Matthew 20:1--22:46 
Context20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner 1 who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 20:2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, 2 he sent them into his vineyard. 20:3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, 3 he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. 20:4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 20:5 So they went. When 4 he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, 5 he did the same thing. 20:6 And about five o’clock that afternoon 6 he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 20:7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 20:8 When 7 it was evening 8 the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give the pay 9 starting with the last hired until the first.’ 20:9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. 10 20:10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 20:11 When 11 they received it, they began to complain 12 against the landowner, 20:12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 20:13 And the landowner 13 replied to one of them, 14 ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 15 20:14 Take what is yours and go. I 16 want to give to this last man 17 the same as I gave to you. 20:15 Am I not 18 permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 19 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
20:17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, 20 he took the twelve 21 aside privately and said to them on the way, 20:18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. 22 They will condemn him to death, 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely 23 and crucified. 24 Yet 25 on the third day, he will be raised.”
20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. 26 20:21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, 27 “Permit 28 these two sons of mine to sit, one at your 29 right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 20:22 Jesus 30 answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! 31 Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” 32 They said to him, “We are able.” 33 20:23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, 34 but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
20:24 Now 35 when the other ten 36 heard this, 37 they were angry with the two brothers. 20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave 38 – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom 39 for many.”
20:29 As they were leaving Jericho, 40 a large crowd followed them. 20:30 Two 41 blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, 42 “Have mercy 43 on us, Lord, Son of David!” 44 20:31 The 45 crowd scolded 46 them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, 47 Son of David!” 20:32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 20:33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
21:1 Now 48 when they approached Jerusalem 49 and came to Bethphage, 50 at the Mount of Olives, 51 Jesus sent two disciples, 21:2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. 52 Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 21:3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ 53 and he will send them at once.” 21:4 This 54 took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 55
21:5 “Tell the people of Zion, 56
‘Look, your king is coming to you,
unassuming and seated on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 57
21:6 So 58 the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 21:7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks 59 on them, and he sat on them. 21:8 A 60 very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, 61 “Hosanna 62 to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 63 Hosanna in the highest!” 21:10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, 64 saying, “Who is this?” 21:11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth 65 in Galilee.”
21:12 Then 66 Jesus entered the temple area 67 and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, 68 and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 21:13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ 69 but you are turning it into a den 70 of robbers!” 71
21:14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them. 21:15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law 72 saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, 73 “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 21:16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” 74 21:17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
21:18 Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. 21:19 After noticing a fig tree 75 by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once. 21:20 When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21:21 Jesus 76 answered them, “I tell you the truth, 77 if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, 78 you will receive.”
21:23 Now after Jesus 79 entered the temple courts, 80 the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority 81 are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 21:24 Jesus 82 answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” 83 They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 21:26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 21:27 So 84 they answered Jesus, 85 “We don’t know.” 86 Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you 87 by what authority 88 I am doing these things.
21:28 “What 89 do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 21:29 The boy answered, 90 ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart 91 and went. 21:30 The father 92 went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, 93 ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” 94 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, 95 tax collectors 96 and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although 97 you saw this, you did not later change your minds 98 and believe him.
21:33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner 99 who planted a vineyard. 100 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 101 he leased it to tenant farmers 102 and went on a journey. 21:34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves 103 to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. 104 21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, 105 killed another, and stoned another. 21:36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 21:37 Finally he sent his son to them, 106 saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 21:38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 21:39 So 107 they seized him, 108 threw him out of the vineyard, 109 and killed him. 21:40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 21:41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”
21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 110
This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 111
21:43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people 112 who will produce its fruit. 21:44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” 113 21:45 When 114 the chief priests and the Pharisees 115 heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds 116 regarded him as a prophet.
22:1 Jesus spoke 117 to them again in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves 118 to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. 119 My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 22:5 But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 22:6 The 120 rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 22:7 The 121 king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death 122 and set their city 123 on fire. 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 22:9 So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 22:10 And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 22:11 But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 22:12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. 124 22:13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
22:15 Then the Pharisees 125 went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. 126 22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, 127 saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 128 You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. 129 22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right 130 to pay taxes 131 to Caesar 132 or not?”
22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So 133 they brought him a denarius. 134 22:20 Jesus 135 said to them, “Whose image 136 is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied, 137 “Caesar’s.” He said to them, 138 “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 139 22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned, 140 and they left him and went away.
22:23 The same day Sadducees 141 (who say there is no resurrection) 142 came to him and asked him, 143 22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children 144 for his brother.’ 145 22:25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 22:26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 22:27 Last 146 of all, the woman died. 22:28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” 147 22:29 Jesus 148 answered them, “You are deceived, 149 because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels 150 in heaven. 22:31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, 151 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 152 He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” 153 22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
22:34 Now when the Pharisees 154 heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, 155 they assembled together. 156 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, 157 asked him a question to test 158 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 159 22:37 Jesus 160 said to him, “‘Love 161 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 162 22:38 This is the first and greatest 163 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 164 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend 165 on these two commandments.”
22:41 While 166 the Pharisees 167 were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: 168 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ? 169 Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.” 170 22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,
22:44 ‘The Lord said to my lord, 171
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’? 172
22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 173 22:46 No one 174 was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.
1 sn The term landowner here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
2 tn Grk “agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day.”
sn The standard wage was a denarius a day. The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer in Palestine in the 1st century.
3 tn Grk “about the third hour.”
4 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
5 tn Grk “he went out again about the sixth and ninth hour.”
6 tn Grk “about the eleventh hour.”
7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
8 sn That is, six o’clock in the evening, the hour to pay day laborers. See Lev 19:13b.
9 tc ‡ Most witnesses (including B D W Θ Ë1,13 33vid Ï latt sy) have αὐτοῖς (autois, “to them”) after ἀπόδος (apodos, “give the pay”), but this seems to be a motivated reading, clarifying the indirect object. The omission is supported by א C L Z 085 Or. Nevertheless, NA27 includes the pronoun on the basis of the greater external attestation.
10 tn Grk “each received a denarius.” See the note on the phrase “standard wage” in v. 2.
11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
12 tn The imperfect verb ἐγόγγυζον (egonguzon) has been translated ingressively.
13 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the landowner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 tn Grk “And answering, he said to one of them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
15 tn Grk “for a denarius a day.”
16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
17 tn Grk “this last one,” translated as “this last man” because field laborers in 1st century Palestine were men.
18 tc ‡ Before οὐκ (ouk, “[am I] not”) a number of significant witnesses read ἤ (h, “or”; e.g., א C W 085 Ë1,13 33 and most others). Although in later Greek the οι in σοι (oi in soi) – the last word of v. 14 – would have been pronounced like ἤ, since ἤ is lacking in early
19 tn Grk “Is your eye evil because I am good?”
20 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
21 tc ‡ A number of significant witnesses (e.g., B C W 085 33 lat) have μαθητάς (maqhtas, “disciples”) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”), perhaps by way of clarification, while other important witnesses lack the word (e.g., א D L Θ Ë1,13). The longer reading looks to be a scribal clarification, and hence is considered to be secondary. NA27 puts the word in brackets to show doubts about its authenticity.
22 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
23 tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigow) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.
24 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
25 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
26 tn Grk “asked something from him.”
27 tn Grk “said to him.”
28 tn Grk “Say that.”
29 tc A majority of witnesses read σου (sou, “your”) here, perhaps for clarification. At the same time, it is possible that the pronoun dropped out through haplography or was excised because of perceived redundancy (there are two other such pronouns in the verse) by א B. Either way, the translation adds it due to the requirements of English style. NA27 includes σου here.
30 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
31 tn The verbs in Greek are plural here, indicating that Jesus is not answering the mother but has turned his attention directly to the two disciples.
32 tc Most
33 sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.
34 tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.
35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
36 tn Grk “the ten.”
37 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
38 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
39 sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.
40 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
41 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
42 tn Grk “shouted, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
43 sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.
44 sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
45 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
46 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
47 tc ‡ The majority of
48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
49 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
50 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
51 sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
52 tn Grk “the village lying before you” (BDAG 530 s.v. κατέναντι 2.b).
53 sn The custom called angaria allowed the impressment of animals for service to a significant figure.
54 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
55 tn Grk “what was spoken by the prophet, saying.” The present participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant and has not been translated.
56 tn Grk “Tell the daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.
57 tn Grk “the foal of an animal under the yoke,” i.e., a hard-working animal. This is a quotation from Zech 9:9.
58 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ instructions in vv. 2-3.
59 tn Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
60 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
61 tn Grk “were shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
62 tn The expression ῾Ωσαννά (Jwsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84.
sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.
63 sn A quotation from Ps 118:25-26.
64 tn Grk “was shaken.” The translation “thrown into an uproar” is given by L&N 25.233.
65 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
67 tn Grk “the temple.”
sn The merchants (those who were selling) would have been located in the Court of the Gentiles.
68 tn Grk “the temple.”
sn Matthew (here, 21:12-27), Mark (11:15-19) and Luke (19:45-46) record this incident of the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry. John (2:13-16) records a cleansing of the temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. See the note on the word temple courts in John 2:14 for a discussion of the relationship of these accounts to one another.
69 sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.
70 tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
71 sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.
72 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
73 tn Grk “crying out in the temple [courts] and saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
74 sn A quotation from Ps 8:2.
75 tn Grk “one fig tree.”
sn The fig tree is a variation on the picture of a vine as representing the nation; see Isa 5:1-7.
76 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
77 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
78 tn Grk “believing”; the participle here is conditional.
79 tn Grk “he.”
80 tn Grk “the temple.”
81 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.1
82 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
83 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used here (and in v. 26) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).
sn The question is whether John’s ministry was of divine or human origin.
84 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the clause is a result of the deliberations of the leaders.
85 tn Grk “answering Jesus, they said.” This construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been simplified in the translation.
86 sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were – hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Matt 21:23-27 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question, they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
87 sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.
88 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 23.
89 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
90 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here the referent (“the boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
91 tn The Greek text reads here μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai): “to change one’s mind about something, with the probable implication of regret” (L&N 31.59); cf. also BDAG 639 s.v. The idea in this context involves more than just a change of mind, for the son regrets his initial response. The same verb is used in v. 32.
92 tn “And he”; here δέ (de) has not been translated.
93 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated. Here the referent (“this boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
94 tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western
95 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
96 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
97 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
98 sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.
99 tn The term here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
100 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
101 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
102 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
103 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
sn These slaves represent the prophets God sent to the nation, who were mistreated and rejected.
104 tn Grk “to collect his fruits.”
105 sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
106 sn The owner’s decision to send his son represents God sending Jesus.
107 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son in v. 38.
108 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
109 sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
110 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 here is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
111 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
112 tn Or “to a nation” (so KJV, NASB, NLT).
113 tc A few witnesses, especially of the Western text (D 33 it sys Or Eussyr), do not contain 21:44. However, the verse is found in א B C L W Z (Θ) 0102 Ë1,13 Ï lat syc,p,h co and should be included as authentic.
tn Grk “on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”
sn This proverb basically means that the stone crushes, without regard to whether it falls on someone or someone falls on it. On the stone as a messianic image, see Isa 28:16 and Dan 2:44-45.
114 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
115 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
116 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.
117 tn Grk “And answering again, Jesus spoke.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
118 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
119 tn Grk “Behold, I have prepared my dinner.” In some contexts, however, to translate ἄριστον (ariston) as “dinner” somewhat misses the point. L&N 23.22 here suggests, “See now, the feast I have prepared (for you is ready).”
120 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
121 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
122 tn Grk “he sent his soldiers, destroyed those murderers.” The verb ἀπώλεσεν (apwlesen) is causative, indicating that the king was the one behind the execution of the murderers. In English the causative idea is not expressed naturally here; either a purpose clause (“he sent his soldiers to put those murderers to death”) or a relative clause (“he sent his soldier who put those murderers to death”) is preferred.
123 tn The Greek text reads here πόλις (polis), which could be translated “town” or “city.” The prophetic reference is to the city of Jerusalem, so “city” is more appropriate here.
124 tn Grk “he was silent.”
125 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
126 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
127 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some
128 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
129 tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
130 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
131 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
132 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
133 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
134 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
sn A denarius was a silver coin worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. The fact that they had such a coin showed that they already operated in the economic world of Rome. The denarius would have had a picture of Tiberius Caesar stamped on it.
135 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
136 tn Or “whose likeness.”
sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
137 tn Grk “they said to him.”
138 tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.
139 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
140 tn Grk “they were amazed; they marveled.”
141 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
142 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
143 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
144 tn Grk “and raise up seed,” an idiom for fathering children (L&N 23.59).
145 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
146 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
147 tn Grk “For all had her.”
148 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
149 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
150 tc Most witnesses have “of God” after “angels,” although some
sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
151 tn Grk “spoken to you by God, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
152 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
153 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
154 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
155 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
156 tn Grk “for the same.” That is, for the same purpose that the Sadducees had of testing Jesus.
157 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.
158 tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.
159 tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”
160 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
161 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
162 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
163 tn Grk “the great and first.”
164 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
165 tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).
166 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
167 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
168 tn Grk “asked them a question, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
169 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
170 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be the son of David in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
171 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
172 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
173 tn Grk “how is he his son?”
174 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
