Matthew 20:28
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just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. (Mat. 20:1-16) For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, &c.--The figure of a vineyard, to represent the rearing of souls for heaven, the culture required and provided for that purpose, and the care and pains which God takes in that whole matter, is familiar to every reader of the Bible. (Psa 80:8-16; Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; Luk 20:9-16; Joh 15:1-8). At vintage time, as WEBSTER and WILKINSON remark, labor was scarce, and masters were obliged to be early in the market to secure it. Perhaps the pressing nature of the work of the Gospel, and the comparative paucity of laborers, may be incidentally suggested, Mat 9:37-38. The "laborers," as in Mat 9:38, are first, the official servants of the Church, but after them and along with them all the servants of Christ, whom He has laid under the weightiest obligation to work in His service.
Open source ↗And as they departed from Jericho,.... Which, was distant about ten parsas, or miles, from Jerusalem (i), through which Christ just passed, and had met with Zacchaeus, and called him, and delivered the parable concerning a nobleman's going into a far country. The Syriac and Persic versions render the words, "when Jesus departed from Jericho"; and the Arabic, "when he went out of Jericho"; not alone, but "with his disciples", as Mark says; and not with them only, for a great multitude followed him out of the city; either to hear him, or be healed by him, or to see him, or behold his miracles, or to accompany him to Jerusalem; whither he was going to keep the feast of the passover, and where they might be in some expectation he would set up his kingdom. The Ethiopic version reads it, "as they went out from Jerusalem", contrary to all copies and versions. (i) Bartenora in Misn. Taraid, c. 3. sect. 8.
Open source ↗20:28 This expression, the Son of Man came, suggests Jesus’ preexistence (see Dan 7:13-14). • Jesus was describing his voluntary offering of himself as a ransom for many, to pay the debt all people owe (see Matt 26:26-29; Isa 53:10-12; Rom 3:24), thereby buying them out of slavery (see Gal 5:1).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines? But I am among you as one who serves.
so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood,
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.