It was impossible for a rich man to come to Jesus; in fact, as impossible as putting a camel through the eye of a needle. But with God, all things are possible. This must have left the disciples thoughtful as they saw the rich young ruler walk away because he was unwilling to give up his riches. Being rich was who he was; it was what he was, his identity. Giving it all away was a ridiculous notion to him and he determined it was not worth the cost.
It's then that Peter speaks up and points out to Jesus that they had forsaken all. Therefore, since they had done this, Peter wanted to know what they would get. The apostles were to sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes. They would receive one hundredfold their cost and have eternal life. These are great promises but is that why the disciples followed Christ? Was this like a long term investment plan where they forsook all and would get more back later? Was the Christian life a deferment plan? The rich young ruler looked at the cost verses what he thought he would receive and decided it wasn't worth it. If Jesus promised Peter just ten fold instead of a hundred fold, would Peter think it was not worth it?
Salvation and the promises of God aren't for sale. Christ paid a great price to purchase us with His blood. We come to Christ with a deep need and an incredible sin debt. With our debt paid, the basis of our relationship with Him is then established; we did nothing, Christ did it all. Because of this, we are eternally grateful and express our love and obedience for what He did, not what He'll give us.
Matthew 20:1-7
There wasn't anything strange about a day like this. There were day laborers in the market place and when someone needed help, they could hire them. When the harvest was due, it was important to get it in before it was ruined. So a landowner might hire throughout the day, even late in the day for just an hour or so.
'Early in the morning' means just after dawn; normal considered to be about 6 am. A denarius a day was a normal wage; these first laborers were contracted for this price for the day. A day's work would be a 12 hour day. The third hour would be three hours into the work day; about 9am. There was plenty of work, and idle workers; so the land owner hires them. They were hired for 'whatever is right'. The same happens at noon and 3pm; there was still plenty of work and some workers were idle. Then at 5pm, with only an hour left, workers were hired having been idle all day.
Matthew 20:8-16
When the work day was done who should get paid first? We tend to think like the complaining laborers; the guys who put the most hours in should get paid. When the last are paid first, it offends those who went to work in the morning. When they are paid one denarius, the first assumed they would get 12. They assumed they were worth that much more. They were basing their reward on what they thought, what they calculated and worth that they had established. However, the rewards were based off the goodness of the landowner. He was kind to most of the workers and fair to all. Those who demanded a contract got exactly what they were contracted for. Those who trust the owner were blessed by his kindness and surprised. They trusted the landowner without a contract; without the details of payment.
How does this parable reflect the kingdom of heaven? Well, there seems to be an infinite amount of work available while some are idle. Among those working, most trust the master with the rewards knowing his is gracious and whatever is received will be far better than anyone deserves. The parable was to point out a lesson to Peter and all of us. We don't serve God because of some expected reward. While we might all look at the rich young ruler and shake our head that he wouldn't forsake all for the kingdom, are we much better when we are in the kingdom and asking, "What's in it for us?"
When Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" Isn't the right answer Jesus? That's why we forsake all others; that's why leave all and follow Jesus, because its a right response to what He's done for us. We were spiritually dead with no hope when Christ redeemed us from death and gave us new life.
Among all that were called, why would the 'chosen' despise another for having received something they didn't get? Why wouldn't the chosen rejoice when another receives a reward of any kind? These first workers thought they had some seniority or higher rank. The master straightens them out; it's just not that way. It's the same in this life. We all have different lots in life. These workers were envious and covetous of the Landowner's kindness and grace offered to others. He said they had an evil eye. We might put it this way, these men were giving the other workers and the Landowner the evil eye. This was thought to be done to cast spells of harm or wish bad things on them. It was done out of greed, covetousness and envy.
Matthew 20:17-19
The trek toward the cross continues. Jesus is in control of the timing. He is going up to Jerusalem because Jerusalem was 'up' from every direction. Jerusalem was 2500 feet above sea level. The path Jesus was on near the Jordan was 1200 feet below sea level. This was 3700 feet up. You might say this trip was uphill all the way. There were probably many stops to rest. It was only later that one of these stops became memorable to the gospel writers as Jesus told them what was about to happen.
Mark said they were amazed; probably amazed at His courage because Jesus was a wanted man and He was walking right into their hands. Mark also said they were afraid. This was a dangerous place to go and they didn't know what was going to happen to them. Fear is the tool of the enemy and Satan was working on these men. Luke tells us, none of these men understood what Jesus had told them. It was if it went into their memory but wouldn't really make sense till much later.
This is the first time Jesus told them that he would die on a cross.
Matthew 20:20-23
Mark tells us (10:35-45) that it was James and John who made this request to Jesus. Some believe Matthew said it was their mother to keep from shaming these two men who were leaders and apostles in the church by the time Matthew wrote this down. We could notice that Jesus didn't answer the mother, in verse 22 He answered James and John. Whether the question came from sons of Zebedee or their mother, it seems James and John were behind it.
Jesus had already told them in 19:28 that they would be seated on thrones. So the question remained on which throne. James and John were seeking the seats closest to Jesus; the seats of prominence, power and authority. These were the seats for those closest to the king.
These men didn't know what they were asking. They were thinking in terms of a human government. They weren't saying, 'thy will be done', they were asking that their will be done. They had no concept that this cup was a cup of suffering and that the baptism was one of death. Both men would come to know these cups through serving Christ. James was the first martyr of the church. John lived the longest of the apostles and died of natural causes, although there were attempts to martyr him. Regardless, these seats were not for Jesus to give away. Jesus was obedient to the Father in all that He did; the seats were for the Father to fill.
On one hand, we see the faith in Jesus and their commitment to Him. On the other, we see their human ambition. While Jesus was going to be a sacrifice for all and modeling the service; these men wanted a position of authority and to be served.
Matthew 20:24-28
The response of the ten seems to resemble the laborers with an evil eye. They thought Jesus had just given special honor to James and John. They thought they had missed out. They thought others got what they could now not have. Jesus called them all together to straighten this out. They were thinking like citizens of an unbelieving world instead of citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Those on the earthly thrones lord it over their subjects expecting to be served. To be on the thrones in God's kingdom one must be a servant. There was a huge misunderstanding. If they wanted to be first and greatest, they had to become as a slave, just like Jesus, to give their lives for others and in service to others.
"A ransom is something paid or given to liberate a man from a situation from which it is impossible to free himself." (Barclay)
Matthew 20:29-34
Along the road, we see Jesus serve these men who were viewed as hopelessly useless. It appears as an object lesson to all where there; making the point Jesus just spoke. Of the great multitude all around, these blind men were nobodies, of no value. The multitude didn't feel they were worthy of Jesus spending any time on them. They too exercise and 'evil eye' in envy and covetousness regarding the attention of Jesus.
These men cried for mercy to Jesus, acknowledging Him as their messiah by calling Him Lord and Son of David. These men probably understood well, this was their last and best hope and it was found in Jesus. Jesus knew these me were blind and what they wanted but in stating it to Him they were expressing their faith and trust that He could heal them.
Imagine that moment when they felt the touch of the master. He touched eyes that offered no value; eyes that didn't function. In doing so He touched their life and changed it all in a moment. At His touch, they received an amazing gift. And what did they do with this gift? They used it to follow Him. What a day this was for these men. This was life changing and they would speak of that even and that day for years. Imagine the testimony these men had, the story they told after the resurrection.
It's fitting that we saw an 'evil eye' among several today, yet finished the lesson with new sight from new eyes by the hand of Jesus. There was no evil eye, there was no thought of getting any rewards or seats on thrones. It was a right response to the healer, redeemer and the giver of life who was on His way to pay a ransom price for you and I.
Amen.
©2015 Doug Ford
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