20:1ff Jesus further clarified the membership rules of the Kingdom of Heaven: Entrance is by God’s grace alone. In this parable, God is the householder, and believers are the laborers. This parable speaks especially to those who feel superior because of heritage or position, to those who feel superior because they have spent so much time with Christ, and to new believers as reassurance of God’s grace.
20:15 This parable is not about rewards but about salvation. It is a strong teaching about grace, God’s generosity. We shouldn’t begrudge those who turn to God in the last moments of life, because, in reality, no one deserves eternal life.
Many people we don’t expect to see in the Kingdom will be there. The thief who repented as he was dying (Luke 23:40-43) will be there along with people who have believed and served God for many years. Do you resent God’s gracious acceptance of the despised, the outcast, and the sinners who have turned to him for forgiveness? Have you ever been jealous of what God has given to another person? Instead, focus on God’s gracious benefits to you, and be thankful for what you have.
20:20 The mother of James and John came to Jesus, “worshiping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.” She gave Jesus worship, but her real motive was to get something from him. Too often this happens in our churches and in our lives. We play religious games, expecting God to give us something in return. True worship, however, adores and praises Christ for who he is and for what he has done.
20:20 The mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her sons special positions in his Kingdom. Parents naturally want to see their children promoted and honored, but this desire is dangerous if it causes them to stand in the way of God’s specific will for their children. God may have different work in mind for them—perhaps not as glamorous but just as important. Thus, parents’ desires for their children’s advancement must be held in check as they pray that God’s will be done in their children’s lives.
20:22 James, John, and their mother failed to grasp Jesus’ previous teachings on rewards (19:16-30) and eternal life (20:1-16). They failed to understand the suffering they must face before living in the glory of God’s Kingdom. The “cup” was the suffering and crucifixion that Christ faced. Both James and John would also face great suffering. James would be put to death for his faith, and John would be exiled.
20:23 Jesus was showing that he was under the authority of the Father, who alone makes the decisions about leadership in heaven. Such rewards are not granted as favors. They are for those who have maintained their commitment to Jesus in spite of severe trials.
20:24 The other disciples were upset with James and John for trying to grab the top positions. All the disciples wanted to be the greatest (18:1), but Jesus taught them that the greatest person in God’s Kingdom is the servant of all. Authority is given, not for self-importance, ambition, or respect, but for useful service to God and his creation.
20:27 Jesus described leadership from a new perspective. Instead of using people, we are to serve them. Jesus’ mission was to serve others and to give his life away. A real leader has a servant’s heart. Servant leaders appreciate others’ worth and realize that they’re not above any job. If you see something that needs to be done, don’t wait to be asked. Take the initiative and do it like a faithful servant.
20:28 A “ransom” was the price paid to release a slave from bondage. Jesus often told his disciples that he must die, but here he told them why—to redeem all people from the bondage of sin and death. The disciples thought that as long as Jesus was alive, he could save them. But Jesus revealed that only his death would save them and the world.
20:29-34 Matthew records that there were two blind men, while Mark and Luke mention only one. This is probably the same event, but Mark and Luke singled out the more vocal of the two men.
20:30 The blind men called Jesus “son of David” because the Jews knew that the Messiah would be a descendant of David (see Isaiah 9:6, 7; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5, 6). These blind beggars could see that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, while the religious leaders who witnessed Jesus’ miracles were blind to his identity, refusing to open their eyes to the truth. Seeing with your eyes doesn’t guarantee seeing with your heart.