Matthew 20 · The Lantern

The Parable of the Workers

For the kingdom of the heavens is like to a man, a master of a house, who went out in the morning to hire workmen for his vineyard.

And having agreed with the workmen for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard.

The denarius I suppose here to mean salvation.

A denarius was a coin anciently equal to ten sesterces, and bearing the king's image. Well therefore does the denarius represent the reward of the keeping of the decalogue. And that, Having agreed with them for a denarius a day, is well said, to show that every man labours in the field of the holy Church in hope of the future reward.

Next, the manner of hiring is determined; hence he says, and having made an agreement with the workers for a denarius a day. By this denarius is signified eternal life, because that denarius was worth ten ordinary coins. Likewise, it had impressed upon it the likeness of the king. Hence, what is signified by this denarius consists in the observance of the Decalogue.

And having gone out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Or, He did not call upon the labourers of the third hour for a complete task, but left to their own choice, how much they should work. For they might perform in the vineyard work equal to that of those who had wrought since the morning, if they chose to put forth upon their task an operative energy, such as had not yet been exerted.

The worker at dawn, the third, sixth, and ninth hour designates that ancient Hebrew people, who among their elect from the very beginning of the world, while they strove to worship God with right faith, did not cease, as it were, to labor in the cultivation of the vineyard.

Next, he treats of the second hiring: and going out about the third hour, etc. If we take one day as the whole course of the world, just as the first hour signifies the time from Adam to Noah, so the second from Noah to Abraham. Before the promises were made concerning Christ, then through the angels he admonished many, and he also had many who admonished others.

and to those he said, ‘Go, you yourselves also, into the vineyard, and whatever shall be right I will give you.’ And they went their way.

And again, having gone out about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.

And about the eleventh, having gone out, he found others standing, and he says to them, ‘Why have you stood here all the day idle?’

But this, Why stand ye here all the day idle? is not said to such as having begun in the spirit (Gal. 3:3) have been made perfect by the flesh, as inviting them to return again, and to live in the Spirit.

But at the eleventh hour the Gentiles are called, to whom it is also said: Why do you stand here idle all day? For those who, after so long a time of the world had passed, had neglected to labor for their life, stood idle, as it were, all day. But consider, brothers, what they answer when questioned: For they say: Because no one has hired us.

But about the eleventh hour he went out. The fourth hiring is set forth; and he does three things. First, he rebukes; secondly, he excuses; thirdly, they are invited. The second is at they say to him: because no man has hired us. The third is at go you also into my vineyard. He says, therefore, but about the eleventh hour he went out. The ninth hour is the time of Christ.

They say to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He says to them, ‘Go, you yourselves also, into the vineyard.’

And when evening had arrived, the master of the vineyard says to his foreman, ‘Call the workmen and pay them the wages, having begun from the last until the first.’

But the first labourers having the witness through faith have not received the promise of God, the lord of the household providing some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Heb.

But when they had rendered their day's task, at the fitting time for payment, When even was come, that is, when the day of this world was drawing to its close.

And when evening had come, etc. Here he treats of the remuneration. And first is set forth the remuneration; secondly, the murmuring; thirdly, the response. Regarding the first, he does two things. First, the time is set forth; secondly, the person commissioning; thirdly, the person to whom it is committed. The time is set forth: and when evening had come, etc.

And those hired about the eleventh hour, having come, received each a denarius.

(de Sanc. Virg. 26.) Because that life eternal shall be equal to all the saints, a denarius is given to all; but forasmuch as in that life eternal the light of merits shall shine diversely, there are with the Father many mansions; so that under this same denarius bestowed unequally one shall not live longer than another, but in the many mansions one shall shine with more splend…

(ubi sup.) They get alike a denarius who have wrought since the eleventh hour, (for they sought it with their whole soul,) and who have wrought since the first. They, that is, who were called from the beginning of the world have alike received the reward of eternal happiness, with those who come to the Lord in the end of the world.

Then follows the execution: when they came who had come about the eleventh hour, whether Christians, or men in decrepit age, they received each a denarius.

And the first, having come, thought that they will receive more; but they themselves also received each a denarius.

And having received it, they were grumbling against the master of the house,

And this murmur of the labourers corresponds with the frowardness of this nation, which even in the time of Moses were stiff-necked.

Hence those who had preceded in labor also say, murmuring: These last worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the heat? For those have borne the burden of the day and the heat whom it befell from the beginning of the world, because they happened to live here for a long time, to endure also longer temptations of the flesh.

And having received it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: these last have worked but one hour, etc. Above, the remuneration was set forth; here, the murmuring of some is set forth. But here there is a twofold question, because he says that those who received each their denarius murmured. By the denarius is understood eternal life.

saying, ‘These last worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’

And he, answering, said to one of them, ‘Friend, I do you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

Take what is yours and go. But I desire to give to this last as also to you.

(Verse 14, 15) Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last worker the same as I give to you. Or is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own money? Is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Hence the same householder says: "I wish to give to this last one even as to you." And because the very reception of the kingdom is the goodness of His will, He rightly adds: "Or is it not lawful for me to do what I wish?" For it is a foolish complaint of man against the kindness of God.

Take what is yours, i.e., what you have by my promise, and go, into glory. 2 Timothy 1:12: I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Some explain it thus: take what is yours, i.e., damnation for your murmuring, and go into eternal fire.

Or is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is mine? Or is your eye envious because I myself am generous?’

By the eye is understood his purpose. The Jews had an evil eye, that is, an evil purpose, seeing they were grieved at the salvation of the Gentiles.

Hence it is fittingly added: "Or is your eye evil because I am good?" But let no one exalt himself on account of his work, let no one exalt himself on account of time, since with this statement completed, the Truth subsequently cries out: "So the last shall be first, and the first last." For behold, even if we already know what and how great the good things we have done are, we…

On the contrary, he says, or is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Because it is lawful for anyone to do his will with what is his own. For if he were a debtor to another, it would not be lawful for him to do so; likewise, if he were under another; but he is the Lord, and therefore he can give more.

Thus the last will be first, and the first last.”

The Third Prediction of the Passion

And going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside on their own, and on the way He said to them:

Judas was yet among the twelve; for he was perhaps still worthy to hear in private along with the rest the things which his Master should suffer. Meditating then of this, we ought to know that often even when there is certain trial to be undergone, we ought to offer ourselves to it.

Our Redeemer, foreseeing that the souls of the disciples would be troubled by His passion, foretold to them long beforehand both the suffering of that same passion and the glory of His resurrection, so that when they saw Him dying, as had been predicted, they would not doubt that He would also rise again.

In the preceding part, the Lord repelled those intending to come to glory on account of the antiquity of time; here he repels the one who intends to come on account of carnal origin. First, then, the occasion of the petition is set forth; secondly, the petition; thirdly, the response. The occasion was the announcement of Christ's passion.

“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,

There is no mention that the disciples either said or did any thing upon hearing of these sufferings that should thus come upon Christ; remembering what the Lord had said to Peter, they were afraid they should have had the like or worse addressed to themselves.

That word Behold, is a word of stress, to bid them lay up in their hearts the memory of this present. He says, We go up; as much as to say, Ye see that I go of My free-will to death. "When then ye shall see Me hang upon the cross, deem not that I am no more than man; for though to be able to die is human; yet to be willing to die is more than human.

And he said to them: behold, we go up to Jerusalem, etc. Here is noted the firmness of his resolve; hence behold, i.e., I am of the same resolve and of the same will, because I do not change. Sirach 27:12: a fool is changed as the moon, but a wise man continues as the sun in his wisdom. Likewise, it was by his own will. Isaiah 53:7: he was offered because it was his own will.

and they will betray Him to the Gentiles, to mock and to flog and to crucify; and on the third day He will rise again.”

(de Civ. Dei, xviii. 49.) In His Passion we see what we ought to suffer for the truth, and in His resurrection what we ought to hope in eternity; whence it is said, And shall rise again the third day. (de Trin. iv.

For Judas delivered the Lord to the Jews, and they delivered Him to the Gentiles, that is to Pilate, and the Roman power. To this end the Lord refused to be prosperous in this world, but rather chose to suffer affliction, that He might show us, who have yielded to delights, through how great bitterness we must needs return; whence it follows, To mock, and to scourge, and to cru…

And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles, because the Jews delivered him into the hands of the Gentiles. Hence Pilate said: your own nation and your chief priests have delivered you to me. And he touches on three things that they did to him, against the three things that men most desire, namely, honor, rest, and life.

A Mother’s Request

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

Then to every conqueror the Spirit promises now the tree of life, and exemption from the second death; now the hidden manna with the stone of glistening whiteness, and the name unknown ( to every man save him that receiveth it); now power to rule with a rod of iron, and the brightness of the morning star; now the being clothed in white raiment, and not having the name blotted o…

(Cons. Ev. ii. 64.) What Matthew has here represented as being said by the mother, Mark (Mark 10:35) relates that the two sons of Zebedee spake themselves, when she had presented their wish before the Lord; so that from Mark's brief notice it should rather seem, that they, and not she, had said that which was said.

Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Here the occasioned petition is set forth. And first, the petition is set forth in general; secondly, it is made explicit, at but they, etc. He says, therefore, then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee. These sons were John and James; their mother was Salome; hence Salome is a woman's name.

And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She says to Him, “Say that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and one on Your left hand, in Your kingdom.”

For if in an earthly kingdom they are thought to be in honour who sit with the king, no wonder if a woman with womanish simplicity or want of experience conceived that she might ask such things, and that the brethren themselves being not perfect, and having no more lofty thoughts concerning Christ's kingdom, conceived such things concerning those who shall sit with Jesus.

The literal sense of this is that the mother begged the Lord for the sake of her two sons. But the spiritual sense is deeper and full of symbolic significance: Think of the analogy as that between the disciples of John the Baptist and the apostles. Both [groups] suffered. Both [groups] were to die. They were the two sons of Israel who were struggling against the Pharisees.

Therefore there follows the explication of the petition: and he said to her: say that these my two sons may sit, the one on your right hand, and the other on your left, in your kingdom. But there is a question: whence had this woman conceived this idea?

And Jesus, answering, said, “You do not know what you ask for. Are you able to drink the cup which I myself am about to drink?” They say to Him, “We are able.”

They know not what they ask, because there was no doubt of the future glory of the Apostles; His former discourse had assured them that they should judge the world.

They knew not what they asked, for they were asking of the Lord a seat in glory, which they had not yet merited. The honourable eminence liked them well, but they had first to practise the laborious path thereto; Can ye drink of the cup that, I shall drink of?

But Jesus answering, said. Here the response is set forth; then the murmuring of the others, at and the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brothers. And regarding the first, he does three things. First, he rebukes their foolishness; secondly, he examines their readiness, at can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?

He says to them, “Indeed you will drink My cup; but to sit on My right hand and on the left is not Mine to give, but to those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.”

For when sin is destroyed, which reigned in men's mortal bodies, with the entire dynasty of malignant powers, Christ shall receive exaltation of His kingdom among men; that is, His sitting on the throne of His glory. That God disposes all things both on His right hand and on His left, this is that there shall be then no more evil in His presence.

Or otherwise; It is not mine to give to you, that is, to proud men such as you are, but to the lowly in heart, for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Next, he repels the petition. And first, he foretells the future passion; secondly, he responds to the petition. He says, therefore, you shall indeed drink my chalice. But what of this? It is true that James drank it; hence in Acts 12:2: and he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. But John died without the chalice of suffering.

And the ten, having heard this, were indignant about the two brothers.

"Then were the ten moved with indignation with respect to the two." Then. When? When He had reproved them. So long as the judgment was Christ's, they were not moved with indignation; but seeing them preferred, they were contented, and held their peace, out of reverence and honor to their Master. And if they were vexed in mind, yet they dared not utter this.

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.

And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brothers. Above, the Lord repressed the indiscreet petition of the disciples; here, the indignation of the others is set forth. And first, the indignation is set forth; secondly, it is restrained by word; thirdly, by deed.

But Jesus, having called them to Him, said: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them.

That is, not content merely to rule over their subjects, they are severe and oppressive. But among you who are Mine these things shall not be so; for as all carnal things are done by compulsion, but spiritual things by free-will, so those rulers who are spiritual ought to rest their power in the love of their subjects, not in their fears.

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.

Next, he reproves them. And first, he sets forth the example of the Gentiles; secondly, he teaches that the example is not to be followed, at you know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; thirdly, he sets forth what is to be imitated, at it shall not be so among you. He says, therefore, but Jesus called them to him, giving an example of humility.

It will not be thus among you; but whoever shall wish to become great among you, he will be your servant;

and whoever shall wish to be first among you, he will be your slave —

A hermit was asked, 'What is humility?' He answered, 'Humility is a great work, and a work of God. The way of humility is to undertake bodily labour, and believe yourself a sinner, and make yourself the servant of all.' A brother said, 'What does it mean, to be the servant of all?' He answered, 'To be the servant of all is not to look at the sins of others, always to look at yo…

Whoever would be first among you shall be your servant: but to make oneself a servant of others is to abase oneself with the greatest abasement: therefore self-emptying and self-abasement belong to evangelical perfection.

As for what is said, the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them, he says: and whoever will be first among you shall be your servant; i.e., if anyone desires to hold primacy in the Church, let him know that this is not to have dominion but servitude.

even as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

For though the Angels and Martha ministered to Him, (Mat. 4:11), yet did He not come to be ministered unto, but to minister (John 12:2); yea, His ministry extended so far, that He fulfilled even what follows, And to give his life a ransom for many, they, that is, who believed on Him; and gave it, i. e. to death.

(Verse 28) Just as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. Note that we have frequently said that the one who serves is called the Son of Man. And to give his life as a ransom for many. When he assumed the form of a servant, in order to shed his blood for the world (Philippians 2).

Since, therefore, they could say, whom shall we follow? He says, follow me; and he shows himself a minister, saying, even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister. But on the contrary: is it not stated above at 4:11 that the angels came and ministered to him? Hence, John 12:2 says that Martha ministered.

The Blind Men by the Road

And when they were going out from Jericho, a great crowd followed Him.

Figuratively, Jericho is taken to be the world, into which Christ came down. They who are in Jericho, know not how to escape from the wisdom of the world, unless they see not Jesus only coming out of Jericho, but also His disciples.

But the miracles of our Lord and Savior are to be received, dearest brothers, in such a way that we both believe them to have truly occurred, and yet understand that through their significance they indicate something to us. For His works both show one thing through their power and speak another through their mystery.

And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. The indignation of the disciples was repressed by word; here he represses it by deed, exercising his ministry toward some. And first, the devotion of others is set forth; secondly, Christ's compassion, at and Jesus stood and called them.

And behold, two blind men sitting beside the road, having heard that Jesus is passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

And the crowd rebuked them, that they may be silent. But they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

Or; Those that believed rebuked them that they should not dishonour Him by styling Him merely Son of David, but should rather say, Son of God, have mercy on us.

Christ is the way. Therefore, the two blind men [the Gentiles] were sitting on the way [yet without seeing the way]. By straying through idols, they had completely wandered from the way of truth. Degenerated in the obscurity of sins, they destroyed the eyes of the heart. Thus those sitting shouted, "Son of David, have mercy on us." But the crowd rebuked them to become silent.

Next, their constancy is set forth. And first, the impediment is set forth; secondly, the constancy. He says, therefore, and the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace, as was possible, because in that crowd some were those who venerated Christ, and these rebuked them because they considered it vile that lowly persons should approach so great a man.

And Jesus, having stopped, called them and said, “What do you desire I may do unto you?”

They say to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

And Jesus, having been moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and immediately they received sight, and they followed Him.

(Verse 34.) But Jesus, having mercy on them, touched their eyes: and immediately they saw, and followed him. He touches their eyes and provides as an artist what nature had not given. Or certainly what weakness had taken away, he restores with mercy. And immediately they saw, and followed him.

Accordingly Jesus touched the eyes of the Gentile mind, giving them the grace of the Holy Spirit, and when enlightened they followed Him with good works.