LESSON 7
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
CHPTRS. 20-24
CHAPTER 20
Matthew 20:1-34
Matt. 20: 1-16 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.2 “Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.3 “And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,4 “and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went.5 “Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.6 “And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’7 “They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’8 “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’9 “And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.10 “But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.11 “And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,12 “saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’13 “But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14 ‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.15 ‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’16 “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
20:1-16 THE PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS For the sovereigndom of the heavens is likened to a man — a lord of the house who goes at dawn to hire workers for his vineyard: and he bargains with the workers for a dinara a day: and apostolizes them to his vineyard: and about the hour three he goes and sees others standing idle in the market and words to them, You also go to the vineyard, and I give you what you need.— and they go. He goes again about hour six and nine and works likewise: and about the hour eleven he goes and finds others standing idle and words to them, Why stand you here idle all day? They word to him, Humanity hires us not. He words to them: You also go to the vineyard: and whatever you need, you take. And when, being evening, the lord of the vineyard words to his Rabbi of the House, Call the workers, and give them their reward, beginning from the final until the first. And those of hour eleven come: and they each take denara, denara.( denarious plural of denara) And when the first come and they presume to take much more: and they also take denara, denara .(denarious) And when they take, they murmur against the lord of the house, wording, These final worked one hour and you equalize them with us who bore the load and scorch of the day. And he answers, wording to one of them, Comrade, I injure you not. Has it not been for a denara denara you bargained with me? Take your own and go: and I will to give this final, as to you. Or am I not allowed to work whatever I will with my own? Or is your eye evil because I am graced? Thus, the final become first, and the first final: for many are called but few selected. Aramaic NC
A. THE PARABLE SUMMARIZED
1. Early in the morning a landowner hires laborers to work for an agreed upon wage – Matt. 20:1-2.
2. Later, at different hours of the day, he finds more and hires them also, for a fair but unspecified wage – Matt. 20:3-7.
3. At the end of the day, they are all paid equally, which irritates those who had worked all day – Matt. 20:8-12 4. The landowner responds to the complainers.
a. I treated you fairly, for you received according to our agreement – Matt. 20:13-14a.
b. I wish to pay the others the same – Matt. 20:14b.
1) Do I have not the right? – Matt. 20:15a.
2) Are you envious, because I am gracious? – Matt. 20:15b.
4. Jesus concludes by repeating the warning – Matt. 20:16 (some manuscripts add another warning: For many are called, but few chosen), meaning many are called but few make the choice to answer the call.
B. THE MESSAGE OF THE PARABLE
1. Many and varied have been the interpretations; for example:
a. The various bands of workers are the O.T. saints; those called at the eleventh hour are the apostles.
b. The workers first called are the Jews, those called last are the Gentiles.
c. The parable represents the whole gospel age up to Christ’s return, and the workers are groups saved at various periods.
d. It refers to different periods of a person’s life in which he may respond to the Lord: some responding early, others late in life.
2. Since this parable is in response to Peter’s question, I suggest:
a. That the first workers represent the apostles and others like them.
1) Who are called by Christ through the gospel early in life
2) And who therefore may labor long and hard in the vineyard (i.e., the kingdom of God).
b. The other workers represent those who are called by Christ via the gospel at various times.
1) Some of whom are called late in life.
2) Who do not have opportunity to do as much for the Lord.
3. In light of this interpretation, the main point of the parable is:
a. What everyone receives will be more than fair.
b. No one has the right to question the generosity of the Lord (Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?)
c. Those who may serve long and hard should not be envious if others receive the same reward.
d. Therefore no one should serve the Lord with a commercial or mercenary spirit!
1) The very danger Peter was close to falling into by the question he raised!
2) A danger to which we are all susceptible!
4. Perhaps I should stress that this parable is NOT saying that those who purposely put off obeying Christ until the last moment can be saved!
a. If that were the point, the parable would have been worded differently.
1) Notice that those who responded at the late hour of the day had not been working, because no one hired us. – Matt. 20:7 2 They accepted the offer as soon as they heard it, though late in the day — They were not people who turned down many opportunities to accept the offer to labor in the vineyard, only to accept at the last hour!
b. Many question whether one can be saved at the last moment after lifelong rejection of the gospel. I say, Yes. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:13
The point is, did you fulfill your calling and the Book that was written for you all the days of your life?
Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Verse 16-So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.
Many are called, but few make the choice.
Matt. 20:17-34 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,19 “and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”22 But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”24 And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.26 “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.27 “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
20:17-34 YAH SHUA PROPHESIES HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION And Yah Shua prepares to ascend to Uri Shelem and leads the twelve disciples among him in the way and words to them ,Behold, we ascend to Uri Shelem to shelem of the Son of humanity to the Rabbi Priests and to the scribes — to condemn him to death— to shelem him to the peoples— to mock and to torture and to stake and the third day he rises.
PRIORITY POSITIONS Then the mother of the sons of Zabedai approaches — she and her sons, worshipping him and asking somewhat of him. And he words to her, What will you? She words to him, Word that these my two sons sit, the one by your right and the one by your left in your sovereigndom. Yah Shua answers and words, You know not what you ask: Are you able to drink of the cup I am prepared to drink? — or baptized with the baptizing I am baptized? They word to him: We are able. And he words to them, My cup, you drink and baptized with baptizing I am baptized — and to sit by my right and by my left be not my own to give — except for whom it is prepared by my Father.
THE TEN INDIGNANT DISCIPLES And when the ten hear, they anger over the two brothers. And Yah Shua calls them, and words to them, You know that the hierarchs of the peoples Lord over them: and the great are magistrates over them: but thus be it not among you: but he who wills being great within you, becomes your minister: and he who wills being first within you, becomes your servant: as the Son of humanity comes not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his soul a redemption for many. YAH SHUA HEALS TWO BLIND
And as Yah Shua proceeds from Irihu a vast congregation is following him: and behold, two blind sitting upon the way when they hear that Yah Shua passes over, and they give voice, and are wording, Befriend us, my Lord, son of David.
— and the congregation is reproving them to hush within. And they lift their voices excessively, wording, Befriend us, our Lord, son of David. And Yah Shua stands and calls to them, and words: What will you that I work to you? They word to him, Lord, that our eyes open. So, Yah Shua befriends over them and approaches their eyes: and straightway their eyes open and they go after him. Aramaic NC
We will continue with Les.7 next week.
The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
David & Mary Sue