20
The desperate landowner
1 “For the kingdom of the heavens is like a certain landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 And agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour [9 a.m.] he saw others standing idle in the marketplace. 4 And he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard and I will give you whatever is right.’ So off they went. 5 He went out again about the sixth hour, and the ninth, and did the same. 6 Now about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and he says to them, ‘Why have you stood here idle all day?’*How did he know they had been there all day? He had seen them, and had himself refused to hire them until the end. As his desperation level increased, he became less and less choosy about the quality of the workers [I take it that for some reason the grapes had to be collected that day; any that were left until later would be lost]. As the Church is in its eleventh hour, or later, it seems to me that we see God doing just like the landowner—He is using some rather ‘unusual’ workers. 7 They say to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He says to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.’†Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit the last clause (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). 8 So when evening had come the owner of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning at the last to the first.’‡Presumably the usual procedure would be to pay the first ones first, so they could head for home; by inverting the order the owner provoked the confrontation. What about our own notions of ‘fairness’? People who trust in Christ at the end of a misspent life get to go to Heaven, just like those who have served God all their lives. Of course there is the matter of rewards, but they scarcely compare with the fact of spending eternity in Heaven, rather than Hell. 9 The eleventh hour ones came and each received a denarius. 10 So when the first ones came they supposed that they would receive more; yet each of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it they began grumbling against the landowner 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who bore the burden and the heat of the day!’ 13 But in answer he said to one of them: ‘Friend, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go. I wish to give to this last one just as to you. 15 Or is it not permissible for me to do what I want with what is mine? Is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 Just so the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”§Just 1.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit the last sentence (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).
Jesus alerts the disciples, again
17 As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem He took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them privately: 18 “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of the Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge and to crucify. And on the third day He will rise!”
Selfish ambition rebuked
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons approached Him, with her sons, and kneeling down she asked something from Him. 21 So He said to her, “What do you wish?” She says to Him, “State that these my two sons may sit one on Your right and one on Your left in Your kingdom.” 22 But in answer Jesus said: “You (pl.) do not know what you are asking.*Jesus sees that the sons had put their mother up to it and answers them, not her. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink, or to be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with?”†Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “or be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with” and also the corresponding clause in verse 23 (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). They say to Him, “We are able.” 23 And He says to them: “You will indeed drink my cup, and you will be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with, but to sit on my right and on my left is not mine to give; rather it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”‡We may well be surprised at the Father's choices.
24 Now when the ten heard it they were indignant at the two brothers.§Why were they indignant, unless they had similar ideas? 25 But summoning them Jesus said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and the great exercise authority over them; 26 but it must not be so among you. Rather, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just like the Son of the Man—He did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Two blind men*Comparing this account with the parallels in Mark and Luke, there appear to be several discrepancies. For a detailed discussion, please see the Appendix: Entering or leaving Jericho?
29 Now as they went on from Jericho a large crowd followed Him. 30 And then, two blind men sitting alongside the road and hearing, “Jesus is passing by!” cried out saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 31 So the crowd threatened them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!!” 32 Jesus stopped, called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”†The question may seem unnecessary, but Jesus obliged them to state plainly what they wanted. 33 They say 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.

*20:6 How did he know they had been there all day? He had seen them, and had himself refused to hire them until the end. As his desperation level increased, he became less and less choosy about the quality of the workers [I take it that for some reason the grapes had to be collected that day; any that were left until later would be lost]. As the Church is in its eleventh hour, or later, it seems to me that we see God doing just like the landowner—He is using some rather ‘unusual’ workers.

†20:7 Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit the last clause (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

‡20:8 Presumably the usual procedure would be to pay the first ones first, so they could head for home; by inverting the order the owner provoked the confrontation. What about our own notions of ‘fairness’? People who trust in Christ at the end of a misspent life get to go to Heaven, just like those who have served God all their lives. Of course there is the matter of rewards, but they scarcely compare with the fact of spending eternity in Heaven, rather than Hell.

§20:16 Just 1.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit the last sentence (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

*20:22 Jesus sees that the sons had put their mother up to it and answers them, not her.

†20:22 Perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “or be baptized with the baptism that I am being baptized with” and also the corresponding clause in verse 23 (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

‡20:23 We may well be surprised at the Father's choices.

§20:24 Why were they indignant, unless they had similar ideas?

*20:28 Comparing this account with the parallels in Mark and Luke, there appear to be several discrepancies. For a detailed discussion, please see the Appendix: Entering or leaving Jericho?

†20:32 The question may seem unnecessary, but Jesus obliged them to state plainly what they wanted.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD