28: Ministry in Judea (2) (Mt 20:1-34)

I.       The Basics

A.     Setting

In His Judean ministry, the Lord placed the weight of His teachings on who will enter into God’s kingdom and on the consummation of God’s kingdom when He returns. He also concentrated His last teachings and deeds on strengthening, correcting, and building up the disciples so that they would be good and faithful servants until He comes again. At this point, however, the disciples still had a false notion of God’s kingdom. So in this passage, He once again taught them what it is to be truly great in the kingdom of heaven.

B.     Key Verse

            “but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (20:26-28).

C.     Did You Know…?

1.       Denarius (20:9): The usual daily wage. A Roman soldier also received one denarius a day. ^8/1467

2.       Third hour = 9 AM, sixth hour = 12 noon, ninth hour = 3 PM, eleventh hour = 5 PM.

3.       Jericho (20:29): A very ancient city located five miles west of the Jordan and about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem. In Jesus’ time OT Jericho was largely abandoned, but a new city, south of the old one, had been built by Herod the Great. ^8/1513

II.    Observation

A.     Outline

(20:1-16)

(20:17-19)    

(20:20-28)

(20:29-34)

B.     Key Words/Phrases

III. Segment Analysis

A.     20:1-16

1. According to the Lord’s own words, what is the point of the parable?

2a. Who are the ones that are last but will be first?

2b. Who are first that will become last?

3. How is this parable contrary to common sense and expectations?

4a. What does the paying of wages represent? Explain your reason.

4b. What does this parable teach about the nature of salvation and about God?

5. Does this parable contradict the teachings of 1Cor 3:8?

B.     20:17-19

6. Compare this prediction with the first two (16:21; 17:22-23).

7. To whom was the prediction given? Why did He do so?

C.     20:20-28

8a. Mk 10:35 tells us that James and John were the two disciples in question. What was their mother’s and their expectation?

8b. Why did the Lord say to her, “you do not know what you ask”? What was it that she did not know?

9. What does the other disciples’ great displeasure indicate?

10a. What is the “cup” or the “baptism” that the Lord referred to?

10b. How can we drink the Lord’s cup and be baptized with the baptism he received?

11a. What does being servant or slave involve? What can we learn from the Lord in this respect?

11b. In what ways can you be a servant of others?

D.     20:29-34

12. What can we learn from the two blind men?

13a. Observe very carefully what the Lord did and said. How was He a servant (see 28)?

13b. What can you learn from the Lord Jesus in this miracle?