Matthew 20

The chapter moves from the economy of grace in the opening parable to the cost of discipleship on the road to Jerusalem, finally culminating in a practical display of faith and compassion.

• I will give unto this last, even as unto thee (v. 14).
• Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with (v. 23).
• The third day he shall rise again (v. 19).

• Go ye also into the vineyard (v. 4).
• Let him be your minister (v. 26).
• Let him be your servant (v. 27).

• Why stand ye here all the day idle? (v. 6).
• Is thine eye evil, because I am good? (v. 15).

• The 'marketplace' (agora) served as the central location where day laborers gathered, waiting for masters to hire them for specific tasks.
• The denarius (dēnárion) was the standard daily wage for a Roman soldier or a common laborer at the time.
• The concept of Gentile 'princes' exercising dominion reflected the hierarchical, coercive nature of authority in the Greco-Roman world.

• The request by the mother of Zebedee's sons for positions of authority on the right and left hand reflects the cultural expectation of dynastic power and status in the expected Messianic kingdom.
• The 'cup' and 'baptism' are metaphors for intense suffering and immersion in experience/tragedy, which the disciples initially misunderstood.

• Matthew 20 continues the discourse started in chapter 19 regarding the requirements for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.
• The chapter bridges the gap between the disciples' preoccupation with rewards and the reality of the impending passion.

• The title 'Son of David' used by the blind men is a messianic designation (2 Sam 7:12-16) that acknowledges Jesus as the rightful King of Israel.
• The 'ransom' (lýtron) language in v. 28 alludes to the theology of the Suffering Servant found in Isaiah 53, which posits that the servant gives his life to deliver many.
• The tension in v. 16 ('many be called, but few chosen') is a point of historic debate. Calvinist scholars often point to this as evidence of divine election, where God determines the 'chosen' amidst the general 'call' of the gospel. Arminian and Wesleyan perspectives generally interpret this as a reference to those who respond to the offer of the gospel compared to those who ignore it. The text itself maintains the sovereign prerogative of the householder to distribute rewards as he wills.

• Isaiah 53:10-12 (The Suffering Servant giving his soul as an offering) provides the background for Jesus describing His life as a 'ransom' in v. 28.
• 2 Samuel 7 (The Davidic Covenant) undergirds the title 'Son of David' used by the blind men in v. 30.

• básileía (G932, kingdom): Refers to the rule or reign of God, which operates on different principles than earthly realms.
• oikodespótēs (G3617, householder): Literally 'master of the house,' implying absolute authority over his estate.
• lýtron (implied root for 'ransom'): Specifically refers to a price paid to set a captive free, highlighting the cost of redemption.
• symphōnéō (G4856, agreeing): Used in v. 2, suggesting a formal, binding compact or stipulation.

• The irony that while Jesus is explaining the necessity of His death and resurrection (vv. 17-19), the disciples are arguing about who will be the greatest (vv. 20-24).
• Matthew Henry observes that the parable of the laborers serves to teach that God is debtor to no man, and that the recompense of reward is not given based on human duration of service or merit, but by His grace.
• The persistence of the blind men: despite the crowd rebuking them (v. 31), they cry out all the more, demonstrating the humility and desperation required to approach the King.