MATTHEW 20 Entrance into the kingdom of God is by the grace of God alone; not by any effort of human endeavor. There is equality in the kingdom. Those who were His followers could not presume they had a higher status because were with Him from the beginning of His public ministry. In the kingdom of God, the way up is down. The way to win is to lose. The way to get is to give. The way to live is to die. The amazing generosity of God reveals the fullness and the greatness of His grace.
God’s grace makes of no-account, religious superstars, and church heroes. There are no higher and lower classes of people in a scripturally gathered New Testament assembly of believers in Christ. Every one of the children of God admits openly and gladly, “By the grace of God, I am what I am! I have nothing, nor have I done anything to deserve the least of God’s mercies!”
God’s values are the opposite of human values. Greatness in the kingdom is found in service, not in position or dominion over other people. Cross-bearing daily is what counts in the kingdom of God instead of wearing a crown of honor that is seen by people. The Lord Jesus demonstrated what is valuable by stopping to show His care for two blind men who expressed their faith in Him openly. He gave them sight as He passed through Jericho on the way to His death at Jerusalem. Compassion and service are kingdom characteristics.
Laborers in the vineyard, v.1-16 This chapter begins with illustrating the Lord’s previous teaching in chapter 19:30. A normal and acceptable wage for laborers and soldiers in the time and place of which the Lord spoke in the parable, was a penny (a denarius). A day’s labor was from 6:00 in the morning to 6:00 at night. Both the landowner and laborer would have agreed to that before the laborer went to work. The marketplace in those days was like the employment office now, or a location that is common in rural America where day laborers wait for an opportunity to get work.
Getting workers at 9:00, 12:00, 3:00, and 5:00 would indicate the landowner had an urgent need of help to either harvest or tend to the vineyard. Urgency creates a need, and each of those who were in the market area responded immediately to the opportunity to work. The point the Lord made was that each responded to the call of the landowner to work in spite of the time of day. The 5:00 workers didn’t say it was too late in the day. None of those who were called to work later than the first group asked nor knew how much they would be paid. They were just glad for the opportunity to get something. They trusted in the grace of the landowner to pay what He considered was right.
The conclusion of the parable is a look into the principles of the kingdom in which there is no respect for persons, no need to compare one person with the other, and no favoritism shown because of the length of life and service in the kingdom. Everyone in the kingdom of God is there because of the grace of God; not because of any efforts or merits of their own.
By paying the last laborers first, each group of laborers would know what the ones before they received. There would have been no grumbling while they were all working in the vineyard because they were all working because of the grace of the landowner. Likely when the last group joined the work at the last hour, even those who came early in the morning would be glad because the urgent work would be concluded earlier and without loss of product. The grumbling came when they began to compare themselves with each other. They focused their attention on themselves and what they thought they were worth in comparison with other people rather than on the One who gave them what the contract agreed to. No one received less than he was worth.
The parties involved in the contract were not the laborers with each other, but each one to the landowner. His obligation to the laborers was his affair. Those who grumbled against the owner did so because of His generosity. He was in no way unfair. Service for the Lord Jesus Christ will be faithfully and fully rewarded, no matter who the person is or how long they were saved and living for the Lord. Equal faithfulness as it relates to one’s opportunity, will be equally rewarded.
It is only God who can properly make an assessment of faithfulness and opportunities to serve Him. Human judgments based on human efforts have nothing at all to do with grace, but rather with debt. Human judgments may be reversed when we are limited to what is considered “fair” by our standards. In contrast to that, God deals with us in grace, not by what we deserve. If we were given what we deserve, no one would ever be saved. But unmerited favor is an act on the part of God’s own great heart of love and grace to us.
More details of Jesus’ death and resurrection, v.17-19 Further details of Christ’s death and resurrection were given to the disciples this third time the Lord Jesus told them about what was going to happen at Jerusalem. More information about what was going to happen at His death and resurrection included the fact that His suffering would not only be at the hands of those Jews who rejected Him. In this passage of scripture, the Lord spoke about the Gentiles and what they would do to Him.
The Gentiles would mock Him because of His claim to kingship and omniscient power. “Thou could have no power at all against Me except it was given thee from above.” He who was the King of the Jews, but did not use His power against those who vented their cruelty against Him, endured the blindfolding and buffeting; the spitting and verbal abuse. He was given a mocking crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His hand as a scepter. The borrowed robe was to mock His position of authority.
Scourging was a Roman practice that in the case of our Lord Jesus, was a fulfillment of a prophecy that was made regarding those who made “long their furrows.” Crucifixion was a long and excruciatingly painful execution during which many people would see and hear the suffering person dying a slow death. It was a Roman means to create fear and subjugate people into submitting to the imperial power of Rome. To see a crucifixion would inflict fear in all who saw it as to what could happen to them if they stepped out of line with Roman authority.
The Lord Jesus Christ told them about the resurrection, so they would know He had ultimate power over every power in heaven and earth. The disciples had been witnesses to His power over death in others. They would be witnesses to His statement, “I have the power to lay down My life, and I have the power to take it again.” Our Lord Jesus Christ has victorious power over even the cruelest things Gentiles could do because He would rise again triumphant over death.
A request for preferment, v. 20-28 Despite Jesus’ teaching on true greatness and true reward; those who heard it, including the disciples and likely the mother of James and John, hadn’t understood. Perhaps they were still expecting preference and privilege because they had been following Him from the beginning of His public ministry. The mother of James and John, was likely Salome, a sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. She was the wife of Zebedee, a fisherman, and would have been the aunt of Jesus. She must have thought the twelve thrones on which the disciples would sit, would be established soon, and wanted to see her sons in places of authority. Apparently, her opinion was shared by the two of them as well.
Nepotism was common then, and it is common quite common everywhere in the world today, but it is not based on faith and humility as is the kingdom of heaven. Rather, it is based on position, prestige, power, pretense, and family connections. God’s values are the opposite of sinful human values. Greatness in God’s kingdom is in serving, not in domination. The cross, not the crown is evidence of greatness in the kingdom of God.
The response of James and John to the question the Lord asked regarding the cup of suffering He had told them of, was sincere and serious when they said they were able to experience suffering. They knew the cup was that of suffering and the baptism He spoke of was even to the extent of death. In faith, they could see farther into the kingdom. They knew there would be a serious cost to pay for following Jesus. James was the first disciple to die for the Lord Jesus Christ. John suffered probably the longest of any of the disciples because he lived the longest, and experienced imprisonment in isolation on the island of Patmos.
In the roles of divine Persons, there are designated areas over which each has a prerogative. The Lord Jesus is the king of the coming kingdom. People are born into the kingdom by the Holy Spirit. The Father assigns positions in the kingdom.
The other ten disciples were quite upset because they looked at leadership as those who have authority over others. The Lord made it clear that in the kingdom, leaders are true servants to the people. They serve as willing bond slaves, not only in practical matters but as spiritually mature people who are willing to do whatever is necessary for the blessing of others. The Lord Himself came to do that very thing, and He was their example. Many will be saved because of the willingness of God to save them by His grace, but sadly not all are willing to take God’s offer of salvation.
Sight for the Blind, v.29-34 There are variations in the accounts of the healing of blind men. That makes it clear the writers of the four Gospels, didn’t deliberately try to make the events of the ministry of Jesus exactly the same. The Holy Spirit made each account suitable to the distinct purpose of each Gospel. The differences emphasize different points of interest. Relating to the event.
For instance, there were two parts to Jericho. One part was where the poor Jews lived, and the other part was where Herod and the wealthy people who served him in the winter months, lived a lavish lifestyle in a huge protected compound. The blind men were in neither place as outcast beggars seeking help between the two parts of Jericho. One blind man stood out as the prominent one of the two. He was Bartimaeus who had no hesitation to call out to Jesus calling Him “Lord,” and “Son of David” (Messiah).
Even as He was going to Jerusalem and facing His own death, the Lord Jesus Christ showed His compassion and grace to those in need of Him. In the people of the Lord, there are certain inborn spiritual characteristics that go along with the new nature God gives us. There is a real desire in every newborn believer to see other people saved from their sins and hell. There is an inherent concern for the welfare of others as fellow travelers to eternity. There is love for others and a willingness to show grace to those who need grace. There is love for Christ that constrains a child of God to do what is best for other people and give them the Gospel message. There is a willingness to take the low place without any fuss about it, and gracious dignity and humility when for some reason they are given the honor. They give God all the glory for any blessing they have been able to bestow on others and are grateful to God for any blessing bestowed on them. Kingdom living and all it entails comes naturally to the newborn believers, although the practices and principles of the kingdom have to be taught as to how best to do the will of God.