Matthew 20

Matthew 20:29-34

We are not yet to be making comparisons between ourselves and others; and, partial in our own favour, are ready to think, that kindredness (seven to others, are injustice done to ourselves. (5.) Envy makes us self-terminators, and is at once our sin and our curse.

5. The text of the discourse concludes it, being the point which was to be proved; for the first shall be left, and the last first. Many Gentiles should far outshine the Jewish converts who were first admitted into the church; and many rising disciples would be found, who in knowledge, grace, and holiness would overtake and exceed those who were in Christ before them: For, not those who are foremost in profession are always first in the race, but contrariwise; many who are called into the outward communion of the church, are never effectually converted and turned to God; and it will be found at last, that there are but few, comparatively speaking, chores to eternal life and glory: an affection must alarming, and which should awaken all our solicitude to make our calling and election sure, that we may be of that few.

6. ¶ And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, 1 and said unto them, 18. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death. 19. And 2 shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

7. 17—19. To prepare them for that scene of distress and sufferings on which he was about to enter, he once more took his disciples apart, as they went up together to Jerusalem, and repeated what he said before, chap. xvi. 21: xvii. 22, 23. Informing them now more particularly concerning the manner of his sufferings and death, which he had foretold: That he should not only be betrayed into his enemies hands, but persecuted with unrelenting malice, and by a most unrighteous sentence condemned to die: That he should be delivered to the Gentiles, the Romans, who alone had then the power of life and death in Judea; and, after enduring the most shocking and barbarous indignities, should suffer death upon a cross. Tidings that no doubt filled them with horror and dismay: but he adds, for their comfort and support, that on the third day he should rise again. Note, in all the troubles we feel or fear, it is a comfort to look forward to a resurrection day, when they will all be for ever at an end.

8. ¶ 1 Then came to him the mother of 2 Zebedee’s children, with her sons, worshipping him, and defining a certain thing of him. 21. And he said unto her, What will thou? She saith unto him, 2 Grant that there my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left in thy kingdom. 22. But Jesus answered and said, 3 Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of 4 the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, 4 We are able. 23. And he saith unto them, 5 Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to fit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, 6 but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 24. And when the ten heard it, 7 they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26. But it shall not be to among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. 27. And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. 28. 29 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and 30 to give his life a ranism 31 for many.

9. 20—28. Far from being cured of their national prejudices by all the sufferings our Lord had foretold them he should endure, they concluded these would be only the prelude to the more glorious manifestation of his power at his rising again. And therefore,

10. Two of the disciples, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, with their mother Salome, who is supposed to have been nearly related to Joseph, and might therefore hope to have a strong interest in Jesus, came to their Master, and through her preferring their request, with deep respect she brought him to grant her a favour; and being ordered to name it, she desired him to confer on her two sons the first honours of that kingdom which they shortly expected would appear.

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2. Pitying their ignorance and weakness, instead of upholding their pride and folly, our Lord served to the two disciples, and gently admonishes them, saying, Ye know not what ye ask! Your notion of the nature of my kingdom are utterly mistaken: it is not an earthly throne to which I shall be exalted; and as mistaken are you in the means of attaining the honours you seek. You are not aware of the sufferings and trials that must be endured by all those who would come to reign with me. Through much tribulation let the sentence into heaven; and can you, think ye, drink of my bitter cup, or bear to be baptized in blood, as I must shortly be? Such sufferings as these they were not prepared for: their ambition looked to high, that they saw not the dangers which were before them, nor knew what manner of spirit they were of. Note, (1.) They who would reign with Christ, must first suffer with him; and every Christian should well count the cost, before he begins to take up his cross. (2.) In all our sufferings it should become our cup to think that Christ hath drunk of it before us, and all the bitterness of sin he hath taken away.

3. Their self-confidence is a natural consequence of their pride, and therefore they without hesitation boldly engage for their own ability and fidelity; though, alas! they were sad strangers to themselves, and knew not what they said. Note, Young converts are often very forward, till sad experience hath taught them their own weakness.

4. Christ replies, and affirms them they shall suffer for him, and in a manner they probably at that time little apprehended. But though they did so, still he left their request in suspense. The honour they fought was to be disposed of according to God’s eternal counsels, and not to be given, farce to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. In the distribution of spiritual, temporal, and eternal blessings, all are dispensed according to the plan laid down in the eternal mind, and concerted in the everlasting covenant of grace: nothing can be added thereto, or diminished therefrom.

5. The same ambitious spirit which spake in the request of John and James, equally appeared in the indignation of the other ten against them, who each thought himself as much entitled to the superiority which they defied. They did not grieve for the sin of their brethren, but were angry at what they conceived an affront to them; and whilst they violently condemned their ambition, like many others, were blind to the same spirit in themselves. Note, Desire of preeminence is among the most fruitful sources of disputes among brethren. Instead of being in his own eyes the last and the least, each is for affirming a superiority, which the proud heart of his fellow is very unwilling to admit.

6. To silence the dispute, and strike at the root of the evil, Jesus with the greatest tenderness called them to him; and, to beat down that spirit of ambition, to evil in itself, and to peculiarly unbecoming their holy and humble profession, he endeavours to undercave them respecting the nature of his kingdom, which was purely spiritual. The kings and princes of the Gentiles indeed thrilled after dominion and defiated away, and the more potent exercised unbounded authority over their weaker vassals and subjects; but utterly unlike them must their conduct be. Their greatness must consist not in lording it over God’s heritage, but in their abounding labours; not in aspiring desires to rule, but in humble endeavours to promote the salvation of men’s souls. The only laudable ambition Jesus can approve, is the holy strife who shall be most condescending, and the first in every work and labour of love to serve the means; who bear the Christian name. Nor did he, their Master, recommend ought to them, of which himself had not set them an eminent example, who came not to take state upon himself, and he served with earthly pomp and grandeur, but humbled himself to the lowest offices in the service of men’s souls and bodies; and, after living the life of a servant, was about to die the death of a slave, that by the sacrifice of himself he might give a ranism for many, even for all those whom the Father had given him, in whose stead he was about to suffer, in order to redeem them from the guilt and power of their sins, and from the wrath of God which they had provoked; and having him therefore for such a pattern of humility, they were peculiarly obliged to copy after it. Note, (1.) The affliction of earthly pomp and splendor is utterly unbecoming those who pretend to be the ministers of the men and humble Jesus. (2.) The church of Christ hath never suffered greater injuries than from the tyranny and oppression of those, who professing to be the successors of the Apostles, seem to have inherited nothing from them, but that lordly, ambitious, and domineering spirit for which Jesus so justly reprimanded them. (3.) The only allowable ambition among the ministers of Christ is, who shall be most humble and serviceable to their brethren, and herein most conformed to their blessed Master’s image. (4.) The life which the Lord Jesus laid down, was the price of our redemption; and being accepted of God as complete and full, the redemption obtained by it was eternal: those therefore for whom he died can never more suffer under the Son for which he paid a ranism.

5 O 29. And a Mark v. pl. Luke xviii. 33. b Chap. ix. 27. c No. 1a. 30. d Mac. xviii. 29. e Luke xviii. a. f Chap. vii. g No. xxx. h Luke i.7a.

29. • And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30. ¶ And behold, two ‘blind men sitting by the way-fide, when they heard that Jesus passed by, ‘cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. 31. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but ’they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. 32. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, ‘What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33. They say unto him, ‘Lord, that our eyes may be opened. 34. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately ’their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Advancing still towards Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples passed through Jericho, attended as usual by a vast multitude, whom curiosity to hear or see his miracles, define to learn, or want of his healing influence, had drawn together; when behold a wondrous influence of his power and compassion appears.

1. Two blind men, beggars, sat by the way-fide, and hearing from some of the multitude, that the famed prophet of Nazareth, who had wrought so many miracles, was passing by, they immediately concluded it a most providential circumstance, and with united and loud supplications cried out unceasingly, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David. Note, (1.) In these blind beggars we may behold a lively emblem of our souls. Our understanding is darkness, and we utterly deftone of all good, perishing inevitably in want and wretchedness, unless the divine mercy respect our misery and relieve us. (2.) They who feel their real State, will cry after Jesus, the only hope of the miserable and the deftitude. (3.) Providential opportunities should be improved; if we neglect them now, they never may return.

2. They made so loud a noise, and cried so vehemently, that the multitude rebuked them as troublesome, and had them be silent. But this only made them redoutable their prayers, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David: Thou, who art in able to help us, whose tender mercies have been so often extended to others, let our pitiable case engage thy notice, and move thy wonted compassions. And herein they have set us a noble example, (1.) Of fervent prayer. Their wants were great; they felt them with deep sensibility; therefore they cried so loud, So persevering: So should we do. We may meet with many discouragements in seeking Christ; but these, instead of silencing our prayers, should quicken our importunity. (2.) Of confident faith. They were fully persuaded, that what they asked, he was willing and able to grant them. His power as the Lord, his office as the Son of David, emboldened their trust in his mercy. It is by faith we must thus in every distressed honour Jesus by calling our care upon him, pleading his name as the ground of our confidence. (3.) Of deep humility. They ask for mercy alone, referring themselves entirely to him for the manner in which he pleases to dispense it to them. We have no merit; can claim nothing at God’s hands; deserve nothing but wrath and hell: all our hope is in his boundless grace, to supply all our poverty and wretchedness, to pardon our guilt, and bestow the gifts of his Spirit to deliver us from the power of our sin. This mercy grant, O Son of David!

3. Christ, who had heard their cries, and knew what rebukes they had met with, stood and called them to him; for he delights to revive the spirit of the contrite, and to relieve the wants of the miserable. He bids them therefore prefer their request, intimating his readiness to grant the mercy they had so importunately sought. Note, The promises of Christ give an unlimited hope to our prayers: we can ask nothing really good for us, which Jesus is not willing to bestow.

4. The poor blind men have a ready answer; Lord, that our eyes may be opened. They ask not for silver or gold, but for a boon for more difficult to be granted, which yet they are assured be can easily bestow. We have need to prefer the same prayer every day; and would to God we were more deeply affected with our spiritual blindness, that our applications might be more frequent and fervent.

5. Their cure is immediate. The compassions of Jesus left them not in suspense: he touched their eyes; a flood of day instantly broke upon them; and joining the company, they joyfully followed him, testifying their gratitude, love and praise. Note, They who are enlightened by the Redeemer’s grace, will from that moment cleave to him in his holy ways, and gratefully labour to advance his glory.