Matthew 20:10-21:46 "And then, when the first ones were coming, they concluded from inference to custom that they will receive more, and yet they, themselves, also received a denarius apiece.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁰ "And then, when the first ones were coming, they concluded from inference to custom that they will receive more, and yet they, themselves, also received a denarius apiece. ¹¹ "Now, upon receiving [the pay], they began muttering complaints and in low voices uttering discontent against the householder, ¹² "one after another saying, 'These last folks do one hour, and you make them equal to us – the ones who were bearing the burden and intense heat of the day!' ¹³ "So, giving a decisive reply to one of them, he said, 'My friend, I am not doing wrong or acting unjustly to you. Did you not voice agreement with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ "'Take up what is yours and humbly go away. However, I, myself, continue wanting, and intending, to give to this last person just as [I] also [gave] to you. ¹⁵ "'Is it not allowed by law and custom for me to do that which I continue wanting and intending, in [regard] to my own things? Or does your eye continue being worthless (= is your way of viewing things knavish, base, unsound and in a poor condition, or even malicious and degenerate) because I, myself, continue being good (virtuous; = having generous and benevolent qualities)?' ¹⁶ "It is in this way that the last folks will be first and the first folks [will be] last." [comment: this parable shows the equity of kingdom life: all receive the same; first and last have no significance – it is an illustration of additional folks being added into the sovereign activities of the heavens, and being equal to regular workers; it further shows the care of the Householder for the needs of the "unemployed," i.e., those not at that time being a part of His sovereign reign, and how He repeatedly goes, even in the heat of the day, to search for those in need, pointing to outreach beyond the House] ¹⁷ Now Jesus, being progressively about to be walking up in Jerusalem, took aside the twelve disciples down to a spot which corresponded to what is His own, privately, and in the midst of the path (or: on the way) said to them, ¹⁸ "Look at this, and consider. We are progressively walking up into Jerusalem, and later, the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the human; or: = the eschatological messiah figure) will proceed being turned over to the chief (or: ranking) priests and scribes (scholars and experts in the Law), then they will according to pattern proceed judging (condemning) Him to (for) death. ¹⁹ "Next, they will proceed turning Him over to the ethnic multitudes (the nations; = foreigners) – into [a situation] to ridicule, make fun of and mock, and then scourge [Him] with a whip, and finally to execute [Him] on a torture stake (or: to crucify [Him]). Later, on (or: in; during) the third day, He will proceed being aroused and raised up." ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee – with her sons – came up to Him, repeatedly bowing down in obeisance and homage, while making a request of something from Him. ²¹ So He said to her, "What are you continuing in wanting (or: = What's you purpose)?" She then replies to Him, "Say that these – my two sons – can (or: should) sit, one at Your right (the place of power and authority) and one on Your left (the place of honor with a good name), within the reign of Your kingdom." ²² But Jesus, giving a discerning reply, said, "You have not seen, so you are not aware of what you are now requesting for yourselves. Are you folks now able and do you continue having power to drink at once the cup which I, Myself, am continuing about to be progressively drinking?" They are presently insisting to Him, "We are now able and continue having the power." ²³ He is then saying to them, "You will indeed be progressively drinking My cup. Yet to sit at My right and on [My] left is not Mine to give, but rather [it belongs] to those for whom it has been prepared and made ready by My Father." ²⁴ And then, upon hearing [of it], the ten became indignant, annoyed and resentful concerning the two brothers. ²⁵ So Jesus, after calling them to His side, said, "The rulers and chiefs of the ethnic multitudes (the nations or people groups; the pagans) habitually lord it over them, bringing their ownership to bear down on them, while the 'great ones' are constantly wielding authority upon them, even tyrannizing them. ²⁶ "It is not this way among you folks; but to the contrary, whoever may be now wanting or should continue intending to become great (or: = to make himself to be important) among you, he will continue (or: proceed in) being your attending servant. ²⁷ "And whoever may now be wanting or should continue intending to be first (or: foremost; = prominent) among you folks, he will continue (or: proceed in) being your slave. ²⁸ "Just as the Son of the Man (= Adam's son; the eschatological human) did not come to be taken care of by attending service, but to the contrary, to give attending service – even to give His soul-life (= Himself): a ransom, a price paid (or: a loosener) in the place of many to effect their release." ²⁹ And now, as they are proceeding on their way out from [the town of] Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. ³⁰ Then – look, and consider! – two blind men sitting beside the road, upon hearing that Jesus is presently passing by, cried out, repeatedly saying, "Lord, Master, Son of David, mercy us (extend mercy into us at once)!" ³¹ Now the crowd expressed respectful admonition to them, so that they would be silent (keep quiet). Yet they cried out even louder, continuing in saying, "O Lord, Master, mercy us at once, Son of David!" ³² Then standing, Jesus voiced a response to them and said, "What are you men wanting Me to do for you?" ³³ They went on saying to Him, "O Lord (Master), [something] so that our eyes can be opened up!" ³⁴ So Jesus, feeling compassion, touches and thus kindles outer portion of their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight (or: saw again), and then followed Him. ²¹ ¹ Later, when they got close to [the] Jerusalem [area], after they went into Bethphage, [then on] into the Mount of Olives, Jesus at that time sent off two disciples on a mission, ² while saying to them, "Be proceeding on you way into the village – the one opposite [us], down within your [view] – and immediately you will be finding an ass: one having been tied, as well as a colt with her. Upon loosing [them], lead [them] to Me. ³ "And if anyone may say anything to you, you will say that the Lord (Master; owner [?]; = Yahweh [?]) is presently having a need of them, so he will at once proceed to be sending them off (or: ... and He will proceed sending them off [= back] right away)." ⁴ Now this whole event has happened (or: come to be) to the end that the [prophecy; oracle] spoken through the prophet would (could; should; may) be fulfilled – the one continuing in saying, ⁵ "Say to (or: Tell) the daughter of Zion, 'Look and consider – your King is progressively coming to you folks with a mild, gentle and friendly disposition, and [He is] mounted upon an ass, even upon a colt, the male offspring of a yoked beast of burden." [Zech. 9:9] ⁶ So, upon going their way and doing according as Jesus had arranged and placed in order together with, and for, them, the [two] disciples ⁷ led the ass and the colt, and then put (or: placed) [their] cloaks upon them. Then He sat on top of them. ⁸ Now most of the crowd spread out their cloaks and scattered their outer garments on (= carpeted) the path (way; road), yet others began cutting branches from trees and continued spreading and scattering [them] on (i.e., carpeting) the road. [cf Lev. 23:40; 2 Kings 9:13] ⁹ By now the crowds who were proceeding – progressively leading ahead of Him – as well as those who were continuing in following, kept on crying out, repeatedly saying, "O save us now by (or: Hosanna to) the Son of David! The One progressively coming in [the] Lord's [= Yahweh's] Name is One having been blessed with words of ease and wellness. O save us, among the highest ones (or: Hosanna within the midst of the highest places)!" [Ps. 118:25-26] ¹⁰ And then, after His entering into Jerusalem, all the city was shaken (set in commotion [as in an earthquake]; caused to tremble), one after another saying, "Who (or: What) is this?" ¹¹ So the crowds kept on saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth of the Galilee [district]." ¹² Next, Jesus entered into the Temple courts and threw out all the folks habitually selling [things], as well as those continuing in buying – as in a marketplace – within the Temple courts (or: = and chased out all the vendors and shoppers from inside the Temple grounds), and then He turned upside down the tables of the money-exchangers, along with the chairs and benches of the people continually selling the doves and pigeons. ¹³ And He proceeds saying to them, "It has been written, 'My house will continue being called a house of prayer (speaking, thinking or acting, with a view toward goodness and well-being).' [Isa. 56:7; cf Targum Zech. 14:21] yet you folks habitually make it a den of bandits (or: a highwaymen's cave)!" [Jer. 7:11-15] [note: here he implicitly invokes Jeremiah's prophecy of destruction] ¹⁴ Later, blind folks and lame people came to Him within the Temple grounds (or: courts), and He cured them. ¹⁵ Now the ranking priests and the scribes (scholars; theologians of the Law), at seeing and perceiving the remarkable and wonderful marvels which He performed (or: did), and the young children repeatedly exclaiming (perhaps: shouting-out approval; cheering) within the Temple courts, and continually saying, "O save us now, by the son of David (or: Hosanna to the Son of David)," [Ps. 118:25] they grew displeased, indignant and resentful. ¹⁶ And so they said to Him, "Are you listening and hearing what these people are repeatedly saying?" So Jesus is then saying to them, "Yes! Did you men never read that, 'From out of the mouth of babes, and infants still nursing at the breast, You completely harmonize – by thoroughly adjusting and knitting together – praise for Yourself'?" [Ps. 8:3] ¹⁷ And then, leaving them behind, He went out – outside of the city – into Bethany, and lodged there, spending the night in a court yard (or: camped there in a sheepfold). ¹⁸ Now, while leading [them] back in return into the city early in the morning, He got hungry. ¹⁹ And then, upon seeing one [specific] fig tree upon the way (or: on the path; = by the road), He came up on it and found nothing within it except leaves (or: foliage). So He is then saying to it, "Fruit can under no condition any longer come into existence (= be produced) from out of you, on into the Age." And without delay, the fig tree was caused to dry up and wither. ²⁰ At seeing [this], the disciples kept on expressing astonishment: "How was the fig tree instantly caused to dry up and wither?" ²¹ So Jesus, giving a decided reply, said to them, "Truly (It is so; Depend on it; Amen), I am now saying and laying it out for you, if you can continuously hold trust (or: if you folks should constantly have faith) and would not be affected by some separating factor passing through your act of discerning or judging, leading you to hesitate, doubt, or completely question your decision, [then] not only will you men do [what I did] to the fig tree, but further, you can also say to this mountain range (or: hill country; mountain), 'Be uplifted, and then be flung (cast) into the midst of the lake (or: sea)!' It will progressively come to pass (It will proceed in birthing itself and happening). [comment: in prophetic language a mountain was a figure for a kingdom, and the sea represented the masses of humanity] ²² "And so, you will progressively take to yourselves and receive everything (or: all things) – as much or as many as you folks ever could (or: may) request in thoughts or words toward things going well (or: in union with prayer), while continuously trusting and 'faithing' (= expressing, living in, and being joined to faith and belief)!" ²³ Later, after His coming into the Temple courts and grounds, the chief and ranking priests – as well as the elders (or: older men) of the people – came up to Him while [He was] in the process of teaching. They, one after another, proceeded saying, "In what kind of authority (or: In association with sort of customary law) are you continuing to do these things?" And then, "Who gave this authority (right; privilege) to you?" ²⁴ So Jesus, making a discerning response, says to them, "I, Myself, will proceed also asking you one question (thought; word), which, if you folks can (or: should; would) tell Me, then I also will continue in telling you in what kind of authority (or: in association with what sort of customary law) I am constantly doing these things: ²⁵ "The immersion (baptism; = ceremonial washing) which pertained to and was done by John – from what source or origin was it being; from out of heaven (or: from [the] Atmosphere), or from out of the midst of humans (mankind; people)?" Now they began reasoning and discussing among themselves, one after another saying, "If we should say, 'From out of heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why (Through what cause or situation) did you not trust or put faith in him?' ²⁶ "Yet if we should say, 'From out of humans,' we continue fearing about the crowd (= are afraid of how the crowd might react), for they all are in the habit of holding John as a prophet." ²⁷ And so, giving a determined reply to Jesus, they said, "We have not seen and so we do not know (or: We are not aware)." He also affirms to them, "Neither am I, Myself, laying it out or saying to you folks within what kind of authority (right; privilege; customary law) I continue to do these things. ²⁸ "But how is it normally seeming to you men (= What are you now thinking of this situation; What is your opinion)? A man had two children. Upon coming to the first one, he said, 'Child, be going (or: lead the way) under [my directive] today, and continue working in the vineyard. ²⁹ "Now he, giving a determined reply, said, 'I am neither wanting nor intending [to] (or: I will not)!' – yet afterward, changing his thoughts and interests (or: regretting his behavior), he went off. ³⁰ "So, upon going to the different one, he said similarly. Now, giving a considered reply, he said, 'I [go], sir,' – and yet, he did not go off. ³¹ "Which of the two did the will of the father?" They [as a group] are saying, "The first one." [other MSS read vs. 29-31 thus: "Now he, giving a considered reply, said,' I {go}, sir,' and yet he did not go off. So, upon approaching the second one, he said likewise. Yet he, giving a determined reply, said, 'I will not! 'Subsequently, he thought better of it {and} went forth. Which of {these} two fulfilled the desire of {his} father?" They are saying, "The latter one."] Jesus said, "That's right (You got it; Amen)! I am now saying and laying it out for you that the tax (or: tribute; toll) collectors (or: tax farmers; businessmen who bought the contract to collect taxes for the government) and the prostitutes are constantly preceding you men into God's reign (or: the kingdom of God; the sovereign activity of God)! ³² "You see, John came toward you men within the path (or: on the road) of fairness and equity, in accord with the way pointed out, and in the right relationship which pertains to justice – and you men did not trust him or put your faith in him (or: you did not believe him). However, the tax collectors and the prostitutes trusted him (put their faith in him; believed him), yet you men – upon seeing [this] – still did not change your thoughts or interests (or: regret your behavior and think better of it) [so as] to trust in him (put faith in and believe him). ³³ "Listen, and hear another illustration (parable): There was a man (human), a householder, who planted a vineyard. Then he put a fence (or: wall; hedge) around it and excavated a trough-shaped receptacle as a winepress. Next he erected a viewing tower, then he leased [the vineyard] out to farmer who would cultivate and dress the vines. With that, he left his home country and traveled abroad. ³⁴ "Now when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent off his slaves to the farmers (= tenant-cultivators) for the purpose of receiving and taking his [share of] the fruits. ³⁵ "And then the farmers (vinedressers), upon taking hold of his slaves, thrashed one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶ "So again, he sent off other slaves – more than the first ones – and they did the same to them! ³⁷ "Lastly, he dispatched his son to them, saying, 'They will proceed being turned back on themselves in shame, and thus show respect for and reverence my son.' ³⁸ "Yet the vinedressers (farmers; cultivators) – upon seeing the son – said among themselves, 'This one is the heir! Come now! We should (or: can) kill him and then we can have his inheritance!' ³⁹ "And so, upon taking hold of him, they threw him out – outside of the vineyard –and they killed [him]. ⁴⁰ "Therefore, whenever the owner of the vineyard may come, what will he proceed to be doing to those farmers (vinedressers)?" ⁴¹ They, as a group, say to Him, "Worthless men (Evil, bad, ugly and malicious fellows)! He will proceed to destroy them in an ugly and vicious way! And then, he will proceed to lease out the vineyard to other vinedressers (farmers; cultivators), who will be habitually giving away (rendering) to him his due share of the fruits, in their proper seasons." ⁴² Jesus is then saying to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'A stone which the builders rejected as the result of a test – this one is birthed into (or: comes to be for) a head of a corner (= a keystone; a capstone; a cornerstone). This [head] was birthed (came into existence) from [the] Lord's [=Yahweh's] side (or: presence), and it is wonderful and marvelous in our eyes'? [Ps. 118:22-23] ⁴³ "Because of this, I am now saying to you men that God's reign (or: the kingdom of God; the influence and activity of God's sovereignty) will be progressively lifted up away from you folks, and it (or: she) will proceed being given to an ethnic multitude (or: nation; people group) consistently producing its (or: her) fruit! ⁴⁴ "Further, the person falling upon this Stone will progressively be shattered together. Yet upon whom it may likely fall, It will be progressively winnowing him and scattering the chaff." ⁴⁵ And so, upon hearing His illustrations (parables), the chief and ranking priests – as well as the Pharisees – knew by this experience that He had been speaking about them. ⁴⁶ And although still seeking to seize Him, they were fearful about the crowd (= were afraid of how the crowd might react), since they had been holding Him into [the position of] (or: for; [other MSS: as]) a prophet."