Coming of the King: Week 43

Matthew 20:17-34: Status in the Kingdom

• 20:16 "the last will be first, and the first will be last" - envy has no place in the Kingdom.
• 20:18 This is the fourth time Jesus tells them the plan.
• 20:22 "You do not know what you ask for." Again, for those who think Jesus teaches socialism, the brothers epitomize the attitude of those in "Atlas Shrugged" who want the perks of the heavy lifters ("Atlas") but can't deliver the goods. Jesus is our Champion, he alone is able to deliver us. As with the vineyard workers last time, anything we receive is through the Generosity of the landowner.
• 20:24 "the ten ... were indignant" - again underscoring the importance of the 10th commandment. "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice." James 3:14-16
• 20:28 This is the fifth time Jesus tells them the plan. "ransom for many" - the greek is ἀντὶ: "against, instead of". This emphasizes the substitutionary nature of His mission.
• 20:30 "two blind men" - Mark and Luke record only one, on what is pretty clearly the same occasion. This is a pattern in Matthew that we have noted before with the two daemoniacs. Matthew 8:28-34 I hesitate to advance a theory with no evidence, but I feel as if Matthew describes these cases as two men because their presence has the force of two men. On the other hand, Matthew is the only direct eye witness of the incident, and this detail may have been missed in the retelling. (John does not record this incident.)
• 20:31 "Lord, Son of David" - blind men can see what the Pharisees cannot, that here is their King and Messiah. "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind." John 9:39-41 The Caananite woman also recognized him as the Messiah, but could not claim priority as a Jew. Matthew 15:22