Chapter 20:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
Matthew 20
Verse 1. That some of those who were first called may yet be last, our
Lord confirms by the following parable: of which the primary
scope is, to show, That many of the Jews would be rejected, and
many of the Gentiles accepted; the secondary, That of the
Gentiles, many who were first converted would be last and lowest
in the kingdom of glory; and many of those who were last
converted would be first, and highest therein. The kingdom of
heaven is like - That is, the manner of God's proceeding in his
kingdom resembles that of a householder. In the morning - At six,
called by the Roman and Jews, the first hour. From thence
reckoning on to the evening, they called nine, the third hour;
twelve, the sixth; three in the afternoon, the ninth; and five, the
eleventh. To hire labourers into his vineyard - All who profess to
be Christians are in this sense labourers, and are supposed during
their life to be working in God's vineyard.
Verse
2. The Roman penny was about seven pence halfpenny. [About
thirteen and three quarter cents, American.] This was then the
usual price of a day's labour.
Verse
6. About the eleventh hour - That is, very late; long after the rest
were called.
Verse
8. In the evening - Of life; or of the world.
Verse
9. Who were hired about the eleventh hour - Either the Gentiles,
who were called long after the Jews into the vineyard of the
Church of Christ; or those in every age who did not hear, or at
least understand the Gospel call, till their day of life was drawing
to a period. Some circumstances of the parable seem best to suit
the former, some the latter of these senses.
Verse
10. The first supposed they should have received more - Probably
the first here may mean the Jews, who supposed they should
always be preferred before the Gentiles.
Verse
12. Thou hast made them equal to us - So St. Peter expressly, Acts
xv, 9. God-hath put no difference between us (Jews) and them,
(Gentiles, ) purifying their hearts by faith. And those who were
equally holy here, whenever they were called, will be equally
happy hereafter.
Verse
14. It is my will to give to this last called among the heathens
even as to the first called among the Jews: yea, and to the late
converted publicans and sinners, even as to those who, were
called long before.
Verse
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? - Yea,
doubtless, to give either to Jew or Gentile a reward infinitely
greater than he deserves. But can it be inferred from hence, that it
is lawful, or possible, for the merciful Father of spirits to
"Consign an unborn soul to hell? Or damn him from his mother's
womb?" Is thine eye evil because I am good - Art thou envious,
because I am gracious? Here is an evident reference to that
malignant aspect, which is generally the attendant of a selfish and
envious temper.
Verse
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last - Not only with
regard to the Jews and Gentiles, but in a thousand other instances.
For many are called - All who hear the Gospel; but few chosen -
Only those who obey it. Matt. xix, 30; xxii, 14.
Verse
17. Mark x, 32; Luke xviii, 31.
Verse
20. Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children -
Considering what he had been just speaking, was ever any thing
more unreasonable? Perhaps Zebedee himself was dead, or was
not a follower of Christ. Mark x, 35.
Verse
21. In thy kingdom - Still they expected a temporal kingdom.
Verse
22. Ye know not what is implied in being advanced in my
kingdom, and necessarily prerequired thereto. All who share in
my kingdom must first share in my sufferings. Are you able and
willing to do this? Both these expressions, The cup, the baptism,
are to be understood of his sufferings and death. The like
expressions are common among the Jews.
Verse
23. But to sit on my right hand - Christ applies to the glories of
heaven, what his disciples were so stupid as to understand of the
glories of earth. But he does not deny that this is his to give. It is
his to give in the strictest propriety, both as God, and as the Son
of man. He only asserts, that he gives it to none but those for
whom it is originally prepared; namely, those who endure to the
end in the faith that worketh by love.
Verse
25. Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles Lord it over them -
And hence you imagine, the chief in my kingdom will do as they:
but it will be quite otherwise.
Verse
26. Your minister - That is, your servant. Matt. xxiii, 11.
Verse
29. Mark x, 46; Luke xviii, 35.
Verse
30. Behold two blind men cried out - St. Mark and St. Luke
mention only one of them, blind Bartimeus. He was far the more
eminent of the two, and, as it seems, spoke for both.
Verse
31. The multitude charged them to hold their peace - And so they
will all who begin to cry after the Son of David. But let those who
feel their need of him cry the more; otherwise they will come
short of a cure.
Chapter 20:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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