_For the kingdom of heaven_, &c. The manner in which the following
parable is here introduced, (and it is the same in the original,)
evidently shows that it was spoken in illustration of the sentence
with which the preceding chapter concludes, and from which, therefore,
it ought not to have been dis... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day_ “A
_denarius_, or Roman penny, in value about seven and one half pence
sterling, which it seems was the usual price of a day's service among
the Jews, as Tacitus tells us it was among the Romans, (_Annal.,
Matthew 1:17_.) It is therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
_Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour_ At noon, and three
in the afternoon; _and did likewise_ Sent others to work on the same
general promise of giving them as much as they could reasonably
expect. Thus many of the Jews were brought into the Christian Church,
the Lord's vineyard, by the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And about the eleventh hour_ About five in the afternoon; _he went
and found others standing idle_ Others are hired into the vineyard in
old age, when the day of life is almost wholly spent, and there is but
one hour of the twelve remaining. “None are hired at the _twelfth
hour:_ when life is done,... [ Continue Reading ]
_When even was come_ Then, as usual, the day-labourers are called and
paid. Faithful labourers shall receive a portion of their reward when
they die. It is deferred till then, that they may exercise patience in
waiting for it; but no longer. As soon as Paul, that faithful
labourer, departs, he is _w... [ Continue Reading ]
_They that were hired about the eleventh hour_ Either the Gentiles,
who were called long after the Jews into the vineyard, the Church of
Christ; or those in every age who did not hear, or at least understand
and obey, the gospel call, till their day of life was drawing to a
period. Some circumstance... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the first came, they supposed that they should have received
more The first_, here seems to mean the Jews, who always supposed that
they should, in every thing, be preferred before the Gentiles, and
were provoked to jealousy by the admission of the Gentiles into the
gospel church, and to the f... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he answered one of them_ Who spoke in the name of the rest;
_Friend, I do thee no wrong_ It is most apparent that I do not, in any
degree, injure thee or any of thy companions. _Didst thou not agree
with me for a penny?_ Didst thou not consent to obey the gospel, to
enter the vineyard of the go... [ Continue Reading ]
_So the last shall be first, and the first last_ The Gentiles last
called, and last in advantages and privileges, not having been
favoured in that respect as the Jews were, and despised and looked
down upon with contempt by the Jews; _shall be first_ Shall more
readily, and in far greater numbers, e... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus took the twelve disciples apart in the way_ See note on Mark
10:32. _And said, The Son of man shall be betrayed_, &c. This is the
sixth time that Jesus foretold his own sufferings; see John 2:19; John
2:21; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:12; Matthew 17:22; Luke 17:25; and the
fifth time that he fo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children_ Instigated, it
seems, by them. See Mark 10:35. _With her sons_ James and John;
_worshipping him_ That is, falling down before him; _and desiring a
certain thing of him_, &c. Considering what he had just been speaking,
was ever any thing more unseas... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when the ten heard it_ It is likely they overheard the
conversation; _they were moved with indignation_ Being not only
equally desirous, but in their opinion equally deserving of the
principal posts, they took it exceedingly amiss that Zebedee's sons
should have been so arrogant, and, it seems,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And as they departed from Jericho As he went out of Jericho with his
disciples:_ (Mark,) _behold two blind men_ Mark and Luke mention only
one of them, _blind Bartimeus_, who, it seems, was far the more
eminent of the two, and spoke for both. These blind men, hearing the
multitude pass by, asked wh... [ Continue Reading ]