Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What Does Matthew Chapter 20 Mean?

Matthew 20 records Jesus’ teaching, interactions, and healing as He and the disciples continue to travel toward Jerusalem. It begins with the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The parable follows Jesus’ statements about the disciples’ eternal rewards for following Him. He told them that everyone who leaves behind much to follow Him will be richly rewarded and receive eternal life. He added, though, that many who are first will be last, and the last first (Matthew 19:29–30).

Now Jesus tells a parable to illustrate what this means. He pictures the master of a household in need of workers for his vineyard, likely for the harvest. He goes out early in the morning and hires a group of day-laborers for the agreed-upon price of one denarius a day. Needing still more workers, the master of the house returns to the market place every three hours or so, hiring another group each time for “whatever is right” as compensation (Matthew 20:1–7).

When the time to pay the workers comes, the group hired early in the morning is excited when they see the master pay those hired at 5 p.m. a full denarius. They assume he will pay them much more. They grumble at the master when he pays them a denarius, as well. However, this is exactly what they had agreed to work for. The master insists he has the right to be generous to whomever he chooses. Jesus concludes the story by repeating His teaching that the last will be first, and the first last. This message is somewhat parallel to the end of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:25–32): if God seems to be even more generous to others than He is to us, that does not mean we’re being cheated or treated unfairly (Matthew 20:8–16).

Next, Jesus clearly tells the disciples for the third time (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23) that when they reach Jerusalem, He will be condemned to death by the Jewish religious leaders and then handed over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified. He adds that He will be raised on the third day (Matthew 20:17–19).

Then Jesus is approached by the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Some scholars think this woman is Salome (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1; John 19:25), and possibly Mary’s sister. This would make her Jesus’ aunt. She asks that her sons be chosen to sit at Jesus’ left and right hands in His kingdom. This means they will have the highest positions under Jesus Himself. Jesus turns to James and John and says they don’t know what they’re asking. He asks if they can drink His cup, meaning the suffering that He will experience. He agrees that they will drink His cup—enduring their own trials and persecution—but answers that the Father is the one who will grant such positions in the kingdom (Matthew 20:20–23).

The other disciples are furious. They recognize this as an attempt by James and John to elevate themselves above the rest and grab power in the kingdom. Jesus explains that greatness in His kingdom is not about ruling over others as the Gentiles do. Instead, those who would be great should serve the others. Whoever would be first must be a slave to the others. After all, Jesus has come to serve and not to be served. This is a lesson He will demonstrate in a very personal way when He washes the disciple’s feet during the Last Supper (John 13:12–17). As with His lesson on rewards, Jesus continues to challenge assumptions about greatness and power (Matthew 20:24–28).

Finally, two blind roadside beggars call out to Jesus while He is passing them on the way to Jerusalem. They ask Him to have mercy on them and call Him the Son of David, the name for the Messiah. Jesus heals their blindness. Mark’s account (Mark 10:46–52), like Luke’s (Luke 18:35–43), focuses on only one of the men, named Bartimaeus. The “Jericho” in question is not the exact same one featured in the book of Joshua (Joshua 6), but a long-removed resettlement nearby. Modern preachers often bring up this event, noting that this is the last time Jesus will pass by this location. The blind men don’t know it, but this was their last chance to meet Christ. We never know when a call to follow Jesus in faith will be the last one of our lives (Matthew 20:29–34).

Chapter Context
Matthew 20 begins with a parable that illustrates Jesus’ statement at the end of Matthew 19: In His kingdom, some of the first will be last and the last first. Still on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus tells the disciples for the third time that He will be killed and then raised on the third day. When asked, Jesus explains that it is not up to Him to grant the seats on His right and left hand in the kingdom and that His disciples will not become great in the way of Gentiles. Instead, they will find greatness by serving each other. A healing of two blind men leads into the triumphal entry, the first event in the last earthly week of Jesus’ ministry.

Verse By Verse

Verse 1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

Jesus has assured the disciples that they will be richly rewarded for all they have lost for His name’s sake, in addition to inheriting eternal life. He concluded though by telling them that many who are first will be last, and the last first (Matthew 19:27–30).

Now Jesus uses a parable to illustrate what that means. A parable usually takes the form of a very brief story, as it does in this passage. Jesus often begins His parables by saying “the kingdom of heaven is like” the story that follows. His parables provide snapshots and impressions of the way His kingdom works for those who will spend eternity there. In this case, Jesus is describing the kingdom in terms of the reward to be given to those who work on His behalf.

He begins by describing the master of a house. This master owns a vineyard, and it is apparently harvest time. It was common to hire temporary workers during the harvest when the work became more than the full-time servants could handle on their own. Those available for temporary work would gather in the marketplace in hopes of being hired for the day.

Verse 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

This is part of another parable Christ uses to explain an aspect of the kingdom of heaven. This is in response to Peter’s question about what he and the other disciples will receive for leaving behind everything to follow Jesus. Jesus has assured them they will be richly rewarded, but He seems to be warning them with this story that others who have done less will also receive a reward (Matthew 19:27–30).

He is describing the master of a house, the owner of a vineyard, who has gone to the marketplace to hire temporary workers or day laborers. As farmers do today, it was common in this era for a vineyard owner to employ workers by the day, especially during the harvest.

The typical workday was divided into four three-hour blocks of time, beginning about 6 a.m. and ending around 6 p.m. The master of the house hires this first group of workers early in the morning. They agree to work the full day for a denarius, the typical wage of a laborer or soldier. He sends them to the vineyard to get to work.

Verse 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Jesus is telling a story about the master of a house hiring dayworkers for his vineyard. The story is a parable meant to illustrate a specific aspect of the kingdom of heaven. In this case, Jesus is showing His disciples what He means when He says that many who are first in the kingdom will be last and the last first (Matthew 19:27–30).

The typical workday at this time began around 6 a.m. and ended around 6 p.m. The master hired a group of workers early in the morning to work the vineyard for one denarius for the day, the common wage for laborers. Now he returns to the marketplace at around the “third hour” from 6 a.m. He needs more workers and finds some men with no other work to do. This does not mean that they are lazy, only that they have not yet been hired to do any work for the day. He will hire these workers, as well.

Verse 4 and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’

Peter has asked Jesus what reward they will get for leaving everything behind to follow Him (Matthew 19:27–30). To illustrate the answer, Jesus is telling a parable about the kingdom of heaven. He compares the kingdom to the master of house hiring day laborers to work in a vineyard. He hires the first group early in the morning, likely around 6 a.m. They agree to work the day for one denarius each. Then he goes out again at the third hour, around 9 a.m., and hires another group. He now tells them to go work in the vineyard for whatever he decides is right at the end of the day.

It’s possible that the second group does not expect to be paid a full denarius since they won’t be working a full day in the vineyard. They apparently need the work and are willing to trust the master of the house to pay them something reasonable when the time comes, whatever that is.

Verse 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

How much is a day’s work in a vineyard worth? Jesus is telling a story that will answer that question: A day’s work in the vineyard is worth whatever the master is willing to pay for it, even if you work more or less than other laborers. The point of Jesus’ parable, though, is about rewards in the kingdom of heaven for those who work in this life for Jesus’ sake.

The master of the house needs laborers for his vineyard in the same way that God uses workers on earth, followers of Jesus, to prepare the way for the kingdom of heaven and to “harvest” those who need to hear the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 9:36–38). The master in the story hired the first group of workers early in the morning, likely around 6 a.m. They agreed to put in a full day for a denarius. Then the master returned to the marketplace at the third hour, 9 a.m., and hired more workers for “whatever is right.” He does the same thing at the sixth hour—about noon—and the ninth hour—about 3 p.m.—agreeing to pay each worker whatever is right in exchange for working for what’s left of the workday, until about 6 p.m.

The following verse shows that even all those workers are not enough, though. The master needs still more hands and bodies in the vineyard to get the work done.

Verse 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’

The master of the house in Jesus’ story has spent the entire day hiring temporary labor, day workers, to help with the work of his vineyard. This parable is about the kingdom of heaven, and the vineyard represents the work of the kingdom in this life for those who follow Jesus. It’s also about the reward they will receive when their work is done.

The master hired the first group early in the morning, agreeing to pay a denarius in exchange for a full day’s work. He has returned to the marketplace to find more willing workers every three hours, at 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. He has agreed to pay each of them “whatever is right” (Matthew 20:4).

Now it is the eleventh hour and there is still work to be done in the vineyard. The eleventh hour is 5 p.m., and the workday commonly ends at around 6 p.m. In apparent desperation, the master returns to the marketplace once more and seems surprised to find more available workers. He asks why they have spent all day just standing around. They will reply that nobody has hired them (Matthew 20:7).

Verse 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’

Jesus’ story of the master of a household hiring workers for his vineyard (Matthew 20:1) takes a surprising turn. Who hires temporary workers when there is only an hour remaining in the workday? Apparently, the work that needs doing in the vineyard, likely the harvest, is so urgent that the master requires all the help he can possibly get. For his own reasons, and under his own counsel, the master chooses to bring on these last-minute helpers.

The master has hired workers four times, at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. The day is almost over, but he returns to the marketplace once more. He asks some available workers why they have spent the entire day just hanging around the marketplace. Now they answer simply that nobody hired them. They were ready and willing but not needed. The master needs them, though, and immediately sends them to join all the others working in his vineyard. No mention is made of what he will pay them. Perhaps they think that getting paid anything for a little work would be worth it at this point.

Verse 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’

The workday in Jesus’ parable is complete. The master of a household has hired five different groups of people to work in his vineyard throughout the day. The first group was hired early in the morning. The last group was hired around 5 p.m. Now the time has come for the master to pay all the people who participated in the work.

He instructs his foreman, the person in direct charge of the workers, to line them up for their pay from the last hired to the first hired.

Jesus is telling this story, in part, to answer Peter’s question about what he and the other disciples will receive in the kingdom of heaven since they have left everything to follow Jesus. Jesus has assured them that they will receive a rich reward, in addition to inheriting eternal life (Matthew 19:27–30). He then said, though, that many who are first will be last and the last first. This parable explains what that means.

Verse 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

This part of the story is meant to surprise the listener a bit. Those paying attention heard Jesus say that the first workers hired by the master of the house at around 6 a.m. agreed to payment of one denarius each for the day’s work. This was a reasonable wage for that era. Now, though, the master has paid a denarius to the workers hired last, the ones who showed up at the vineyard at around 5 p.m. to work for only an hour.

Jesus’ story plays on a universal truth of human nature. We’re all naturally insecure about what other people are making and how much they have. Since Jesus’ parable is about the kingdom of God and the reward for those who follow Jesus in this life, the stakes are even higher than a single day’s wages. Those who worked the longest heard what the latecomers were paid and thought, “If the master paid them a denarius, for just one hour, imagine how much we’re going to get!”

Perhaps the disciples, following Jesus’ tale, are thinking the same thing. If Jesus is saying that those who do only a little work for His kingdom will receive a “full day’s pay” because of God’s grace and generosity, imagine how much He will give to us for the sacrifice of our entire lives.

What Jesus says next, though, will make clear one more time that the kingdom of heaven does not operate like the kingdoms of the earth. In part, this is because the ultimate benefit of following Christ—an eternity in heaven—is precisely what is promised, and what is “paid,” to all who follow Him (John 3:16–18).

Verse 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.

In Jesus’ parable (Matthew 20:1), the master of the house hired one group of men to work an entire day in exchange for a denarius. He then hired groups to work the rest of the day for “whatever is right” at 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., and even 5 p.m. When the master paid those hired last, the ones who worked only an hour, a full denarius, the wheels of those hired first started spinning. They assumed that because they worked far longer, the master was about to pay them far more than what they had agreed to work for.

Now they learn that they are wrong. Instead of receiving, say, twelve denarii as an equivalent compensation for twelve hours of work, the first group each got exactly what they agreed to: one denarius. Put in the same situation, perhaps our first reaction would be the same as these men (Matthew 20:11): to claim this is not fair. Jesus, though, will show the master insisting that he has done right and fair by everyone. No one is getting anything different than that which they had agreed to.

Verse 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,

Perspective changes everything. The group of workers hired early in the morning agreed to work a full day in exchange for a denarius each (Matthew 20:1–2). They have done their work. Now they receive their pay right on time, before the sun sets, as the law of Moses required (Deuteronomy 24:14–15). This is the pay they signed on for, given when it was due. Everyone should be satisfied.

Instead, these workers grumble at the master of house. One thing has changed. They have learned what someone else was paid. Those who worked only an hour late in the day have received the same pay as them. Worse, they had briefly expected to be paid more than the original agreement, assuming the master of the house would be generous with them instead of merely honoring their agreement. That failed expectation and change of perspective left them grumbling and complaining despite being treated exactly as they had agreed.

Verse 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

A group of laborers hired early in the morning to do a day’s work in the vineyard in exchange for one denarius each are grumbling. Have they not been paid? Has their pay been delayed? Was the work different than expected? Was the master harsh with them? No, none of this has happened. The workers explain that they are upset because others were paid the same amount despite working only one hour. They worked hard all day long, and it was hot.

None of their complaints are false. Israel’s midday heat can be extreme for those who don’t escape into shade. Ten to twelve hours is a long workday and harvesting in a vineyard can be grueling work. If the agreements made by the master had been to pay based on merits or under any merit-based system of pay or reward, the group hired early in the morning deserved ten times more than the group hired to close out the day.

The point of Jesus’ parable, though, will be that the kingdom of heaven does not run on a merit-based system. It runs on the grace of God toward those who come to Him through Jesus, no matter when they come or what they seemingly deserve. Even more to the point, those who came to the Master earlier are not being cheated—they are obtaining exactly what was promised.

Verse 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

The master of the household in Jesus’ parable (Matthew 20:1) clearly represents the Lord. It is encouraging then to see how the master responds to those who are grumbling at him about their pay. They have voiced their complaint: Those who worked only an hour in the vineyard received the same pay as those who worked all day long, since early in the morning. The master has given equal reward for unequal work.

In many of Jesus’ parables, a character who expresses a wrong or selfish point of view is condemned to judgment. Not in this one. Instead, the master refers to the grumblers as “friend.” His rebuke is gentle and, above all, reasonable. He insists that he has done nothing wrong to them and asks a question: Isn’t this pay what we agreed on?

The bitter perspective of the grumbling workers is wrong, but the master sees them as allies, not enemies. He corrects their attitude, but insists they are friends. In this way, Jesus seems to be picturing the attitude of the Lord to those who follow Him while also, maybe, failing to appreciate His grace to others.

Verse 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.

What reward will be received by those who follow Jesus in this life? Jesus has been clear that the disciples should not expect material reward on this side of eternity. Their path will be like His, full of trouble, persecution, and suffering (John 16:33). Still, He has been clear that they will be richly rewarded in the kingdom of heaven for all they have lost in this life (Matthew 19:27–30). Even more, they will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29).

Jesus’ parable about the workers in the vineyard, though, shows that any reward in the kingdom of heaven is a gift of grace from the king. It is not based on a sliding scale of giving the most reward for the most work and lesser reward for lesser work. Does this mean everyone will receive the exact same thing, as each worker in the story receives the same denarius? Not necessarily. What it means is that the Lord will claim His right to give to each follower of Jesus as He chooses based on His own grace and power (Romans 9:15–23).

When the workers who worked the most grumble that their pay is equal to the workers who accomplished the least, the master tells them to take their pay and move on. Then he declares that he chooses to give the same amount to those who did far less. He claims his right as master to reward fairly or more than fairly, as he sees fit. Jesus’ story suggests that God does the same in rewarding those who serve Him.

Verse 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

The master (Matthew 20:1) asks two questions of the grumbling workers (Matthew 20:11). They are upset because those who worked just an hour are receiving the same wage as those who worked far longer and harder under worse conditions. The master asks them if he’s not allowed to do what he chooses with his own money. Do they resent his generosity to others? They are not being deprived of anything—the wages paid are exactly what they agreed to.

These are questions and concerns many of us should pose to ourselves when comparing the good gifts God has given to us with those given to others. This is especially important when we face the temptation to consider others less worthy of reward, especially the gifts of eternal life and a home in heaven.

Jesus’ parable places into the master’s mouth words valid for God to ask us. We know how we must answer. He is absolutely allowed to do whatever He wants with what belongs to Him. He is God (Romans 9:15–23). We are foolish to resent His grace and generosity to anyone, especially since our only hope in this life and the next comes through His grace and generosity, as well. We are left with nothing but to receive our own reward, in Christ, with gratitude. We’re promised eternal life (John 10:28), and that’s what we receive (John 3:16).

Verse 16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

This verse bookends this passage with Matthew 19:30. Jesus had assured the disciples of a rich reward in the kingdom of heaven for all they have given up for His sake, as well as eternal life. He had added, though, that many who are first will be last, and the last first, in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:27–30). Then He told the parable in this passage (Matthew 20:1) to illustrate what He meant by that.

Now Jesus makes the same statement in reverse order to show that He has explained what it means that the last will be first, and the first last. That may be, but not all commentators agree about what exactly He meant.

Some suggest the parable is about Israel and the Gentiles who will come into the kingdom by faith in Christ, making those who come through Christ first even though they came to be included in the family of God last. Others hear Jesus describing a general reversal in the kingdom of position and status on earth, making the rich poor and the lowly great. Still other teachers believe the meaning of the parable should be restricted to the disciples themselves to quiet their arguing about who was greatest among them.

The bottom line of the parable, however, seems to be that all are received and rewarded by God based on His grace. He gives much to those He wishes to, in Christ, based not on their worthiness but on His own generosity. Some of those who are last, least deserving of reward in the kingdom of heaven, may become first in receiving God’s grace precisely because of their lack of apparent work or effort. Others who gave up much for Jesus and seemingly did great things for God may be last in terms of their apparent relative reward. It is all for God to say.

Context Summary
Matthew 20:1–16 is a parable illustrating what Jesus meant in saying that some of the last will be first and the first last in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:30). When a master hires five groups of workers at different times throughout the day, he pays the last group the same amount that he pays the group hired early in the morning. Though that group grumbles, they received what they had agreed to earn and had not been cheated. The master insists he has the right to show generosity to whomever he wishes. Jesus concludes by saying, again, that the last will be first, and the first last. Themes found in this parable are echoed in the later portion of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:25–32).

Verse 17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

Matthew now reminds us that Jesus is continuing to move toward Jerusalem. He has left behind His life and ministry in the region of Galilee. In voluntarily moving toward Jerusalem, the seat of both Roman and Jewish power in Israel, Jesus has initiated the final steps toward the completion of His mission. This is more than a change of scenery; this also implies Jesus is heading towards His enemies, and eventual execution (Mark 8:31). For the third time, He will once again describe exactly what will happen to Him when they reach Jerusalem.

There can be no doubt. Jesus fully understood who He was and why He had come to earth in the first place. He was, in truth, “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” just as Peter had described Him (Matthew 16:16). What that meant, though, Peter did not understand. Jesus had not come to overthrow and rule and judge on earth at this time. He had come to die, as the Son of God, for the sins of humanity and to be raised, by the power of God, from the dead. He had come to make a way out of sin and death once and for all.

Verse 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death

Matthew has reminded us that, despite frequent detours for teaching and healing, Jesus is still headed “up” to Jerusalem. Because of its elevation, Jerusalem was generally said to be “up” from anywhere in Israel. Jesus is not yet there, however. He has more to do before finally arriving to meet the events He describes in this and the following verse.

Jesus says this even more clearly and plainly to the disciples than He has the previous two times (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23). He wants them to understand exactly what is coming and that He is moving toward it of His own free will. He wants them to remember this.

When they reach Jerusalem, the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to be executed. Jesus often refers to Himself as the Son of Man (Matthew 8:20; 9:6; 17:9). He reveals once more that He will be delivered to the Jewish religious leaders. The fact that He will be condemned means His death won’t be a sudden stoning or push from a cliff in the heat of the moment. Jesus knows He will face a legal proceeding. A deliberated judgment of death will be rendered in response to a charge against Him.

The fact that Jesus knew all of this was coming tells us at least two things. First, His commitment, His resolve, to carry out the will of His Father and demonstrate God’s love for the world (John 3:16) was absolute. He would not just show up and hope for the best. He knew what was coming and kept going toward it. Second, Jesus has demonstrated that He contained all the power needed to keep from being arrested, convicted, and condemned to death. The fact that He knows what is coming shows that He was not overcome.

Verse 19 and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Jesus is telling the disciples, clearly and plainly and for the third time in this gospel, exactly what will happen to Him when they reach Jerusalem (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23). He has said that He will be delivered over to the Jewish religious leaders (with the word “delivered” perhaps referring to Judas’ betrayal). They will condemn Him to death.

Now He adds that, once condemned, the Jewish leadership will hand Him over to the Gentiles: the Romans. This is because the Jewish religious leaders do not have the authority to execute one of their own prisoners. The Romans will mock, flog, and then crucify Jesus on a cross. Finally, Jesus insists that He will be raised on the third day.

Once again, Jesus shows that nothing that happened to Him in Jerusalem was a surprise. He embraced it as the central part of His mission on earth. His refusal to turn back or to thwart what was coming is enormous evidence of His commitment to demonstrate God’s love to the world and God’s power over sin and death.

Context Summary
Matthew 20:17–19 is this gospel’s third instance (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23) of Jesus describing what will happen to Him when He and His disciples reach Jerusalem. The Son of Man, meaning Christ, will be betrayed to His enemies among the Jewish religious leaders. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified. Then, Jesus adds, the Son of Man will be raised on the third day. Jesus clearly knows exactly what was coming, and He continues to head toward Jerusalem to fulfill it.

Verse 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

Mark’s account of this moment (Mark 10:35–45) does not mention the mother of James and John. Mark simply left out the fact that their mother initiated this conversation, likely because he considered it their request, and their mistake, more than Matthew might have done. In truth, the main misunderstanding here is between Jesus and these two brothers. Supporting this possibility is that, in both passages, Jesus holds the sons responsible for the request, not their mother.

Matthew introduced James and John as the sons of Zebedee the fisherman in Matthew 4:21–22. Jesus later gave the pair the name “Boanerges,” which means “sons of thunder.” Perhaps this was because of their father’s explosive personality or, more likely, it was because of their own (Luke 9:54).

According to many Bible scholars, the mother of the sons of Zebedee is likely a woman named Salome who is also the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary. They build the case for this, in part, from all of the times Jesus’ mother Mary is shown to be accompanied by her sister or a woman named Salome (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1; John 19:25).

If their mother was truly Mary’s sister, that would have made James and John first cousins to Jesus, in earthly terms. Perhaps that gives a hint as to why their mother would imagine it appropriate on some level to ask Jesus what she does in the following verse. Still, her request and their willingness to go along with it shows that all three of them misunderstood Jesus’ mission on earth and their part in it.

Verse 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”

The “mother of the sons of Zebedee,” James’ and John’s parent, has approached Jesus with great respect (Matthew 20:20). She has kneeled before Him in humility to make this specific request. Some scholars speculate that this woman may have been Salome (Matthew 27:56; John 19:25), possibly Jesus’ aunt—His mother Mary’s sister—and that James and John were his cousins. That may be why she felt bold enough to ask such a thing.

What she asks is huge: She wants Jesus to commit, right now, to declaring James and John will sit at Jesus’ right and left hand in His kingdom. In this era, the closer someone was seated to the king, the more power that person had in the kingdom. James and John, through their mother, are asking Jesus to make them the most powerful men in His kingdom, second only to Jesus Himself.

It is an understatement to call this a bold request. It would be an audacious thing to ask even if Jesus had, in fact, come to overthrow the Romans and return Israel to power and glory amongst the nations. This was what many people in that era expected the Messiah to do.

Jesus had not come to do any such thing at this time, however. He had come to plant the seeds of the kingdom of heaven, the eternal kingdom over which He will reign forever. That makes this request of Him even more enormous. If Jesus said yes, He would be declaring James and John as second only to Him for all eternity. Jesus will show patience and understanding in denying this request they do not understand.

Verse 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”

The mother of James and John has asked an enormous thing of Jesus, that her two boys would be seated on his right and left hands in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20–21). Anyone in those seats closest to the king would be the most powerful men in the kingdom under the ruler himself.

He turns away from their mother to address James and John directly. This response shows that Christ understands they are making this request of Him, through their mother. She did not spring this idea on Jesus without their knowledge. She was acting as their agent. This makes even more sense if this woman is Mary’s sister, Jesus’ aunt, as some scholars suggest may be the case.

Jesus’ response feels like an understatement. He tells these two bold men that they do not know what they are asking. He has not come, as they suppose, to set up a political kingdom on earth at this time (John 18:36). They should know that by now. He has told them three times that once they reach Jerusalem, he will be condemned by the Jewish religious leaders, handed over to the Romans for execution, and killed. He has also told them He will be raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21; 17:22–23; 20:17–19).

It’s important to be fair about what James and John could have understood at the time. Hindsight is powerful, and our views benefit from completed Scripture and the influence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:25–26). They simply did not grasp why Jesus was saying this or what His death and resurrection would accomplish. Their request reveals not only their own ambition, but also their misunderstanding of what Jesus has taught about how to be great in the kingdom of heaven: childlike humility (Matthew 19:13–15).

Now Jesus asks a pointed question to show they do not understand what they are asking. He is symbolically referring to suffering and judgment, using a common picture from the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus is asking if they are prepared to suffer as deeply as He is about to: when He will be tortured, sacrificed, and killed on the cross in Jerusalem.

James and John answer, too quickly, that they can drink Jesus’ cup of suffering, demonstrating once more their lack of understanding (Matthew 20:23).

Verse 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Using their mother to make the request on their behalf, James and John have asked Jesus for something tremendous (Matthew 20:20–22). They want to be named as His seconds in command and power when His kingdom is established. He has asked, symbolically, if they are able to endure what He is about to experience. They responded with a yes and now Jesus says that they will “drink His cup.” In other words, Jesus is saying that James and John will experience suffering as He will. This does not mean that they will experience all the suffering of Jesus, to the exact degree and severity of His experience on the cross. However, He is suggesting they will suffer for Him, on His behalf (John 15:20; 16:1–3).

And suffer they would. As it turns out, these two men represent the first and last of the loyal disciples to die. James was the first of the disciples to be killed for Jesus’ sake (Acts 12:2). John the Apostle was persecuted and eventually exiled to the island of Patmos “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). So far as we know, one of these brothers will die relatively soon, the other will outlive all the others.

Still, Jesus cannot grant their request to sit on His left and on His right in the kingdom. Only God the Father can grant that request. This shows that Jesus understands Himself to be under the authority of His Father in this, though they are one (John 14:8–11). He adds that His Father has prepared those seats for someone, and that is who will occupy them. If Jesus knows who those two people are, He chooses not to reveal it here.

Verse 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

The remaining ten disciples become indignant when they hear that James and John, through their mother, have asked Jesus to name them to the seats on His left and right hand in His kingdom. Jesus has told the brothers He did not have the authority to grant their request. God the Father will decide that. Still, the fact that the brothers have even asked is enough to fire up the rest of the group. The brothers have made a play to have Jesus declare the two of them the most important of the Twelve (Matthew 20:20–23).

The disciples had argued among themselves before about who among them was the greatest, likely thinking of positions of power in Jesus’ political kingdom on earth (Mark 9:33–37). In fact, they had tried to hide their argument from Jesus that time. This time, though, James and John had used strategy and, likely, a family connection to Jesus, to try to decide the issue in their favor once and for all. Scholars believe their mother might have been Salome (Matthew 27:56; John 19:25), who was possibly Jesus’ aunt through His mother, Mary.

Jesus will explain in the following verses what strategy the disciples should use if they sincerely want to become the greatest among them.

Verse 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

The disciples had plenty of examples of Gentile authorities to draw from. Their nation was occupied by Rome, which at that time was an effective and efficient superpower. Rome grew to that status, in part, by a deep commitment to authority and hierarchy. Roman authorities insisted on being recognized and respected. They allowed broad freedom to those they conquered, so long as those nations were submissive. Those who failed to bow received the harshest of penalties.

Jesus pointed to those Gentile rulers as a negative example of how to lead. He was not rejecting the idea of someone being in charge. Yet He was calling out the Roman tendency to be authoritarian in demanding to be served and obeyed. In part, He is showing conflict among the disciples about who would hold the highest position and the most power was a worldly and unspiritual ambition.

In the following verses, He will show an alternative style of leadership that brings greatness in the kingdom of heaven.

Verse 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

The disciples were in conflict about who among them would be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. Peter may have seemed to have the inside track (Matthew 16:17), but James and John had just made a play for the top spots in the organization (Matthew 20:20–23). Everyone else was fuming (Matthew 20:24).

Jesus has pointed out that this is a very Gentile-style attitude toward power and authority. That’s partly a use of the disciples’ Jewish sense of spirituality, as well as a statement of fact. Roman rulers, especially, demanded their right to be served and respected by those under their command. They flaunted their superior status. Jesus now says this won’t work for His disciples. Power struggles are not the way of the kingdom of heaven (Philippians 2:3).

What’s fascinating, though, is that Jesus does not tell His disciples to give up on the ambition to be great. He does not even tell them to stop competing for the position of “greatest.” Instead, Jesus tells them how to win—He gives practical advice on how to excel in this godly “race” (1 Corinthians 9:24). If you want to be great, Jesus says you must become a servant (John 13:12–17).

Of course, this would have sounded like nonsense to first-century ears. Servants were, by definition, the opposite of great. In this culture, humility was not a virtue; it was the result of weakness. The Greek word for servant, diakonos, usually referred to a hired worker, especially one who helped to maintain another person’s household. Servants received commands from greater men; they didn’t give them. Servants might be nice people, but they were nobodies. In fact, in the ancient world, it was assumed that rulers and royalty were literally better people than servants and subjects, and that’s why each was born into that status.

Rather than clarifying this startling declaration, Jesus simply reemphasizes it in the following verse.

Verse 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

The disciples have continued to show that they simply do not understand the nature of Jesus’ coming kingdom. They are expecting that at some point, the Messiah will use His miraculous powers to overthrow Israel’s oppressors and establish His own political kingdom on earth. The disciples have begun to compete for the top positions in that kingdom, the ones that will give them the most power and authority and status (Matthew 20:20–24).

Jesus has described this as a Gentile approach to power and position (Matthew 20:25). It’s how Roman leaders exercise and flaunt their authority. He told His disciples it won’t work that way for them. He did not tell them to stop wanting to be great in His kingdom, though. Instead He has described a different path to greatness.

He said that whoever would be great among them must be a servant to the others (Matthew 20:26). Now He adds that whoever would be first among them must be their slave. Jesus uses two different Greek words; He has already said the path to greatness for the disciples comes by being a servant, diakonos, to others.

Here, He says the route to number one status comes by being a slave, from the Greek word doulos. A servant agrees to meet the needs of others in exchange for money, or as an act of friendship. A slave acts under threat or obligation. Slaves and servants were two of the least powerful classes in the ancient world.

Jesus often said hard-to-understand things to the disciples. This, however, was exactly backward of their experience. Ancient wisdom equated nobility, status, and power with value; such people were assumed to be essentially better than those who were poor or unknown. Great men gave orders. They made important decisions. They received service from lesser men. Jesus, though, describes true greatness in His kingdom as belong to those who serve others and the very top spot as belong to the one who lives as a slave to those he serves.

Notice again that Jesus is not commanding His disciples to stop competing for greatness. He is describing to them how to find it. It will not come by having Roman-style power, position, or authority. It will come by meeting each other’s needs as servants and slaves meet the needs of their masters. This is a lesson Jesus will eventually demonstrate in a personal way when He washes the feet of the disciples at the Last Supper (John 13:12–17).

Who would voluntarily live in such a way? Jesus insists in the following verse that is exactly the life He has chosen among them.

Verse 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus has told His ambitious disciples a shocking thing. If they would be great, they must become a servant to the others. If they would be first, they must become slaves to each other (Matthew 20:25–27). Is Jesus just spiritualizing the idea of greatness to mean something religious? Who would willingly lead the life of a servant or slave if he really wanted greatness?

Christ points out that this is exactly the life He has been living among them. Using the title He often applied to Himself, He says the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve others. In fact, He came to voluntarily give His own life away as a ransom for many (1 Timothy 2:5–6). Jesus’ death on the cross, which will happen quite soon, is the ultimate act of service by the greatest human ever to live (Mark 8:31). In Philippians 2:5–8, Paul explains it this way:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

This unimaginable act of service to humanity led, in the end, to Jesus becoming the greatest of all for all time:

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11).

Jesus is calling the disciples (and all who are in Christ) to follow the same path to greatness: humble, sacrificial service to each other.

Context Summary
Matthew 20:20–28 follows Jesus’ clear description of His impending death with a poorly timed request from James and John, through their mother. Their desire is for the two sons to be given the powerful positions of being seated on Jesus’ left and right hand in His kingdom. Jesus makes an obscure reference to His upcoming suffering, asking if they can “drink the cup” ahead of Him. He then notes they will experience their own persecution and suffering, yet greatness in His kingdom won’t look like the flaunted authority of the Gentile rulers. The greatest of all will be the one who serves the others as a slave. Jesus, too, has come to serve and not to be served.

Verse 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.

Matthew describes one last miraculous display of God’s power in Jesus before He arrives in Jerusalem. Jesus and His disciples have been on the way to Jerusalem for some time, taking a longer route to get there. Now they are getting closer. Jericho is just northwest of the top of the Dead Sea, about 15 miles from Jerusalem.

The Jericho mentioned here is not the same city destroyed by Joshua and the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land (Joshua 5–6). It is the “new” Jericho, located about a mile to the south.

Matthew and Mark set this scene as Jesus and the disciples are leaving Jericho. Luke, though, describes Jesus as having entered Jericho and passing through it (Luke 19:1). This slight difference can be explained in at least two ways. The most obvious would be that Luke is describing Jesus as entering, “passing through,” and then coming out the other side when this interaction happens. The other option is that Luke reported Jesus entering and passing through the new Jericho, while Matthew and Mark describe the company as leaving the old one.

In any case, a large crowd was following Jesus. Large crowds often followed Him in hopes of witnessing miraculous healing or hearing Him teach. This crowd was likely even larger, since many Israelites would have been travelling to Jerusalem for Passover.

Verse 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

As Jesus is walking, followed by a large crowd, two blind men are sitting by the roadside. They realize who is going by and call out. They call Jesus the “Son of David,” showing that they understand Him to be the Messiah. They ask Jesus to have mercy on them.

Mark (Mark 10:46–52) and Luke (Luke 18:35–43) mention only one of the blind men. Mark gives that man’s name as Bartimaeus. The fact that they do not include a second blind man in their accounts does not mean that another man was not healed along with Bartimaeus, only that they focused on his interaction with Jesus. Jesus had healed another two blind men earlier in His ministry (Matthew 9:27–31). Though they were blind, those two also recognized that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus praised their faith in Him and connected that faith with His healing of them. Now another two blind men have “seen” Jesus for who He is.

Verse 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Two blind men sitting on the side of the road realize that the large crowd passing by them includes Jesus. They see an opportunity. It’s not just that they know Jesus as a powerful healer. They recognize Him as the “Son of David,” another name for the long-promised Messiah.

When the pair cry out, the crowd apparently sees only two beggars asking for money. Beggars likely often shouted out “have mercy on us” to passers-by, asking for donations. The crowd tells the men to be quiet. With nothing to lose, the two blind men continue to call out to Jesus, the Son of David, to have mercy on them.

This persistence turns out to be worthwhile. This is the last time Jesus will pass this way. Within a week, He will be crucified. If the blind men had tried to wait, or been easily quieted, they would never have another opportunity. This is a fact frequently noted in Christian sermons.

Verse 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Jesus has heard the cries of two blind, roadside beggars. As He and a large crowd pass by them on the road to Jerusalem, they have called out repeatedly, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The use of that name showed that these two men believed Jesus to the be the long-promised Messiah of Israel. They also believe Him able to heal their blindness. Despite being told by the crowd to be quiet, they have continued to appeal to Christ (Matthew 20:29–31).

Now Jesus stops and calls back to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus has heard them and is responding, giving them a chance to ask for what they most desire from the Messiah. Their persistence has paid off, and is more important than the men might realize. This is Jesus’ last trip through this area, as His arrest and crucifixion are merely days away (Matthew 20:17–19). Had the blind men hesitated, waited, or given up, they would never have gotten another chance to call out to Jesus.

Verse 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”

This is a simple request, but for an impossible outcome. Two blind men, roadside beggars, are asking the Messiah, the Son of David, to let their eyes be opened (Matthew 20:29–32). Scholars suggest blind people might have come to Jericho because the region was plentiful in balsam, something thought to be helpful for defects of the eye. If that’s why these two men were there, it had clearly not worked for them. They needed help beyond what their culture’s healing techniques could provide.

When they realized they were so near to the healer Jesus, the Messiah, they refused to be quiet. They called out to Him over and over, to the annoyance of the crowd, until Jesus finally answered their call. Now they have asked for something they know only He can do for them. It’s a good thing they did—Jesus is on His way to crucifixion (Matthew 20:17–19), making this the last chance they would ever have to meet Him.

Verse 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

Matthew makes a point to tell us that Jesus was moved by pity for the two blind men who believed Him to be the Messiah (Matthew 20:29–33). He displays once more that He has compassion on those who are suffering and is willing to help those who trust in Him. Jesus touches the eyes of these two blind beggars. With their sight restored, they join the company of those who are following Jesus to Jerusalem.

Modern preachers often make note of the fact that this is the last time Jesus will pass this way; had the blind men wasted this opportunity, they would never have gotten another. This makes for a useful analogy with respect to salvation, and the fact that no one knows if they will get more time to reconcile with God (James 4:14; Luke 12:19–20).

Jesus accomplished something else with this healing, as well. He provided all who saw it—and everyone they told—one more piece of evidence that He was truly the Son of God. He performed this miracle publicly, within a day’s walk of Jerusalem, and with no concern about who saw it happen or who made the connection that He was the Messiah.

This is different from the last time Matthew reported that Jesus healed a pair of blind men. Then He healed them inside of a house instead of out in the open and He “sternly warned them” not to tell anyone about it (Matthew 9:27–31). He was not yet ready for the confrontation that would follow from so many people hearing of His miraculous powers. Now, though, He had come to Jerusalem for exactly that, and there was no longer any reason to keep His power and His claim to be the Messiah a secret.

In fact, Jesus next recorded action will involve something very public: an event referred to as the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1–11).

Context Summary
Matthew 20:29–34 finds Jesus and a large crowd passing by two blind roadside beggars. Realizing it is Jesus, the blind men call out asking for His mercy. They call Him the Son of David, showing they know Him to be the Messiah. Refusing to be quieted by the crowd, they finally get a response from Jesus. He asks what they want, and they ask for their eyes to be opened. Jesus, having pity for them, heals the men. They begin to follow Him.

Chapter Summary
Jesus illustrates His earlier comments about how some of the “first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30) with a parable about hired workers. He then clearly tells His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. The mother of James and John asks Jesus to make her sons number two and three in His kingdom. Jesus tells the disciples that true greatness won’t come by flaunting authority as the Gentile leaders do. Instead, they will become great by serving each other, even as a slave does, as Jesus Himself has done. He then heals two blind men immediately before entering Jerusalem.