No matter when a man comes to Christ, he is equally dear to him. If, among this number who are called into the kingdom, I choose to raise some to stations of distinguished usefulness, and to confer on them special talents and higher rewards, I injure no other one. And because they were sent of God, they each one received from the Lord that same portion.Sometimes we see people who on their deathbed receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and they enter into eternal life. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. 20:17-19 As he was going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them, while they were on the road, "Look you, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the Scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and on the third day he will be raised.". "Thank the Lord, my rock, who trained my hands to fight and my fingers to do battle, my merciful one, my fortress, my stronghold, and my savior, my". He will never be less than fair, but reserves the right to be more than fair as pleases Him. And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" And he went out about the third hour: The third hour was about 9:00 a.m.; the sixth hour was about 12 noon; the eleventh hour was about 5:00 in the evening. So, on the other hand, the centurion sets forth with no less aptness the characteristic faith that suits the Gentile, in a simplicity which looks for nothing but the word of His mouth, is perfectly content with it, knows that, whatever the disease may be, He has only to speak the word, and it is done according to His divine will. Your partnership makes all we do possible. Follow Christ's journey to the Cross. Here he asserts his own justice; Friend, I do thee no wrong. Though there be degrees of glory in heaven, yet it will be to all a complete happiness. He said to them, 'Go you also to the vineyard.' Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. The last trumpet, at the great day, shall call the labourers,1 Thessalonians 4:16. More and more excellent shall be the children of the desolate than those of the married wife,Isaiah 54:1. Who knows but that the church, in its old age, may be more fat and flourishing than ever, to show that the Lord is upright? ), but as some charitable generous householders keep poor men to work, in kindness to them, to save them from idleness and poverty, and pay them for working for themselves. Jesus blessedly answered their thoughts, had there only been a conscience to hear the word of power and grace, which brings out His glory the more. James was the first of the apostolic band to die a martyr ( Acts 12:2). So the last shall be first, and the first last. He came to occupy not a throne, but a cross. He is not going to lower Himself to a human measure. Far from lowering the position of His servant, He declares there was none greater among mortal men. And he said, "If a person eats or drinks in an unworthy manner, he is eating and drinking damnation to his own soul"( 1 Corinthians 11:26 ). "Lord, save us; we perish," cried they, as they awoke Him; and He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. Laborers in the Vineyard. People simply do not and cannot MERIT salvation. It is best understood as a parable about grace and reward. The Saviour, while He puts forth His hand, touching him as man, and yet as none but Jehovah might dare to do, dispels the hopeless disease at once. Who could touch the leper save Emmanuel? Had she not such confusion of thought that, if the Lord had heeded her words, it must have been destruction to her? I didn't come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give my life as a ransom for many ( Matthew 20:28 ). "Christ demands that the driving force in your life must be love. In that market-place men stood waiting because no one had hired them; in his compassion the master gave them work to do. Note, [1.] Then the mother of Zebedees sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. Johannine Writings And to these men who were blind, they saw this as their one opportunity for a whole new life. "And He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city." He's being despised and rejected. But there's a big twist. He that would be great among you, let him be your servant and if you want to be chief, then become the bondslave." Peters question about what the Twelve would receive (Matthew 20:27) had implied that they should receive a greater reward since their sacrifice had been greater. It is a short time; the reward is for eternity, the work is but for a day; man is said to accomplish, as a hireling, his day,Job 14:6. That the recompence of reward will be given to the saints, not according to the time of their conversion, but according to the preparations for it by grace in this world; not according to the seniority (Genesis 43:33), but according to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. it was not for the whole the Physician was needed. THE FALSE AND THE TRUE AMBITION ( Matthew 20:20-28 ), 20:20-28 At that time the mother of Zebedee's sons came to him with her sons, kneeling before him, and asking something from him. 4. To labour in his vineyard. And there were also with Him other little ships. ii. What feelings at such a time! He was not taken by surprise; He knew it from the beginning Man's implacable hatred is brought about most manifestly in the ways and spirit of His rejectors. It was made after a series of announcements by Jesus that ahead of him lay an inescapable Cross; it was made at a moment when the air was heavy with the atmosphere of tragedy and the sense of foreboding. It was the little foreshadowing of what will be when the Lord has joined the remnant in the last days, and then fills with blessing the land that He touches. The question fairly arises, Why it is that the Holy Ghost has been pleased so remarkably to leave time out of the question in this chapter, as well as in the next? The world knows quite well that a good man is a man who serves his fellow-men. This was the very blessing that aroused, above all, the hatred of the scribes. (2.) Matthew 20 - The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints Thus many that are last shall be first. ), NIV, Story of Jesus: Experience the Life of Jesus as One Seamless Story, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Revelation, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Galatians, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People. A few I have chosen for higher stations in the church. The Lord, however, in the same chapter, shows that it was not a question alone of what was to be done, or to be suffered, or is to be by-and-by, but what He was, and is, and never can but be. It often happens that we are easily discouraged from seeking the presence of God. Nonetheless God had the right to give just as great reward to those whose service was not as long. A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage. [1.] Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. That which was the first in order chose the four citizens who were judged the most proper to serve in the war; and the six tribunes who commanded the first legion chose one of these four, whom they liked best. There are two great lessons here. The book features 50 challenges to do with your partner at affordable price points (FREE to about $50). On the evening of the day when He delivered the seven parables given in Matthew 13:1-58. A new tribe presented other four soldiers, and the second legion chose first. iv. The Lord increase thy earnestness and faith! (Clarke), 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission, The Whole Bible He makes some more useful than others, without regard to the time which they serve, and he will reward them accordingly. Having left Nazareth, as we saw, He takes up His abode in Capernaum, which was henceforth "His own city." The Lord shows that such unbelief justly and necessarily excludes itself, but not others, from blessing. All our service is already due to God; it belongs to Him. Idols, abominations, no longer infected that dwelling as of old. It was true that He was made of woman, and made under the law; but He was Jehovah Himself, that lowly Nazarene. Think of when this request was made. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. i. My Adventure Challenge - Home - Facebook This finds its fitting place, not in Luke, but in Matthew, particularly as the details here (not in Mark, who only gives the general fact) cast great light upon God's dispensational ways. They will condemn Him to death: Jesus confidently predicted that the religious leaders would do this; yet this was not something He could plan. The Old Testament They complained against the landowner: After being paid, the men hired first took up their complaint with the landowner. Their expectation was so focused on Jesus establishing an immediate political kingdom, and these words from Jesus were so contrary to that anticipation, these words just went over their heads. A Roman coin was once found with the picture of an ox on it; the ox was facing two things--an altar and a plough; and the inscription read: "Ready for either." A complete new set of values has been brought into life. The grape harvest ripened towards the end of September, and then close on its heels the rains came. "Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom? ., p. Disciples in Jesus day would not necessarily receive more reward than disciples whom God calls to serve Him just before the day of laboring ends, before His second coming. Nevertheless, when there was the display of the glory of the kingdom, the Father's voice proclaimed Him as His own Son, and not merely as the man thus exalted. It was precisely because He was Himself untouchable by sickness and infirmity, that He was free so to take up each consequence of sin thus. I say not how fax he had realized this profound truth; I say not that he could have defined his thoughts; but he knew and declared His command of all as truly God. She was a regular member of the disciple group who accompanied Jesus (Matthew 27:56), so her involvement in her sons ambitious ideas is hardly surprising. (France). Their reward was as much of grace as was that of the bitter "firsters"! Poetical Books Some make it a caution to the disciples, who had boasted of their timely and zealous embracing of Christ; they had left all, to follow him; but let them look to it, that they keep up their zeal; let them press forward and persevere; else their good beginnings will avail them little; they that seemed to be first, would be last. It adds to the reason for this interpretation, that Christ was conversing about the rewards that should be given to his followers, and not about the numbers that should be called, or about the doctrine of election. There never can be strength in the soul till forgiveness is known. Shall we turn to Matthew's gospel chapter twenty, and continue our book-by-book study through the Word of God? Any worker was welcome, even if he could give only an hour to the work. Is thine eye evil, because I am good? The disciples had been summoned to work in the vineyard. The aggravation of it; "It is because I am good." but it was far too much for the young man. It is worth stopping to see what the crude hands of theology have done with that lovely saying. Major Prophets If it be so, it is surely a ground of thankfulness to God; for it turns a stumbling-block into an evidence of the perfection of Scripture. The true disciple is motivated by love not lust. They were beggars; but it was not money they asked for, it was nothing less than sight. May we not go even further with this thought of comfort? He never failed to tell men that, even if life ends in crown-wearing, it continues in cross-bearing. Many people are in the ministry for what they can receive (either materially or emotionally) from their people instead of for what they can give. 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. Matthew 20:16 - Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. It is hard for those that do or suffer more than ordinary for God, not to be elevated too much with the thought of it, and to expect to merit by it. . For this challenge, you'll need dinner at home and two nerf guns. Here is royalty and kingship restated and remade. The old people and work then closed in principle, and a new work of God in the kingdom of heaven was disclosed. Whereas, on the contrary, there are other kinds of order that call for more profound thought and enlarged views, if we may speak now after the manner of men; and, indeed, I deny not that these the Holy Ghost employed in His own wisdom, though it is hardly needful to say He could, if He pleased, demonstrate His superiority to any means or qualifications whatsoever. Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am going to be baptized with? He was not setting out rules for wages and employment, but giving an illustration of Gods grace. And then Paul warned the Corinthians about the manner in which they did partake of the Lord's supper. And I do believe that in communion there should always be healing services, where people as they take the broken bread and remember the suffering of Jesus Christ, by faith receive the result of that suffering; the purpose for which God allowed Him to be suffered, and receive healing and strength in your body. He was ignorant of himself, because ignorant of God, and imagined that it was only a question of man's doing good for God. . Every man has to learn that true greatness lies, not in dominance, but in service; and that in every sphere the price of greatness must be paid. He was really God in man; and all these wonderful features are here presented and compressed in this most simple, but at the same time significant, action of the Saviour the fitting frontispiece to Matthew's manifestation of the Messiah to Israel. We can never repay God for what he has done for us but we can always be grateful to him. It is a question, then, of internal evidence, what that particular order is which God has employed in each different gospel. If there were, so to speak, a justification of circumcision by faith, undoubtedly there was also the justification of uncircumcision through their faith. (G) On the third day(H) he will be raised to life!(I). And they went their way. "Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?" 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. We have two things in the parable; the agreement with the labourers, and the account with them. The world counts them great. At least we can draw the following applications from it. It is easy to sympathize with these who had worked all day. "Reversal!" Matthew 20:16 (What Jesus Did!) - Heartlight iii. So our goal as disciples is to value things now as God does. Thus Matthew, called at the very receipt of custom, follows Jesus, and makes a feast for Him. Has nothing yet had power to engage us to sacred service? It doesn't mean someone who is to be looked up to, and someone who is to be catered to, and someone who is to be bowed to, and all of this kind of stuff, and do special favors because he is the minister. They couldn't see Him. (iii) These two blind men had an imperfect faith but they were determined to act on the faith they had. So the last shall be first, and the first last As he had asserted in ( Matthew 19:30 ) and which is clearly illustrated by this parable, as it may be applied to Jews or Gentiles, or to nominal and real Christians: for many be called; externally, under the ministration of the Gospel, as the Jews in general were, by Christ and his apostles; but, few chosen; in Christ from all eternity, both to grace and glory; and in consequence, and as an evidence of it, but few among the Jews; as also in the Gentile world, comparatively speaking: and even but a few of those that are outwardly called, are inwardly and effectually called by the powerful grace of God, out of darkness into marvellous light, into the grace and liberty of the Gospel, into communion with Christ, and to the obtaining his kingdom and glory, according to the eternal purpose of God. There is such tremendous reward just in being able to minister to people, the feedback that comes from it is so rewarding. ". 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he . It was to James and John that Jesus spoke. Note, First, The church is God's vineyard; it is of his planting, watering, and fencing; and the fruits of it must be to his honour and praise. In our gospel we have not seen the apostles called and ordained. Basically what He is teaching is that as we serve the Lord in His vineyard, that what really counts is the fact the Lord sent me. The Spirit of God has been pleased to cull and class facts otherwise unconnected; for here follow conversations that took place a long time after any of the events we have been occupied with. (Matthew 20:24-28) The disciples reaction; Jesus sets forth true greatness. For many are called, but few chosen.. "If you really want to be great in the kingdom of God, learn to be the servant of all. They did not see why they should be allowed to stake their claims to preeminence. The idea was you were to confess the crimes that you had committed against Rome, and as you confessed your crimes, the man who was administering that scourging would go easier and easier on you. The design is, I think, manifest: the Spirit of God is here giving a vivid picture of the manifestation of the Messiah, of His divine glory, of His grace and power, with the effect of this manifestation.
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