Mateus 20
Theophylact of Ohrid
Mateus 20:1-7
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. The kingdom of heaven is Christ, Who is likened to a man inasmuch as Christ took on our form. He is the householder, as He is Master of the house, that is, of the Church. This Christ, then, went out from the bosom of the Father and hired laborers into the vineyard, namely, into the study of the Scriptures and into the doing of the commandments. Or, He hired each one to labor in the vineyard which is his own soul. He hires one in the morning, that is, in his childhood; another, at the third hour, in his youth; others at the sixth and ninth hours, when they are twenty five or thirty years of age, or simply, in their manhood; and others at the eleventh hour, in their old age. For there are many who came to believe even as old men. Or, in another manner as well, the day is this present age, for in it we labor as if for one day. The Lord, then, called at the first hour those living at the time of Enoch and Noah; at the third hour, those living at the time of Abraham; at the sixth hour, those living at the time of Moses; at the ninth hour, those living at the time of the prophets; at the eleventh hour, namely, at the close of the age, the Gentiles, who had been idle from every good work. No one had hired them because no prophet had been sent to the Gentiles. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:8-16
So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying, These last have laboured but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take what is thine, and go thy way: I desire to give unto this last, even as unto thee; or am I not allowed to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Evening means the end of the world. Therefore at the end each one receives his penny, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit re-fashioning man into the image of God and making him a sharer in the divine nature. Those who lived before Christ's incarnation labored more, because death was not yet then destroyed, nor the devil crushed, but sin still had its full vitality. But we who by the grace of Christ have been made righteous through baptism receive power to conquer our opponent who has already been cast down and slain by Christ. Also, according to the first interpretation, those who believed in their youth have a greater labor than those who approached in old age, for the youth, warring with passions, must bear the burden of anger and the heat of desires, while the old man is in tranquility. Nevertheless, all are deemed worthy of the one gift of the Holy Spirit. The parable, then, teaches us that it is possible even in old age to repent and obtain the kingdom, for this is the eleventh hour. Surely the saints are not envious of those who receive the same reward? Far from it. But this shows here that the good things given to the righteous are so great as to even incite one to envy. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:20-21
The sons of Zebedee, James and John, were thinking that if the Lord went to Jerusalem, He would rule over a temporal kingdom. For they heard Him say continually, "We go up to Jerusalem." They fell, then, to human weakness and persuaded their mother to approach Him, as they themselves were afraid to approach openly. For they too approached secretly, as Mark says (Mk. 10:35), writing that James and John came to Him, meaning that they approached Him secretly and by themselves. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:22
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto Him, We are able. He turns away from the mother and converses with the sons in order to show that He was not unaware that they had pushed her forward. Jesus says to them, "Ye know not what ye ask," that is, you ask for something so great as to amaze even the angelic powers. Then directing them away from such thoughts, He instead exhorts them to face dangers. He asks the question, knowing full well the answer, in order to compel them to reveal their wound of pride by their answer, and so that they might undertake in earnest to fulfill their promise. For this is what He is saying: since no one can share in My kingdom if he does not also share in My sufferings, tell Me if you are able to suffer such things as these. For the cup means martyrdom and one's own death, at the same time showing that it is an easy thing, like drinking a cup of wine, and that we too ought to embrace martyrdom as easily. He also makes clear that He Himself approaches death gladly. For just as one who drinks a cup of wine is overwhelmed by sleep, so he who drinks the cup of martyrdom is weighed down by the sleep of death. He also calls His death a baptism, as it is the cleansing of us all. They readily promised everything, not knowing what they were saying, but only to obtain what they wanted. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:23
And He saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit at My right hand, and at My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared by My Father. "You will bear witness even unto martyrdom, this I know" - and so it happened. For James was killed by Herod, and John was condemned by Trajan for bearing witness to the Word of Truth. "But to sit is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared." That is, if one can be found who, along with bearing witness, also possesses every other virtue, that man will receive the gift. It is prepared for him who has labored, just as wreathes are prepared for those who contest in the games. When a foot race is held, sponsored by the king, and a man who did not even compete in the race approaches the king and says, "O holder of the games, give the wreath to me, though I did not compete," the king would answer him, "It is not for me to give out the wreath freely. For it goes to him for whom it has been prepared, that is, to him who ran and won the victory." So Christ here says, "I am not able to freely grant you to sit at My right hand. For it belongs to others who have labored for it and for them it has been prepared." You might ask, then, "Are there some who will sit?" Learn, that no one will sit there in the kingdom, for that is the prerogative of the divine nature alone. For to which of the angels said He at any time, "Sit thou at My right hand?" (Heb. 1:13. See Ps. 109:1). But John and James supposed that the Lord had said this, and they asked for such a seat, not understanding that to sit on the twelve thrones means they would be glorified on account of their virtue. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:24
When the ten saw the two being rebuked by the Lord, then they, too, became indignant, revealing that even prior to this they had been annoyed at the honor which these two were given. For they were yet imperfect, the two rising up against the ten, and the ten envious of the two. — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:25-27
As the ten were stirred up when they heard this, He called them to Himself, and by His calling, before any words were spoken, He calmed them. For the sons of Zebedee spoke to Him after they had separated themselves from the others. Therefore He speaks to them all together. Knowing how tyrannical is the pride of status, requiring a severe rebuke, He touches them to the quick by consigning them to the lot of Gentiles and infidels if they would be vainglorious. So He shames them by saying, "Other men are renowned as princes and rulers, and the lust for high position is a passion of the Gentiles; but My disciples are made honorable by their humility. So that he who would be great ought to serve the most inferior in rank; this is the mark of extreme humility." — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:28
Knowing how tyrannical is the pride of status, requiring a severe rebuke, He touches them to the quick by consigning them to the lot of Gentiles and infidels if they would be vainglorious. So He shames them by saying, "Other men are renowned as princes and rulers, and the lust for high position is a passion of the Gentiles; but My disciples are made honorable by their humility. So that he who would be great ought to serve the most inferior in rank; this is the mark of extreme humility. I Myself show this. I am the Prince and King of those who dwell in the heavens, Who humbled Myself to minister to you for your salvation, and I am your servant to the extent that I even give My life as a ransom for many, that is, for all." For "all" are "many." — Commentary on Matthew
Mateus 20:29-34
And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace; but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. The blind men knew of the Lord by His fame, and so they seized the opportunity when they heard that He was passing by on the way. They believed that Jesus, of the seed of David according to the flesh, was able to heal them, and as their faith was exceedingly fervent, they did not fall silent when they were rebuked but cried out all the more. Therefore Jesus does not ask them if they have faith, but rather, what it is they want, so that no one would think that He gave them something other than what they desired. He shows that they were not shouting out to ask for money, but for healing. By His touch He heals them, that we may learn that every member of His holy flesh was also a life-creating member of God. And if Luke and Mark say that there was one blind man, this does not conflict, for they mentioned what was most noteworthy. Another explanation is that Luke says that He healed a blind man before He entered Jericho, but Mark, after He left Jericho. But Matthew in his succinctness included both in one account. Understand the blind men as the Gentiles who were healed in passing. For Christ did not come, in the first place, for the Gentiles but for the Israelites. Just as the blind men by hearing learned of Jesus, so too the Gentiles by hearing believed. Those who rebuked the blind men, telling them not to shout the name of Jesus, are the persecuting tyrants who attempted to shut the mouth of the Church, but She all the more confessed the name of Christ. Therefore She was healed and sees ever more clearly the light of the Truth, and follows Christ, imitating His life. — Commentary on Matthew