20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an
1 householder, which went out early in the morning to
hire labourers into his vineyard.
(1) God is bound to no man, and therefore he calls whoever and
whenever he desires. This only every man ought to take
heed of, and upon this bestow his whole endeavour, that he
go forward and come to the mark without stopping at all or
staggering, and to not curiously examine the doings of
other men, or the judgments of God.
20:2 And when he had a agreed with the labourers for a penny a
day, he sent them into his vineyard.
(a) Literally, "fell in time": it is a kind of speech taken
from poetry.
20:6 And about the b eleventh hour he went out, and found
others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye
here all the day idle?
(b) The last hour: for the day was twelve hours long, and
the first hour began at sunrise.
20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Is thine eye c evil, because I am good?
(c) Naught, that is to say, do you envy at my goodness
towards them? For by an "evil eye" the Hebrews mean
"envy", because such dispositions appear chiefly in
the eyes, as above in (Mt 6:23). It is set in
opposition to the word "single", and it is taken there
for corrupt: for whereas he said before in verse 22,
"If thine eye be single", he adds in verse 23, "but if
thine eye by wicked", or "corrupt", the word being the
same in that place as it is here. (Mt 6:22,23)
20:172 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve
disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
(2) Christ goes to the cross necessarily, and yet willingly.
20:183 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man
shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the
scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
(3) They that should be persecuting him the least, are the
greatest persecutors of Christ.
20:194 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to
scourge, and to crucify [him]: and the third day he shall
rise again.
(4) The shame of the cross is the sure way to the glory of
everlasting life.
20:205 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with
her sons, worshipping [him], and desiring a certain thing
of him.
(5) The manner of the heavenly kingdom is quite contrary to the
earthly kingdom.
20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are
ye able to d drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and
to be baptized with the e baptism that I am baptized
with? They say unto him, We are able.
(d) "Taking the cup" is figurative speech for that which
is contained in the cup. And again, the Hebrews
understand by the word "cup", sometimes the manner of
punishment which is rendered to sin, as (Ps 11:6),
or the joy that is given to the faithful, as (Ps 23:5),
and sometimes a lot or condition, as (Ps 16:5).
(e) This is in reference to afflictions, as David commonly
uses.
20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of 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 f not
mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it
is prepared of my Father.
(f) The almightiness of Christ's divinity is not shut
out by this, but it shows the debasing of himself by
taking man's nature upon him.
20:25 But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that
the princes of the Gentiles exercise g dominion over
them, and they that are great exercise authority upon
them.
(g) Somewhat sharply and roughly.
20:296 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude
followed him.
(6) Christ by healing these blind men with only one touch,
shows that he is the only light of the world.
20:32 And Jesus stood still, and h called them, and said, What
will ye that I shall do unto you?
