The Book of Matthew
Matthew was taught by Dr. James Modlish

CHAPTER TWENTY

20:1-7 "Like unto a man" - the man is nearly always God, (Matt. 13:24,44).

"That is an householder" - (Heb. 3:1-6).

"Into his vineyard" - is Israel as in (Isa. 5:1-7).

11th hour works out to start time of 1837 on a 2000 year church age. Last group of workers hired.

20:8-11 Seems to be a capitalist with God's approval.

20:12-16 Last workers may include Tribulation saints.

Additional notes on (Matt. 20:1-16)

20:1 "like unto a man" - which is nearly always the Lord, (Matt. 13:24,44). "that is an householder" (Heb. 3:1-6). "early in the morning" from God's point of view, early is better:

[1]. early in life, (Psa. 119:9; Prov. 1:1-4).

[2]. early in praise, (Psa. 108:1-3).

[3]. early to labour, (Song 7:12).

[4]. early to sacrifice, (Isa. 5:1-7).

20:2 It has often been assumed that a penny was one days wages based on Rev. 6:6.

20:3 Standing idle has always been the #1 problem with God's labourers, they are in the market place socializing. (Lk. 11:43; 7:31,32; 20:46)

20:4,5 More labourers are hired because there is much to do in the vineyard.

20:6 If this has a church age application the 11th hour works out to start around 1837 on a 2000 year church age.

20:7 The problem was - were they out looking for a job - not many come and say "what can I do?"

20:8-11

[1]. Capitalism seems to have God's approval.

[2]. Few are really happy with what they agreed for.

20:12-15 The heat is persecution (13:6,20-21). So even though the last bunch is working in the cool of the day they seem to get special consideration, labourers of the last days have their own peculiar problems.

20:16 Notice context is labourers not saints! (Lk. 10:2).

20:17-23 The cup turns out to be "my cup" (Jn. 18:11).

20:24-29 10 against 2 - same division as Israel.

20:29-34 In the account of Mark, one blind man is given, and his name is Bartimaeus. There is an apparent discrepancy in the accounts, which has given Catholics and Liberals another alibi for saying, "The Bible is confusing," or, "The Bible contradicts." In Matthew they are departing from Jericho and in Mark they are coming into Jericho (Mk. 10:46). This is the kind of thing which develops such writers as those found in the "Interpreter's Bible," and other slipshod publications. (It is characteristic of lazy intellectuals that they always investigate tone of literature which contradicts or imitates, or ridicules the Bible, but never do they give any attention to the scriptures themselves.) For example, there are two Jerichos mentioned in the Bible. The first one is destroyed in (Josh. 6), but it is rebuilt in (1 Ki. 16:34). This was proven by the excavations made at Jericho by Ernest Sellin of the German Oriental Society in 1907-1090. Another Roman "Jericho" is about one mile from the Jewish City, so Matthew is speaking of the Jewish City, and Mark is speaking of the Roman (as Luke - Lk. 18-35). This scientific fact (and all of the Bible is scientific fact) stands in direct opposition to the superstitions of "Bible scholarship," which teach that a contradiction is present. There is no contradiction present here, or anywhere else.

[1]. These men recognized Jesus to someone who could help them.

[2]. They knew they needed mercy.

[3]. There will always be someone who thinks you are excessive when you cry for mercy.

[4]. This kind of noise doesn't bother God.

[5]. Make your request specific.

[6]. Jesus is capable of great compassion.

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