So, when more is added, He says, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Not only shall the Judge of all the earth do right, but what will not He do who gives all good? 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. It is true that in this particular instance Mark no more surrounds the leper with notes of time and place than do Matthew and Luke. On the other hand, it is not too much to say, that the same Scriptures which convince one unbiassed mind that pays heed to these notes of time, will produce no less effect on others. It should also encourage us in reference to the hardships and difficulties of our work, that it is but for a day; the approaching shadow, which the servant earnestly desireth, will bring with it both rest, and the reward of our work,Job 7:2. Jesus thought about how He would fulfill the will of His Father in the future. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. 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! 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!. When God settles all the accounts, then things are going to be valued by his standards and not the world's standards. They did not understand what was happening, but they could see in every line of Jesus' body the struggle of his soul. & Sanhedrim, fol. Beyond the curtain of suffering lay the revelation of glory; beyond the Cross was the Crown; beyond the defeat was triumph; and beyond death was life. It was going on, then, to the bitter end, and surely not without such suffering and sorrow as holy, unselfish, obedient love alone can know. Changes, to us inexplicable, occur: many first last, and last first. Notice that these people didn't go in on their own accord, the Lord sent them into the vineyard. It is quite wrong to think that for the Christian the cup must always mean the short, sharp, bitter, agonizing struggle of martyrdom; the cup may well be the long routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifice, its daily struggle, and its heart-breaks and its disappointments and its tears. 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. Israel must give full testimony in the bright day of His coming. We have, first, the sower sowing the word. Jesus laces this point throughout the parable. The market-place is a place of concourse, and there Wisdom cries (Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 1:21); it is a place of sport, there the children are playing (Matthew 11:16; Matthew 11:16); and the gospel calls us from vanity to seriousness; it is a place of business, of noise and hurry; and from that we are called to retire. i. 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.. The Father and the Son have their appropriate part, even as we know from elsewhere the Spirit sent down from heaven in due time was to have His. He never doubted that James and John would maintain their loyalty. But here pardon dispensed on earth arouses the pride of the religious leaders to the quick, and implacably. And yet He takes time still to minister to the needs of others. Thus He sets forth both the past, the present, and the awful future of Israel, before the day of His own coming from heaven, when there will be not only the return of idolatry, solemn to say, but the full power of Satan associated with it, as we see in Daniel 11:36-39; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Revelation 13:11-15. yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. 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. When the world and the devil begin to rebuke, in this case, it is a proof that the salvation of God is nigh; therefore, let such cry out a great deal the more. (Clarke). Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." He was quite clear that there was a bitter cup to be drunk and did not hesitate to say so. Seeking the Gospel in Malachi, the Last Book of the Old Testament. Seemingly, the disciples did not really listen when Jesus said these things. I injure no one, and have a right to do what I will with my own." They should think of them in terms of grace, any reward being an act of Gods grace. Minor Prophets He calls him friend, for in reasoning with others we should use soft words and hard arguments; if our inferiors are peevish and provoking, yet we should not thereby be put into a passion, but speak calmly to them. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible Modern disciples of Jesus should view heavenly rewards the same way. In the reception of the little children this is plain; it is not so generally seen in what follows. But they in turn will deliver Him to the Gentiles, who will first of all mock Him. So He is telling the disciples this was going to happen. But that cannot be the meaning of it here; the "called" being emphatically distinguished from the "chosen." If, amid the multitude of Christians, I choose to signalize such men as Paul, and Martyn, and Brainerd, and Spencer, and Summerfield - to appoint some of them to short labor but to wide usefulness, and raise them to signal rewards, I injure not the great multitude of others who live long lives less useful and less rewarded. The discontent arose not because of any injustice in the landowner, but because of jealousy in the all-day workers (Matthew 20:9-15). Dress up - slacks/tie, skirt/shirt. The indignation of the ten doubtless sprang less from humility than jealousy plus fear that they might lose out. (Carson). We seem completely borne away from the ordinary level of our gospel to the higher region of the disciple whom Jesus loved. a. Yet it shall not be so among you: Their desire for position and status showed they did not yet know the nature of Jesus in respect to leadership and power. What Jesus calls upon his followers to do he himself did. And so they were actually thinking evil, because of His good. Matthew 20. Accordingly, here we have, first, the Lord judging the wrong thoughts of "Scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusalem." This would not be a legal claim on man, but the scattering of good seed, life and fruit from God, and this in the unlimited field of the world, not in the land of Israel merely. . In the case of the laborers, those who worked all day did not deserve their pay after having thrown it on the ground. Warning them against that casual, careless attitudes in which many of them were receiving it. There is nothing more tragic in this world than a man who is unemployed, a man whose talents are rusting in idleness because there is nothing for him to do. Through the day, the landowner went to the place where the laborers gathered, found some standing idle in the marketplace, and hired them to do the work in his vineyard. All through their history the Jews had dreamed of the Messiah; but the Messiah of whom they had dreamed was always a conquering king, a mighty leader, one who would smash the enemies of Israel and reign in power over the kingdoms of the earth. (Matthew 20:17-19) Jesus again reveals the fate waiting for Him at Jerusalem. Yet let none, upon this presumption, put off their repentance till they are old. Then, after the parable of the mustard seed (ver. He speaks of Israel then, and of Israel before He comes in glory, but He entirely omits any notice of the circumstances which were to come in by the way. Nothing was more a mystery in the gospel dispensation than the rejection of the Jews and the calling in of the Gentiles; so the apostle speaks of it (Ephesians 3:3-6); that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs: nor was any thing more provoking to the Jews than the intimation of it. The point of the parable was that God will graciously do more for some of those who work for Him than His justice demands. (Matthew 20:24-28) The disciples reaction; Jesus sets forth true greatness. Except where noted, scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version 2001 by Bible League International. They could probably tell the direction in the flow, the crowd, which direction He was, but they began to cry out to Jesus. He goes to raise the dead, and the woman with the issue of blood touches Him by the way. In verse 13 our Lord "goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. Hence, lower down in the chapter, after the demon was cast out of the blind and dumb man before the amazed people, the Pharisees, irritated by their question, Is not this the Son of David? Neither would Jewish disciples necessarily receive more than Gentile disciples whom God calls later in His program of preparation for the kingdom (cf. You must not claim a special honour and a special place because you were Christians before they were. The market-place was the equivalent of the labour exchange. Herein is where the prophecy of Isaiah really stands out: "As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth"( Isaiah 53:7 ). They couldn't see Him. vi. but what a heart was His! Who but God could command not only the waves, but the fish of the sea? It seemed the last place on earth to which a man in his condition should have gone. 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. Then, alas! Humble service is the great prerequisite, as shown by Jesus own ministry. If we understand it of that which is ours by debt or absolute propriety, it would be a dreadful word; we are all undone, if we be put off with that only which we can call our own. b. But none the less do we find His affections engaged for the help of the helpless. COUPLES DOUBLE CHALLENGE - we brought in our wonderful friends Vala \u0026 aonghas who also have Mini versions of their selves who where completely up for the challenge as well and super excited about getting dressed for the part :) haha leia \u0026 logan you guys where amazing !!!! This parable taught him that God would give him a just reward for his sacrificial labor for Jesus. Conversely in some cases those whom God called early in their lives may not receive as much reward as those called later in life. i. It is a direct violation of both the two great commandments at once; both that of love to God, in whose will we should acquiesce, and love to our neighbour, in whose welfare we should rejoice. "Christ demands that the driving force in your life must be love. What we have, is not our own, and therefore it is not lawful for us to do what we will with it; but what God has, is his own; and this will justify him, First, In all the disposals of his providence; when God takes from us that which was dear to us, and which we could ill spare, we must silence our discontents with this; May he not do what he will with his own? Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. When that great saint Toyohiko Kagawa first came into contact with Christianity, he felt its fascination, until one day the cry burst from him: "O God, make me like Christ." And the third day He will rise again: Jesus was remarkably specific in this announcement of His fate, and foretold many things over which He had no apparent control. He does not now compare the Jews to the Gentiles, (as in another passages) nor the reprobate, who swerve from the faith, to the elect who persevere; and therefore the sentence which is introduced by some interpreters, many are called, but few are chosen, does not apply to that point. Read full chapter. THE LORDSHIP OF THE CROSS ( Matthew 20:20-28 continued). Peter answers, "Of strangers." Matthew 20 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. So, then, we learn that the mother of James and John was named Salome, and that she was the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Not even their wonderful "attitude" entitled them to a day's pay. Those that were priests in the house of God would not they at least receive their own Messiah? Compare Luke 17:7; Luke 17:8; Luke 12:37. They were beggars; but it was not money they asked for, it was nothing less than sight. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. What could be said of her intelligence then? ), 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 wider interpretation is, of course, possible, and has been often applied, in which the first-called labourers answer to the Jews, and those who came afterwards to converts in the successive stages of the conversion of the Gentiles. Matthew 20:16-20 New International Version 16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time 17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. Did you not come to an agreement with me to work for 4 pence ? Thus, and after the tenderest sort, there is that which evidences the Messiah on earth present to heal His people who appeal to Him; and the Jew, above all counting upon His bodily presence demanding it, I may say, according to the warrant of prophecy, finds in Jesus not merely the man, but the God of Israel. (1.) O Lord God, your grace to me is marvelous. The Lord, while thoroughly proving that He forgot nothing, owned everything that was of grace in Peter or the rest, while opening the same door to "every one" who forsakes nature for His name's sake, solemnly adds, "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." I am certain that everyone that was afflicted had heard of the fame of Jesus. ", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. All turns on that which was suitable to such a God, the giver of His own Son. 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. There was a strange inclusiveness in the suffering to which Jesus looked forward; it was a suffering in which no pain of heart or mind or body was to be lacking. But there's a big twist. And they went their way. What do you want Me to do for you? The blessings of the kingdom are the same for all who enter, whether Jews who had worshipped God for centuries, or Gentiles who had just been saved from heathenism; whether scribes who had studied Gods law for many years, or tax collectors who had just repented; whether those who had served God for a lifetime, or those converted in old age. The call to serve God is the gift of His grace. That many who begin last, and promise little in religion, sometimes, by the blessing of God, arrive at greater attainments in knowledge, grace, and usefulness, than others whose entrance was more early, and who promised fairer. Thus it is easy to see, that the reason for here putting together the leper and the centurion lies in the Lord's dealing with the Jew, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, in His deep grace working in the Gentile's heart, and forming his faith, as well as answering it, according to His own heart. 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). Where did they come from? The world may assess a man's greatness by the number of people whom he controls and who are at his beck and call; or by his intellectual standing and his academic eminence; or by the number of committees of which he is a member; or by the size of his bank balance and the material possessions which he has amassed; but in the assessment of Jesus Christ these things are irrelevant. Among this celebrated people, no one was forced to serve his country in a military capacity and it was the highest honour to be deemed worthy of thus serving it. "Can a woman forget her sucking child? We cannot earn what God gives us; we cannot deserve it; what God gives us is given out of the goodness of his heart; what God gives is not pay, but a gift; not a reward, but a grace. Jesus openly acknowledged the suffering and agony that awaited Him. Not only will it be fair, it will be generous beyond expectation. It was the Father's revelation of the Son; flesh and blood had not revealed it to Peter, but, "my Father, which is in heaven." The bodily presence of the Messiah was not needed. Which means that each lash that was laid upon Him, was laid with greater ferocity, as they were seeking to elicit from Him some confession of wrong, but He had done no wrong. But nothing turned aside the purpose of God, or the activity of His grace. To labour in his vineyard. I didn't come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give my life as a ransom for many ( Matthew 20:28 ). v. Living under grace is sort of a two-edged sword. His assessment is quite simply--how many people has he helped? Well, he did not come to get your service; he came to give you his services; not that you might first do him honor, but that he might show you mercy. (Spurgeon). The ones who labored only an hour did not deserve their pay either. 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. There are two great lessons here. 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. 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. All this is what happens when men take the poetry of love and try to turn it into man-made theories. WORK AND WAGES IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD ( Matthew 20:1-16 continued). It is evident that the bodily presence of the Messiah is the very essence of the former scene, as it ought to be in dealing with the leper, who is a kind of type of what Israel should have been in seeking cleansing at His hands. On the other side of the picture, behold the Lord leading on a soul to draw on divine grace in the most glorious manner. The parable sets about to correct this misguided notion. The first is the defence of the disciples, grounded on analogies taken from that which had the sanction of God of old, as well as on His own glory now. The landowner did exactly as promised, but their supposition of more pay than promised was disappointed. We have each of us our own vineyard to keep, our own soul; and it is God's and to be kept and dressed for him. 4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my . As the elder brother, in the parable of the prodigal, repined at the reception of his younger brother, and complained of his father's generosity to him; so these labourers quarrelled with their master, and found fault, not because they had not enough, so much as because others were made equal with them. Using the term "elect," Titus 1:1 reinforces the idea that God separates some few from the many who are called: "Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's . In Mark 10:35-45 it is James and John who come to Jesus with this request. get to know the Bible better! Thank you for registering. Note, God will be sure not to be behind-hand with any for the service they do him: never any lost by working for God. Succa, fol. The world will respect, and admire, and sometimes fear, the man of power; but it will love the man of love. The right hand and left hand suggest proximity to the Kings person and so a share in his prestige and power. (Carson), ii. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. In our gospel we have not seen the apostles called and ordained. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
If A Girl Cries At The Thought Of Losing You,
Articles M