ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Matthew 20

Matt. 20:1 the kingdom of heaven is like. See note on 13:24. vineyard. Israel was often referred to as the “vine” or “vineyard” of God (e.g., Isa. 5:1–7; Jer. 2:21; Hos. 10:1). “Vineyard” here represents the activity of the kingdom in this world.

Matt. 20:2–15 denarius. A typical day’s wage for a laborer. third hour. 9:00 a.m. The workday was typically divided into four three-hour parts, running from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eleventh hour. 5:00 p.m., near the end of the workday. These workers are desperate enough to continue waiting for work.

Matt. 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. Jesus is not denying degrees of reward in heaven (see note on 1 Cor. 3:14–15). He affirms that God’s generosity is more abundant than anyone would expect. Jesus is probably also warning his early followers that they should not despise those who come later.

Matt. 20:17–19 the Son of Man will be delivered over. This is the third of four predictions of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. See note on 16:21; see also 17:22–23 and 26:2.

Matt. 20:20 Salome (see 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1) was the mother of the sons of Zebedee. She was also probably the sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother (see John 19:25). If so, James and John were Jesus’ cousins. with her sons. Mark 10:35–37 focuses on the sons themselves and reports her request as their words, perhaps because they had told her to ask this (see note on John 3:17). Matthew and Mark may also report different aspects of a longer conversation, in which the mother may have asked Jesus the question and then Jesus asked the brothers if that was what they wanted. kneeling. Salome shows respect to Jesus as her messianic Master, but she also evidently hopes to use her and her sons’ family kinship with Jesus to her sons’ advantage.

Matt. 20:21 that these two sons of mine are to sit. Salome’s petition was likely inspired by Jesus’ remarks in 19:28, where he had announced the Twelve’s rulership with him in his future kingdom. right hand. A place of honor (1 Kings 2:19; Ps. 16:11; 110:1).

Matt. 20:22–23 You. The plural pronoun indicates that Jesus addressed the mother and the brothers directly. The cup in Scripture is symbolic of what God has determined will happen (compare Ps. 16:5; Isa. 51:17). Here it refers to Jesus’ future suffering (Matt. 26:39).

Matt. 20:23 You will drink my cup. James was the first apostle martyred (Acts 12:2). John suffered persecution and exile (Rev. 1:9).

Matt. 20:24 indignant. They were probably upset by the brothers’ attempt to use their family relationship to gain an unfair advantage in getting what the other disciples also wanted.

Matt. 20:28 Son of Man. See note on 8:20. came not to be served but to serve. Jesus will give his life as a ransom (that is, the price of release, often referring to the money paid to release slaves) for many. “For,” as used here, means “in place of.” It signifies the substitution of Jesus’ life on the cross for all those who accept him as their payment for their sins (see notes on 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18).

Matt. 20:29 Jericho. Not the ancient OT city (Joshua 5–6), but the new Jericho, about a mile (1.6 km) to the south of the older city. Matthew says the healing of the blind men took place as they went out of Jericho (and Mark 10:46 agrees), but Luke 18:35 says it was “as he drew near to Jericho.” It is possible that Matthew and Mark refer to the new Jericho, and Luke to the old Jericho nearby, or vice versa. Another possibility is that the blind men cried out to Jesus first as he was entering the city (Luke 18:35) but he did not heal them until he was leaving the city.

Matt. 20:30–31 two blind men. Mark 10:46 and Luke 18:35 mention only one blind man, and Mark gives his name (“Bartimaeus”). This does not mean that Matthew’s report of two blind men is inaccurate, only that Mark and Luke focused on one of them. Son of David. See note on Matt. 9:27.