To drink the cup simply means to follow Christ wherever he may lead, and to be like him in any situation life may bring. It is the glory of Christ; not so much as Son of the living God, but as the exalted Son of man, who once suffered here below. I'm a photographer by trade and want you guys to enjoy the world with me on my journey.soooooo ..come on inside and take a backseat to my life and adventures to come , don't be afraid to say hey and come on an adventure with me :) check out my adventures and my photos, if you wish to see more of my work visit the links below to check them out ! Very apt we all are to undervalue the deserts of others, and to overvalue our own. When did this take place, if we enquire into it merely as a matter of historical fact? It appears to me, that the nature or aim of Mark's gospel demands this. Note: MLA no longer requires the URL as part of their citation standard. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. . They will condemn Him to death: Jesus confidently predicted that the religious leaders would do this; yet this was not something He could plan. i. (Matthew 20:1-2) A landowners workers early in the morning. But first appears the new and great fact, that Christ was going to build a new building, His assembly, on the truth and confession of Himself, the Son of God. In other words, it is certain that in the gospel of Luke, in whose preface we have expressly the words "set in order," the Holy Ghost does in no way tie Himself to what, after all, is the most elementary form of arrangement; for it needs little observation to see, that the simple sequence of facts as they occurred is that which demands a faithful enumeration, and nothing more. Verse Matthew 20:16. 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. The Incarnation, he said, was a divine stratagem to catch the great leviathan. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. In the distribution of future joys, as it was in the gathering of the manna, he that shall gather much, will have nothing over, and he that shall gather little, will have no lack, Exodus 16:18. [At the end of his parable about the Kingdom of Heaven being like workers hired at different times during the day, Jesus said,] "So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.". Finally, we have all wound up, after the going forth of a testimony which was truly universal in its scope, by the judicial severance at the close, when it is not only the good put into vessels, but the bad dealt with by the due instruments of the power of God. 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.(A). Those that were priests in the house of God would not they at least receive their own Messiah? 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. If to conquer with Christ meant to suffer with Christ, they were perfectly willing to face that suffering. It is simply designed to teach that in the church, among the multitudes who will be saved, Christ makes a difference. Proud member To mock and to scourge: Jesus predicted these specific aspects of His coming agony which on a human level He could not arrange. Secondly, Whatsoever is right,Matthew 20:4-7; Matthew 20:4-7. Now this is their final trip to Jerusalem. They did not understand what was happening, but they could see in every line of Jesus' body the struggle of his soul. how is it that ye have no faith? And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. How many millions does the long-suffering of God lead to repentance! Jesus instructs His little band that discipleship is never designed as a quid pro quo formula of compensation. 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. The request of James and John not unnaturally annoyed the other disciples. They may not be as long in the vineyard as others; their race may be sooner run; but I have chosen to honor them in this manner, and I have a right to do it. It is easy to condemn the disciples, but the faith and the loyalty which lay behind the ambition must never be forgotten. . And then Paul warned the Corinthians about the manner in which they did partake of the Lord's supper. Luke-Acts The slum dwellers of Tokyo laughed at him, but they came to respect him. 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. The Lord pleads the cause of the disciples. It is the death-blow to human tradition and ordinance in divine things, and in reality depends on the truth of the absolute ruin of man a truth which, as we see, the disciples were very slow to recognize. Read full chapter. I can't wait until you send Jesus with power and show things as they should be and reward people based on their character, their hearts, their gratitude for your grace, and their service. But that cannot be the meaning of it here; the "called" being emphatically distinguished from the "chosen." (1.) The ignorance is wholly on our side: all they say or omit was owing to the far-reaching and gracious wisdom of Him who inspired them. These are the words of an older gentleman who trusted Christ a few days before he died from cancer. We are in his hand, as clay in the hands of a potter; and it is not for us to prescribe to him, or strive with him. It is a saying of R. Simeon ben Jochai (d). He was quite clear that there was a bitter cup to be drunk and did not hesitate to say so. Here I close tonight. Grace should be especially manifested in our service; it is of grace, not works. The woman of Canaan, out of the borders of Tyre and Sidon, appeals to Him; a Gentile of most ominous name and belongings a Gentile whose case was desperate; for she appeals on behalf of her daughter, grievously vexed with a devil. 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. Beracot, fol. He's being despised and rejected. I will obey to the end.. Note, [1.] The earnestness of these men was marvelous; they were desperate to be healed, and ignored the crowd that tried to quiet them (they cried out all the more). Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. It is not for such depending creatures as we are to quarrel with our Sovereign. They next proceeded to the creation of subaltern officers, whom the tribunes chose from among the soldiers of the greatest reputation. Spurgeon applied this to us spiritually: Why is any one of us remaining idle towards God? 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? You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. So when the evening was come, and the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point No sooner had Peter pronounced to Jesus the truth of His person, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," than Jesus holds the secret no longer. In the end of the chapter is set forth parabolically the unlimited forgiveness that suits the kingdom; here, I cannot but think, looking onward in strict fulness to the future, but with distinct application to the moral need of the disciples then and always. What Jesus calls upon his followers to do he himself did. If this be a sound judgment, the comparison of the first chapter of Mark affords decisive evidence that the Holy Ghost in Matthew has taken the leper out of the mere time and circumstances of actual occurrence, and has reserved his case for a wholly different service. The other workers hired through the day were not promised a specific wage, only whatever is right. It may indeed have had a comparatively limited application when it was spoken for the first time; but it contains truth which goes to the very heart of the Christian religion. It was with this declaration that the parable began and ended. It does not seem exactly as a pictorial view of what the Lord was doing, or going to do, but rather the repeated pledge, that they were not to suppose that the evil He had judged in the elders of Jerusalem, or the grace freely going out to the Gentiles, in any way led Him. Matthew 20:16 The New King James Version (NKJV) 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. The landowner asked if they were jealous because the landowner was generous to other people. What was that cup? Most scholars have also recognized in the many a clear reference to Isaiah. (Carson) By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities (Isaiah 53:11) He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many (Isaiah 53:12). The Lord hints at what the man's real desires were not Christ, not heaven, not eternity, but present things. Peter wanted to know what they would get in return. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. This parable of the labourers in the vineyard is intended. But they were so desperate, they weren't discouraged, they even cried louder, "Jesus, thou son of David have mercy on us. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with what is my own? The indulgence of the selfish, murmuring temper might hinder their election even to that work. This parable gives a vivid picture of the kind of thing which could happen in the market-place of any Jewish village or town any day, when the grape harvest was being rushed in to beat the rains. Let not those that come in at the eleventh hour, be put behind the rest, but, lest they should be discouraged, call them first. but it was far too much for the young man. They were still thinking in terms of personal reward and personal distinction; and they were thinking of personal success without personal sacrifice. Pauline Epistles And then he said interesting things for this cause; "There are many who are weak and sick among you, because they do not understand the Lord's body"( 1 Corinthians 11:30 ). "Upon this rock," says He, "I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Faithful labourers shall receive their reward when they die; it is deferred till then, that they may wait with patience for it, but no longer; for God will observe his own rule, The hire of the labourers shall not abide with thee all night, until the morning. Jesus uses a kind of gradation. Matthew chapter 20 New International Version 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. The system of grace is foreign to us: God deals with us according to who He is, not according to who we are. This parable explains why the last will become first. This attitude threatened to be carried forward into the Christian Church. 1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. That meant that they did believe him to be the Messiah, but it also meant that they were thinking of Messiahship in terms of kingly and of earthly power. Who could touch the leper save Emmanuel? It sheds light in three directions. a. 2. 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. Men were in the grip of a power of evil which they could not break; their sins dragged them down; their sins separated them from God; their sins wrecked life for themselves and for the world and for God himself. 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. He could and did form His instruments according to His own sovereign will. The point of the parable was that God will graciously do more for some of those who work for Him than His justice demands. But nothing would stop the two blind men; for them it was a matter of sight or blindness, and nothing was going to keep them back. The deity of Christ was the hook; his flesh was the bait; the bait was dangled before leviathan; he swallowed it and was taken. So He is telling the disciples this was going to happen. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point They boast, as the prodigal's elder brother did, of their good services; We have borne the burthen and heat of the day; that was the most they could make of it. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. And wilt thou seek for a happiness in the creature, or think from thence to make up the deficiencies of thy happiness in God? As we have seen, the pay was 4 pence a day; and, if they were unemployed for one day, the children would go hungry at home, for no man ever saved much out of 4 pence a day. Jesus deliberately and open-eyed sets out for Jerusalem and the Cross. To the proud inhabitant of Jerusalem, both one and the other were but a choice and change within a land of darkness. Succa, fol. Let them read their error in One who was evidently superior to the condition and the ruin of man in Israel. The old people and work then closed in principle, and a new work of God in the kingdom of heaven was disclosed. . In what follows we have that which is necessary, to complete the picture of the other side. 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. Note, It is good for us often to consider what it was that we agreed with God for. Whatever might be the Church or the kingdom, it is precisely when the Lord unfolds His new glory in both the kingdom and the Church that He maintains the proprieties of nature in their rights and integrity. ), 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. The key to it is this, that Matthew was led by the Holy Ghost to keep in view adequate testimony to the Jewish people; it was the tender goodness of God that would meet them in a manner that was suitable under the law. Didst not thou agree to take God's word for it? And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried out all the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. Observe, They did not come for their pay till they were called; we must with patience wait God's time for our rest and recompence; go by our master's clock. Chapter 8, which opens the portion that comes before us tonight, is a striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has been pleased to employ in giving us the apostle Matthew's account of our Lord Jesus. Greatness does not consist in commanding others to do things for you; it consists in doing things for others; and the greater the service, the greater the honour. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the. What do you want Me to do for you? For many are called, but few chosen.. He didn't come that people might cater to Him and minister to Him, He came to minister to the people's needs. Prophets The Old Testament And Peter quoting Isaiah looking back at that scourging said, "by His stripes, ye were, past tense, healed"( 1 Peter 2:24 ). They drew up by tribes, and lots were drawn to determine in what order every tribe should present its soldiers. Thus, in the scene of the leper, we have Jesus presented as "Jehovah that healeth Israel," as man here below, and in Jewish relationships, still maintaining the law. People simply do not and cannot MERIT salvation. So, I believe now, there is no attempt ever made on the Name of the Son of God, there is not a single shaft levelled at Him, but the Spirit turns to the holy, and true, and sweet task of asserting anew and more loudly His glory, which enlarges the expression of His grace to man. in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry. This, then, I apprehend to be the reason why we End two demoniacs mentioned; whereas, in Mark or Luke for other purposes, the Spirit of God only draws attention to one of the two. We are put to our choice; for hired we must be (Joshua 24:15); Choose ye this day whom ye will serve. So it was here; and our Lord turns to eternal account, in His own goodness, the shortcoming of John the Baptist, the greatest of women-born. 3. It was a grave step this, and in view of His rejection now. So the last will be first, and the first last. Does this scribe offer to follow Jesus? Thus explained, this parable has no reference to the call of the Gentiles, nor to the call of aged sinners, nor to the call of sinners out of the church at all. Let me passingly notice a very few particulars. GO GO GO! After this, in the chapter we have the positive hindrance asserted of what man counts good. Then the mother of Zebedees sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. Such is the perversity of man, that he who is not called thinks he can follow Jesus whithersoever He goes. Their reward was as much of grace as was that of the bitter "firsters"! In particular, to represent to us that concerning the kingdom of heaven, which he had said in the close of the foregoing chapter, that many that are first shall be last, and the last, first; with which this parable is connected; that truth, having in it a seeming contradiction, needed further explication. The nature of envy; It is an evil eye. Why are they postponed here? i. Take what is yours and go your way. It was His meat to do the will of God. This he said in the hearing of the disciple who would act the traitor: did no compunction visit his base heart? (Spurgeon), ii. Heartlight Provides Positive Resources for Daily Christian Living. But these men slept in Gethsemane, forsook the Master when He was arrested, and one of them at least failed Him at the crosswe can only follow Christ in his cup and baptism, after we have been endued with the Spirit of Pentecost. (Meyer). It is tragic that we have a professional ministry that so often seeks people to cater to it, rather than to realize that they are the servants of all.