Matthew 20

2 a penny. “A denarius,” the chief silver coin of the Romans at that period, worth 20 cents of our money; the full daily pay of a labourer.

3 the third hour. About nine o’clock in the morning. Among the Jews, as among the Greeks and Romans, the working day was divided into twelve hours (see John xi. 9): beginning about sunrise, and ending about sunset.

8 when even was come. According to the law in Lev. xix. 13; Deut. xxiv. 15.

11 goodman. “Goodman” is an old English appellation of the master of a house, or householder, as in ver. I.

12 the burden and heat of the day. R.V., “The burden of the day and the scorching heat.”

15 is thine eye evil? Art thou envious because I act kindly?

19 crucify. In Matthew alone is the mode of death specified. The Sanhedrin would condemn Christ to death, but the Gentiles would crucify Him.

20 the mother of Zebedee’s children. Her name was Salome: cp. xxvii. 56 with Mark xv. 40; xvi. 1. It appears from Mark x. 35, that the two sons joined their mother in making this request, which may have arisen, on their part, from our Lord’s promise in xix. 28. It shows the truth of the remark in Luke xviii. 34, that the disciples did not understand our Lord’s previous announcement, perhaps regarding it as a figurative expression for great obstacles and conflicts, from which He would come off victorious to establish a temporal kingdom.

22. Ye know not what ye ask. This reproof intimates that they were ignorant of the true nature of Christ’s kingdom, in which the highest eminence would be the result of the severest labours and sufferings for the good of others (26-28).

to drink of the cup, etc. To share my portion of sufferings: see Psa. lxxv. 8, and note.

We are able. This self-confidence was soon shown to result from a want of self-knowledge

(see xxvi. 56): yet, as the profession sprang from love, Jesus graciously accepted it.

23 is not mine to give, etc. The R.V. gives a slightly different turn to the sentence: “is not mine to give, but [it is for them] for whom it hath been prepared,” etc. Our Lord does not disclaim the power to dispose of the honours of His kingdom (see Rev. iii. 21); but He says that they can be granted only according to the rule laid down by His Father. What this is appears from vers. 26-28.

24 moved with indignation. An indignation proceeding from the same source as the request of the two, and therefore equally needing to be corrected.

26 it shall not be so among you. All authority in the Church of Christ is to result from the moral influence of eminent service and self-denial.

will be great. “Wants to be great”; or, as R.V., “would be great.” “Minister” is servant (Gr. diakoses, whence the word “deacon”); “servant” (Gr. doulos) is bond-servant.

28 to give His life. Of all the actions by which the Son of man “ministered” to others, this was the chief. He whose life was in the highest sense His own, and was never forfeited by sin, gave it (John x. 18) a ransom (the price of life, Exod. xxi. 30; Prov. xiii. 8) for (in the stead of, ii. 22) many (Rev. vii. 4, 9). Here, in words simple and precise, our Lord distinctly speaks of His death as a substitution.

29. Jericho. Jericho (see Josh. ii. 1; 1 Kings xvi. 23) had been captured and rebuilt by Herod, who had there a palace and a fortress. It was placed at a little distance from the ancient site: about seven miles west of the Jordan, and nineteen miles east of Jerusalem. As the Passover was at hand, Jericho was probably filled with people going up to Jerusalem, including many Galileans, who commonly avoided passing through Samaria, by taking the route through Peræa, on the east of the Jordan, and then recrossing the river near Jericho. Our Lord and His disciples probably fell in with the multitudes here, and proceeded with them towards Jerusalem.

30 two blind men. Here, as in viii. 28 (on which see note), Matthew mentions two, whilst Mark and Luke mention only one. The two may have been healed at once, or perhaps at different times: but the son of Timæus being the more remarkable, his cure was particularly recorded: see Mark x. 46-52, and notes.

31 rebuked them, because, etc. Rather, “charged them that they should be silent.”

probably have evaded the force of such evidence, as they had previously done (xii. 24). He prefers a reply which not only defeats their plot, but compels them to confess their incompetence to judge (27).