Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Matthew
Book: Matthew
Chapter: 20
Overview:
The
Parable of the labourers in the vineyard.
(1-16) Jesus
again foretells his sufferings.
(17-19) The ambition of
James
and
John.
(20-28) Jesus gives sight to two
Blind men near
Jericho.
(29-34)
1-16 The direct object of this
Parable seems to be, to show
that though the Jews were first called into the vineyard, at
length the
Gospel should be preached to the
Gentiles, and they
should be admitted to equal privileges and advantages with the
Jews. The
Parable may also be applied more generally, and shows,
1. That
God is
Debtor to
No Man. 2. That many who begin last,
and promise little in religion, sometimes,
By the blessing of
God, arrive at a great
Deal of knowledge,
Grace, and usefulness.
3. That the recompense of reward will be given to the saints,
but not according to the time of their
Conversion. It describes
the state of the visible
Church, and explains the declaration
that the last shall be first, and the first last, in its various
references. Till we are hired into the service of
God, we are
standing all the
Day idle: a sinful state, though a state of
drudgery to
Satan, may be called a state of idleness. The
Market-place is the world, and from that we are called
By the
Gospel. Come, come from this
Market-place. Work for
God will not
admit of trifling. A
Man may go idle to
Hell, but he that will
go to
Heaven, must be diligent. The Roman
Penny was
Seven pence
halfpenny in our
Money,
Wages then enough for the
Day's support.
This does not prove that the reward of our obedience to
God is
of
Works, or of
Debt; when we have done all, we are unprofitable
servants; but it signifies that there is a reward set before us,
yet let none, upon this presumption,
Put off
Repentance till
they are old. Some were sent into the vineyard at the eleventh
Hour; but nobody had hired them before. The
Gentiles came in at
the eleventh
Hour; the
Gospel had not been before preached to
them. Those that have had
Gospel offers made them at the third
or sixth
Hour, and have refused them, will not have to say at
the eleventh
Hour, as these had,
No Man has hired us. Therefore,
not to discourage any, but to awaken all, be it remembered, that
now is the accepted time. The riches of Divine
Grace are loudly
murmured at, among proud
Pharisees and nominal Christians. There
is great proneness in us to think that we have too little, and
others too much of the tokens of
God's favour; and that we do
too much, and others too little in the work of
God. But if
God
gives
Grace to others, it is kindness to them, and
No injustice
to us.
Carnal worldlings agree with
God for their
Penny in this
world; and choose their portion in this
Life. Obedient believers
agree with
God for their
Penny in the other world, and must
remember they have
So agreed. Didst not thou agree to take up
with
Heaven as thy portion, thy all; wilt thou seek for
happiness in the
Creature?
God punishes none more than they
deserve, and recompenses every service done for him; he
therefore does
No wrong to any,
By showing extraordinary
Grace
to some. See here the nature of envy. It is an evil
Eye, which
is displeased at the good of others, and desires their hurt. It
is a grief to ourselves, displeasing to
God, and hurtful to our
neighbours: it is a
Sin that has neither pleasure, profit, nor
honour. Let us forego every proud claim, and seek for
Salvation
as a free
Gift. Let us never envy or grudge, but rejoice and
praise
God for his
Mercy to others as
Well as to ourselves.
17-19 Christ is more particular here in foretelling his
sufferings than before. And here, as before, he adds the mention
of his resurrection and his
Glory, to that of his
Death and
sufferings, to encourage his disciples, and comfort them. A
believing view of our once crucified and now glorified
Redeemer,
is good to humble a proud, self-justifying disposition. When we
consider the need of the humiliation and sufferings of the Son
of
God, in order to the
Salvation of perishing sinners, surely
we must be aware of the freeness and richness of Divine
Grace in
our
Salvation.
20-28 The sons of Zebedee abused what
Christ said to comfort
the disciples. Some cannot have comforts but they turn them to a
wrong purpose. Pride is a
Sin that most easily besets us; it is
sinful ambition to outdo others in pomp and grandeur. To
Put
down the vanity and ambition of their request,
Christ leads them
to the thoughts of their sufferings. It is a
Bitter Cup that is
to be
Drunk of; a
Cup of trembling, but not the
Cup of the
wicked. It is but a
Cup, it is but a draught,
Bitter perhaps,
but soon emptied; it is a
Cup in the
Hand of a
Father, Joh
18:11.
Baptism is an ordinance
By which we are joined to the
Lord in
Covenant and
Communion; and
So is suffering for
Christ,
Eze 20:37; Isa 48:10.
Baptism is an outward and visible sign
of an inward and spiritual
Grace; and
So is suffering for
Christ, for unto us it is given, Php 1:29. But they knew not
what
Christ's
Cup was, nor what his
Baptism. Those are commonly
most confident, who are least acquainted with the
Cross. Nothing
makes more mischief among brethren, than desire of greatness.
And we never find
Christ's disciples quarrelling, but something
of this was at the bottom of it. That
Man who labours most
diligently, and suffers most patiently, seeking to do good to
his brethren, and to promote the
Salvation of souls, most
resembles
Christ, and will be most honoured
By him to all
eternity. Our
Lord speaks of his
Death in the terms applied to
the sacrifices of old. It is a
Sacrifice for the sins of men,
and is that true and substantial
Sacrifice, which those of the
Law faintly and imperfectly represented. It was a
Ransom for
many, enough for all, working upon many; and, if for many, then
the
Poor trembling soul may say, Why not for me?
29-34 It is good for those under the same trial, or infirmity
of body or mind, to join in
Prayer to
God for relief, that they
may quicken and encourage one another. There is
Mercy enough in
Christ for all that ask. They were
Earnest in
Prayer. They cried
out as men in
Earnest. Cold desires
Beg denials. They were
humble in
Prayer, casting themselves upon, and referring
themselves cheerfully to, the
Mediator's
Mercy. They showed
Faith in
Prayer,
By the title they gave to
Christ. Surely it was
By the
Holy Ghost that they called
Jesus,
Lord. They persevered
in
Prayer. When they were in pursuit of such
Mercy, it was
No
time for timidity or hesitation: they cried earnestly.
Christ
encouraged them. The wants and burdens of the body we are soon
sensible of, and can readily relate. Oh that we did as feelingly
complain of our spiritual maladies, especially our spiritual
blindness! Many are spiritually
Blind, yet say they see.
Jesus
cured these
Blind men; and when they had received sight, they
followed him. None follow
Christ blindly. He first
By his
Grace
opens men's eyes, and
So draws their hearts after him. These
miracles are our
Call to
Jesus; may we hear it, and make it our
daily
Prayer to grow in
Grace and in the knowledge of the
Lord
and
Saviour Jesus Christ.