Matthew 20:28

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 20:3-34

A. Jesus’ instruction of His disciples around Judea 19:3-20:34The primary emphasis in this section of Matthew’s Gospel is Jesus’ instruction of His disciples to prepare them for the future. Specifically, He emphasized the importance of the first becoming last and the last first: humble servanthood (cf. Matthew 19:30; Matthew 20:16). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 20:20-28

5. Instruction about serving 20:20-28 (cf. Mark 10:35-45)This pericope shows that the disciples did not understand what Jesus had said (cf. Luke 18:34)."Despite Jesus’ repeated predictions of his passion, two disciples and their mother are still thinking about privilege, status, and power." [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 430.] "The natural human concern with status and importance is clearly one of the most fundamental instincts which must be unlearned by those who belong to God’s kingdom." [Note:... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 20:28

Jesus presented Himself, the Son of Man, as the supreme example of a slave of others. He would even lay down His life in the service of others, not just to help them but in their place (cf. Isaiah 53). As Messiah, Jesus had every right to expect service from others, but instead He served others."To be great is to be the servant (diakonos) of many; to be first is to be the bond-servant (doulos) of many; to be supreme is to give one’s life for many." [Note: Plummer, p. 280.] The Greek word lytron... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

The Labourers in the Vineyard. The Journey to Jerusalem1-16, Parable of the labourers in the vineyard (peculiar to St. Matthew). This difficult parable is closely linked with what goes before, and can only be understood in connexion with it. It rebukes the spirit of Peter’s enquiry (Matthew 19:27), ’We have left all and followed thee; what then shall we have?’ The Twelve through Peter had demanded a superlatively great reward, because they had been called first and had laboured longest. Such a... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 20:28

(28) Not to be ministered unto.—The words found a symbolic illustration when our Lord, a few days afterwards, washed the feet of the disciples who were still contending about their claims to greatness (John 13:3-4); and the manner in which St. John connects the act with our Lord’s manifested consciousness of His supreme greatness, seems to show that the words which we find here were then present to his thoughts. The Son of Man seemed to the beloved disciple never to have shown Himself so truly... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Matthew 20:1-34

Work in God's Vineyard Matthew 20:6-7 This fragment of the parable is itself a parable. With the main scope of the parable I am not concerned. I desire to separate from the rest of the parable just these five words: 'No man hath hired us'. I. God's Care. The text shows us that there is a God Who concerns Himself about us. That is the teaching of Jesus Christ as contrasted with the cold creed of the Deist who would have us believe that God created the world and peopled it with mankind, but... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Matthew 20:17-34

Chapter 16To Jerusalem - Matthew 20:17-34 - Matthew 21:1-17I-THE GOING UP. {Matthew 20:17-34}WE have now reached the last stage of the long and sorrowful journey to Jerusalem. From the corresponding passage in the second Gospel we learn that the disciples were greatly moved by something in their Master’s manner: "they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid." It would appear, indeed, that they had considerable hesitation in following at all, for it is pointedly mentioned that "Jesus... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

8. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. The Healing of the Two Blind Men. CHAPTER 20 1. The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. (Matthew 20:1-16 .) 2. The Third Prediction of His Death and Resurrection. (Matthew 20:17-19 .) 3. The Ambitiousness of the Disciples. (Matthew 20:20-28 .) 4. The Healing of the Two Blind Men. (Matthew 20:29-34 .) The Lord had spoken about the rewards to be given at the time when the kingdom is to be established on the earth in power and glory, the... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 20:1-34

The principle of the first and the last is now illustrated in a most penetrating parable of the kingdom of heaven. The householder goes out early in the morning to hire labourers to work in his vineyard. God does not actually hire men in this way, but men think so, and Israel particularly, under law, considered themselves so hired. Those hired early in the morning agreed together with the householder to work for a denarius a day. Others hired at the third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours made... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Matthew 20:17-34

THIRD ANNOUNCEMENT OF DEATH With this third announcement our Lord has indicated the three classes of His foes, the leaders of His nation in the first announcement, one of the twelve in the second, and now the Roman Gentiles (Matthew 20:17-19 ). The ambitious request of James and John (Matthew 20:20-28 ), is in keeping with the selfishness previously expressed by Peter. The immediate occasion for the request is found in our Lord’s words which they had misunderstood (Matthew 20:19-28 ). The... read more

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