G2532 ye have G2875 not G3756 lamented. G2875
And G1161 about G4012 the eleventh G1734 hour G5610 he went out, G1831 and found G2147 others G243 standing G2476 idle, G692 and G2532 saith G3004 unto them, G846 Why G5101 stand ye G2476 here G5602 all G3650 the day G2250 idle? G692 They say G3004 unto him, G846 Because G3754 no man G3762 hath hired G3409 us. G2248 He saith G3004 unto them, G846 Go G5217 ye G5210 also G2532 into G1519 the vineyard; G290 and G2532 whatsoever G3739 G1437 is G5600 right, G1342 that shall ye receive. G2983
Therefore G3767 G3303 disputed he G1256 in G1722 the synagogue G4864 with the Jews, G2453 and G2532 with the devout persons, G4576 and G2532 in G1722 the market G58 daily G2596 G3956 G2250 with G4314 them that met with him. G3909 Then G1161 certain G5100 philosophers G5386 of the Epicureans, G1946 and G2532 of the Stoicks, G4770 encountered G4820 him. G846 And G2532 some G5100 said, G3004 What G5101 will G302 G2309 this G3778 babbler G4691 say? G3004 G1161 other some, He seemeth G1380 to be G1511 a setter forth G2604 of strange G3581 gods: G1140 because G3754 he preached G2097 unto them G846 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 the resurrection. G386 And G5037 they took G1949 him, G846 and brought him G71 unto G1909 Areopagus, G697 saying, G3004 May G1410 we know G1097 what G5101 this G3778 new G2537 doctrine, G1322 whereof G5259 thou G4675 speakest, G2980 is? For G1063 thou bringest G1533 certain G5100 strange things G3579 to G1519 our G2257 ears: G189 we would G1014 know G1097 therefore G3767 what G5101 these things G5023 mean. G302 G2309 G1511 (For G1161 all G3956 the Athenians G117 and G2532 strangers G3581 which G3588 were there G1927 spent their time G2119 in G1519 nothing G3762 else, G2087 but either G2228 to tell, G3004 or G2532 to hear G191 some G5100 new thing.) G2537
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.