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Matthew Chapter 20

Chapter XX.

1. For the kingdom of the heavens is like a man an householder, who went out at day-break to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2. But when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a-day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market-place idle;
4. And said to them, Go you also into the vineyard; and whatever is just, I will give you. But they went their way.
5. Again going forth about the sixth and ninth hour, he did likewise.
6. But going out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing idle, and says to them, Why stand you here all the day idle?
7. They say to him, Because no one has hired us. He says to them, Go you also into the vineyard; and whatever is just, you shall receive.
8. But when even was come, the lord of the vineyard says to his steward, Call the labourers, and give them the hire, beginning from the last to the first.
9. And when they came that [were hired] about the eleventh hour, they received each a penny.
10. But when the first came they supposed that they should receive more, and they likewise received each a penny.
11. And receiving, they murmured against the householder,
12. Saying, These last have worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day, and the heat.
13. But he answering said to one of them, Companion, I do not treat you unjustly: did you not agree with me for a penny?
14. Take your own and go: but I am willing to give to this last even as to you.
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will in mine own? Is your eye evil, because I [am] good?
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few chosen.
17. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said to them,
18. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall sentence Him to death,
19. And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day, He shall rise again.
20. Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Zebodee, with her sons, worshiping and asking a certain thing of Him.
21. But He said to her, What will you? She says to Him, Say that these my two sons may sit, one on Your right hand and one on the left, in Your kingdom.
22. But Jesus answering said, You know not what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup which I am about to drink, and to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with? They said to Him, We are able.
23. And He says to them, You shall indeed drink My cup, and be baptised with the baptism which I am baptised with, but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, except to those for whom it has been prepared of My Father.
24. And when the ten heard, they were moved with indignation towards the two brethren.
25. But Jesus calling them, said, You know that the, princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and the great exercise authority upon them.
26. But it shall not be so amongst you: but whoever is willing to become great amongst you, let him be your minister;
27. And whoever is willing to be first among you, let him be your servant:
28. As the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His soul a ransom [or redemption] for many.
29. And as they departed from Jericho, much multitude followed Him.
30. And, behold, two blind [men] sitting by the way-side, hearing that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.
31. But the multitude rebuked them that they should be silent; but they cried out the more, saying, Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David.
32. And Jesus standing called them, and said, What will you that I should do to you?
33. They say to Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34. But Jesus having compassion, touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes looked up, and they followed Him.

EXPOSITION.

Chapter XX.

verses 1-17.Concerning the labourers in the vineyard, who laboured from the third hour, the sixth, the ninth, and the eleventh, and received a like reward.-By these hours in the world are meant times, but in heaven states of the life; because in heaven there are no hours, by reason that times are not measurable, and distinguished into days, and these into hours, as in the world. Wherefore instead of those times, they perceive states of the life of men, who die old, young, adolescent, or boys, who alike have procured to themselves spiritual life. To labour in the vineyard, is to procure that life to themselves, by the knowledges of truth and good derived from the Word, and applied to uses of life; by the third, the sixth, and the ninth hour, is signified a like state of the life; for all numbers, in the Word, are significative, and those numbers have a like signification. That a vineyard, in the Word, signifies the spiritual church, and spiritual life belonging to man, see AC 3220, 9139. That three signifies a full state, or what is complete even to the end, see AC 2788, 4495, 7715, 8347, 9825. The like is signified by six, and nine, but eleven signifies a state not yet full, but still a capable of receiving state, such as appertains to well-disposed boys and infants. The twelfth hour, to which they all laboured, signifies goods and truths in their fullness. AE 194.

Verses 11, 12. And receiving, they murmured against the householder, &c. - See AC 6393.

They who are in internal truths, know that by the learned, the wise, and the intelligent, are signified those who are in good, however unacquainted they may be with any human wisdom and intelligence, and that they will shine as the stars; and that they who labour in the vineyard, obtain a reward, every one according to the affection of good and truth from which he labours; and that they who labour for the sake of themselves and the world, that is, for the sake of self-excellence and opulence, have their reward in the life of the body, but in the other life have their lot with the wicked. AC 3820. See AC 6388.

Vine, or vineyard, signifies the church, where the Divine Truth of the Word is, by means of which the Lord is known. AE 649.

The parables of the Lord, concerning labourers in the vineyards, signified spiritual churches. AC 1069.

Verse 16. So the last shall be first, &c. - See Exposition, chap. 19:30.

Verses 18, 19. Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, and they shall sentence Him to death, and shall deliver Him. to the, Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day He shall rise again. - The spiritual sense of these words is that Divine Truth in the church where mere falses of doctrine and evils of life have rule will be blasphemed, the truth of the church be perverted, and its good destroyed; the Son of Man signifies Divine Truth, which is the Word, and Jerusalem signifies the church, where mere falses and evils have rule. By the chief priests and scribes, are signified the adulterations of good and the falsifications of truth, both from infernal love; by condemning Him, and delivering Him to the Gentiles, is signified to adjudge Divine Truth and Divine Good to hell, and to deliver them to the evils and falses which are thence derived. Gentiles [or nations] signify evils which are from hell, and which destroy the goods of the church; to mock, to scourge, and to crucify, signifies the blasphemation, falsification, and perversion of truth, and the adulteration and destruction of the good of the church, and of the Word; on the third day He shall rise again, signifies the plenary glorification of the Lord's Humanity. From these considerations it may be manifest what is signified, in the spiritual sense, by the Lord's crucifixion, also what by the various mockings on the occasion; also what by the crown of thorns being set on His head, and their smiting Him with a reed, and their spitting into His face, besides several other things which are mentioned by the Evangelists, namely, that the Jewish nation treated so basely the Divine Truth and Good Itself, which was the Lord, for the Lord suffered the abominable state of that church to be represented in Himself, which is also signified by his bearing their iniquities, Isaiah 53:11. For it was a common thing that a prophet took upon himself the representation of the abominations of the church, as in the case of Isaiah the prophet, who was ordered to go naked and barefoot three years, for the sake of representing that the church was without good and truth, Isaiah 20:3, 4, and in the case of the prophet Ezekiel, who should lay siege to a tile, on which was engraven Jerusalem, and should eat a barley cake made with the excrement of an ox, for the sake of representing that the truth and good of the church was so besieged by falses, and so defiled by evils, Ezek 4:1-13. And in the case of the prophet Hosea, that he was ordered to take a whore to him for a woman, and children of whoredoms, to represent what the quality of the church was at that time, Hosea 1:1-11; not to mention other cases; that this was to bear the iniquities of the house of Israel, or of the church, is expressly said, Ezek 4:5, 6. From these considerations it may be manifest, that all the things which are mentioned concerning the Lord's passion, were representative of the state of the church at that time with the Jewish nation. AE 655. See also AC 2788.

"Every genuine rational principle consists of good and truth; the Lord's rational Divine principle as to good could not suffer, or undergo temptations (for no genius or spirit causing temptation can approach to Good Divine), and it is above every attempt of temptation; but Truth. Divine, when bound, was what could be tempted, for there are fallacies, and false principles more especially, which clash with it, and thereby tempt it. For some idea may be formed of Truth Divine, but not of Good Divine, except by those who have perception, and are celestial angels; it was Truth Divine which was no longer acknowledged when the Lord came into the world, wherefore it was this principle by virtue of which the Lord underwent and sustained temptations; Truth Divine in the Lord is what is called the Son of Man, but Good Divine in the Lord is what is called the Son of God; concerning the Son of Man, the Lord frequently declares that He should suffer, but never concerning the Son of God. That He declares this concerning the Son of Man, appears from Matt 20:18, 19. AC 2813.

Shall crucify Him.-There were two capital punishments amongst the Jews, crucifixion and stoning; and by crucifixion was signified condemnation and malediction on account of the destruction of good in the church, and by stoning was signified condemnation and malediction on account of the destruction of truth in the church; the reason why crucifixion signified condemnation and malediction on account of the destruction of good in the church, was because the wood, upon which the condemned were suspended, signified good, and in the opposite sense evil, both of the will; and the reason why stoning signified condemnation and malediction on account of the destruction of truth in the church was because a stone, by which stoning was effected, signified truth, and in the opposite sense the false, both of the understanding: for all things which were instituted amongst the Israelitish and Jewish nation were representative and thence significative. AE 655.

Verses 20, 21, 22, 23. Then came to Him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, &c. - The reason why the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, asked the things here mentioned, was, because by mother is meant the church, by James charity, and by John the good of charity in act. These two, or they who are in them, are in heaven to the right and to the left of the Lord; to the right in heaven is the south, and to the left the north, and in the south are they who are in the clear light of truth from good, and in the north they who are in the obscure light of truth from good; the Divine Itself, proceeding from the Lord as a Sun, produces such a Divine sphere in those quarters, wherefore no others can be there but they who are in those truths from good. This is signified by what is said, that "to sit at the right hand and at the left of the Lord, is only for those to whom it is given or prepared by the Father;" by Father is meant the Divine Good of the Divine Love, from which is heaven and the all of heaven, wherefore by those words of the Lord is meant, that the Lord gives to those to sit at His right hand and at His left in the heavens, for whom it has been prepared from the foundation of the world to share inheritance in the south and in the north. AE 600.

You shall indeed drink of My cup, &c. - Cup denotes temptation, because temptation exists through evils combating by falses against goods and truths, for baptism signifies regeneration, which is effected by spiritual combats, hence by baptism is at the same time signified temptation. AC 5120.

That a chalice or cup signifies temptation, may appear from Matt 20:22, 23. AE 960.

By drinking the cup which the Lord drank, is signified the same as by taking up the cross, namely, to undergo temptations; and by the baptism with which the Lord also was baptised, is signified to be regenerated by temptations; but between the cup which the Lord drank, and the cup which His disciples are to drink, there is however the same difference as between the temptations of the Lord and the temptations of men. The temptations of the Lord were most grievous, and against all the hells, for the Lord subjugated all the hells by temptation admitted into His human (principle), whereas the temptations of men are against the evils and falses which are from the hells attendant upon them, in which the Lord fighteth, not man himself, except against some griefs or sorrows. There is a like difference between the baptism with which the Lord was baptised, and the baptism with which men are baptised as between glorification and regeneration; the Lord by temptations glorified His Humanity from His own proper power, whereas men are regenerated not of their own power, but by the Lord, for by baptism is signified to be regenerated by temptations, whereas by the baptism of the Lord was signified the glorification of His Humanity by temptations. That by baptism is signified regeneration, and also temptations, may be seen in the "Doctrine of the New Jerusalem," 187 to 193, and that the Lord glorified His Human (principle) and made it Divine, as He regenerates man and makes him spiritual, may be seen in AC 1725, 1729, 1733, 3318, 3381, 3382, 4286. AE 893.

Verse 23. To sit on My right hand and on My left, &c. - By the right hand is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord, and by the left hand is signified the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love towards the neighbour. Hence also all things which are on the right part of man correspond to celestial good, and those on the left to spiritual good; for all things belonging to man correspond to heaven.

They who are in those goods, are meant by sitting on the right hand and on the left of the Lord, where He says, "To sit on My right hand and on My left, is not Mine to give, but [to those] for whom it is prepared;" to give to those for whom it is prepared, signifies to give from a principle of mercy, to those who are in the good of life and of faith, thus who are in celestial good and in spiritual good. AC 9511.

With those who are in things external without what is internal, faith is in obscurity, and is also mixed with what is false; for such of them who believe the Word, believe it only according to the letter, and not according to its interior sense, and they who so believe cannot be in any light, for light from heaven flows in through what is internal into what is external; and what is believed without light from heaven, appears as truth, but still with those who so believe, it is false, for they have a material and terrestrial idea concerning truth, and not at the same time a spiritual and celestial idea, and every material and terrestrial idea, if light from heaven be not in it, abounds with fallacies. As for example: James and John, inasmuch as they had a terrestrial idea concerning the Lord s kingdom, "Asked to sit one on His right hand, and the other on His left in His kingdom; but Jesus said, You know not what you ask; you know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them; it shall not be so amongst you, but whoever is willing to be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoever is willing to be first among you, let him be your servant." They who are of this character, as the two disciples were at that time, do not know what the heavenly kingdom is, nor what its glory is, nor what love is, yea, nor what faith is, and in general, do not know what good is; for they judge from things corporeal and earthly; and every delight of the body and of its senses they call good, and eminence over others they call glory; the love of the world and the love of self they call heavenly love, and the scientific principle rendered persuasive, they call faith; when they think of God, they think materially; and therefore either deny God, and set nature in the place of God, or worship idols, or dead men. AC 10582.

Verses 26, 27. Whosoever is willing to become great among you, let him be your minister, &c. - Mutual love, which alone is heavenly, consists in this, that he who is influenced by it not only says, but acknowledges and believes, that he is most unworthy, and that he is somewhat vile and filthy, which the Lord out of Infinite mercy continually withdraws and withholds from hell, into which he continually endeavours, yea, desires to precipitate himself; he acknowledges and believes this, because it is true; not that the Lord, nor any angel, wills such acknowledgement and belief for the sake of any one submitting himself, but lest he should be puffed up, when yet he is of such a quality, as if excrement should say that it is pure gold, or, as if a fly, feeding on dung, should say that it is a bird of paradise. So far, therefore, as man believes that he is of such a quality, so far he recedes from the love of self and its lusts, and so far he abhors himself; and so far as this is the case, so far he receives from the Lord celestial love, that is, mutual love, which consists in being willing to serve others; these are they who are meant by the least, who in the Lord's kingdom become the greatest. AC 1594.

In heaven no one is willing to be a lord, and thus to regard another as a servant, but every one is willing to minister and to serve another. Hence it is evident what form of government prevails in the heavens: this form is described by the Lord in Matthew: "It shall not be so amongst you; but whoever is willing to be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoever would be first, let him be your servant." Such is the conduct of him who from the heart loves his neighbour, or who is sensible of delight and blessedness in doing good to others without any view to himself, that is, who has charity towards the neighbour. AC 5732.

By uses are meant goods, and hence by doing uses is meant to do goods; and by doing uses or goods, is meant to serve others and to minister to them. Persons of this character, although they are in dignity and in opulence, still do not regard dignity and opulence any otherwise than as means to do uses, thus to serve and to minister. These are they who are meant by the Lord's words, "Whosoever is willing to be great among you, let him be your minister; and whoever is willing to be first, let him be your servant.'' These also are they to whom government in heaven is entrusted by the Lord, for government is to them a medium of doing uses or goods, thus of serving, and when uses or goods are ends or loves, in this case they do not govern, but the Lord, for all good is from Him. DP 215.

A man who worships God is sometimes called a servant, sometimes a minister; and he is called a servant of God who is in truths, and a minister of God who is in goods; the reason is, because truth serves good, and good ministers to truth. AR128. See also AE 155.

Verse 28. To give His soul a ransom [or redemption] for many.-By redemption is meant a vindication from evils and liberation from falses, and hence it may be manifest how the Lord's words are to be understood, where he says, "The Son of Man came to give His soul a ransom [or redemption] for many," namely, that they might be vindicated and liberated from hell; for the passion of the cross was the last combat and plenary victory, by which He subjugated the hells, and by which He glorified His Humanity. AE 328.

The celestial principle of love is of this quality, that it is not willing to be the property of itself, but of aIl, so that it is willing to give all its own to others; in this consists the essence of celestial love. The Lord, inasmuch as He is Love Itself, or the essence and life of the love of all in the heavens, is willing to give to the human race all things that are His, which is signified by what the Lord said, "That the Son of Man came to give His soul a ransom [or redemption] for many:" wherefore all in heaven, who desire to become great and greatest, are rejected, because it is contrary to the essence and life of heavenly love, which is from the Lord: hence, also, it is, that nothing is more contrary to heavenly love than the love of self. AC 1419.

Verse 30. Two blind men, &c. - See Exposition, chap. 9:27-31, 11:5.

Verse 34. Jesus touched their eyes, &c. - See Exposition, chap. 8:3, 9:20, 27, 14:36.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter XX.

verse 13.Companion, I do not treat you unjustly.-In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered companion is called friend,as if it had been a translation from philos, which properly means a friend, whereas it is expressed in the original by etairos, which properly means a companion. The distinction between a friend and a companion, in the letter, is obvious, and ought to be preserved on account of the distinction in the internal sense; for according to this latter sense, by a friend is meant one with whom there is the connection of love, whereas by a companion is meant one with whom there is merely acquaintance by knowledge. The same expression occurs again, chap. 22:12, and is there also applied to express knowledge without love and charity.

Verse 21. Say that these my two sons may sit, &c. - In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered say, is translated grant;but the expression in the original is eipe,which is literally say,and appears to carry more meaning with it than the term grant, as implying that the favour requested depended entirely on the Lord's Word; therefore it is expressed in another place, "Say the word only, and my child shall be healed," Matt 8:8.

Verse 23. To sit on My right hand and on My left, is not Mine to give, &c.-In the common version of the New Testament there is an interpolation in this passage which is not to be found in the original, and is on that account properly enough printed in italics, namely, it shall be given ; so that the whole verse runs thus: "To sit on My right hand and on My left, is not Mine to give; but it shall be given to those for whom it is prepared of My Father." But according to this interpolation, the Lord is made to say what He does not say, namely, that to sit on His right hand and on His left, is not His to give, whereas He only declares, that it is not His to give, but (or except) to the prepared. The power, therefore, of dispensing future rewards belongs of right to Him, as it is said in John 17:2; but then He dispenses only according to the laws of His own order, which laws require that there be a suitable preparation on the part of him who is to receive.

Verses 25, 26, 27. The princes of the Gentiles, &c.-The Lord here again speaks in reference to the heavenly marriage, when He distinguishes between the princes of the Gentiles, and the great,and ascribes to the former, the exercise of dominion, and to the latter, that of authority.A similar distinction is made between him that is willing to become great,and him that is willing to be first, also between being a minister and a servant.

Verse 28. To give his soul a ransom [or redemption].- Swedenborg renders it a redemption.

Verse 34. Their eyes looked up.-What is here rendered looked up, in the common version of the New Testament is translated received sight: but the original expression is aneblepsan, which literally means looked up, and seems intended to express something more than a mere reception of sight, namely, an elevation of the eye, both of mind and of body, to the Great Redeemer.