Matthew
Chapter 20
Overview
As Jesus and his twelve followers head toward Jerusalem, he teaches that God’s rule overturns ordinary ideas about fairness and importance. A vineyard owner pays late arrivals as generously as those who worked all day. Jesus then describes the suffering, death, and return to life waiting for him, yet his followers remain focused on gaining the highest positions. He teaches them that true greatness means serving others. When two blind men call from the roadside, Jesus stops for them—the kind of service he has just described.
1Jesus said, “God’s rule is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2“He agreed to pay them one denarius—a silver coin commonly paid for a full day’s work—and sent them into his vineyard.
3“At about nine in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing in the marketplace with no work.
4“He told them, ‘You also go work in the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is fair.’
5“So they went. The landowner went out again at about noon and at three in the afternoon and did the same thing.
6“At about five in the afternoon, he went out and found others standing in the marketplace. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day without working?’
7“They answered, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He told them, ‘You also go work in the vineyard.’
8“When evening came, the vineyard owner told his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages. Begin with those hired last and finish with those hired first.’
9“The workers hired at about five in the afternoon came, and each received one denarius.
10“When the workers hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But they also received one denarius each.
11“After receiving their pay, they began complaining to the landowner.
12“They said, ‘These workers hired last worked only one hour, yet you have treated them as equal to us. We carried the day’s heavy burden in the scorching heat.’
13“The owner answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t we agree that you would work for one denarius?
14“He continued, ‘Take your pay and go. I choose to give the worker hired last the same amount I gave you.
15“‘Don’t I have the right to do what I choose with my own money? Or do you look at me with an envious eye because I am generous?’”
16Jesus concluded, “That is how the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took his twelve followers aside. While they were on the road, he told them,
18“Listen, we are going up to Jerusalem. There I, the Son of Man, will be handed over to the leading priests and the teachers of Jewish law. They will sentence me to death.
19“They will hand me over to non-Jews, who will mock me, whip me, and crucify me. On the third day, I will be raised to life.”
20Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached Jesus with her sons. She bowed low before him and asked him for something.
21Jesus asked her, “What do you want?” She answered, “Please let these two sons of mine sit beside you when you rule as king—one at your right side and the other at your left.”
22Jesus answered them, “You do not understand what you are asking. Can you drink the same cup of suffering that I am about to drink?” The two brothers replied, “We can.”
23Jesus told them, “You will drink my cup. But the positions at my right and left are not mine to give. They will go to the people for whom my Father has prepared them.”
24When the other ten heard about this, they became angry with the two brothers.
25Jesus called all of them together and said, “You know that the rulers of non-Jewish nations act as masters over their people, and their high officials use their power over them.
26“That is not how it will be among you. Instead, anyone who wants to become great among you must serve the others.
27“Anyone who wants to be first among you must become your slave.
28“In the same way, I, the Son of Man, did not come to be served but to serve, and to give my life as the price paid to set many people free.”
29As Jesus and his followers left Jericho, a large crowd followed him.
30Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David—the promised king—have mercy on us!”
31The crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted even louder, “Lord, Son of David—the promised king—have mercy on us!”
32Jesus stopped, called them over, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33They answered, “Lord, open our eyes so we can see.”
34Deeply moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they followed him.