QT 26/02/2026 Thu. Matthew 20. Getting It Wrong — and Getting It Right 看错了。看得准。

QT 26/02/2026 Thu. Matthew 20. Getting It Wrong — and Getting It Right
READ http://www.esv.org/matthew20

The disciples got it wrong. The blind men got it right.

(1) Getting It Wrong: Miscalculating the Rewards of the Generous God (Matthew 20:1–16)

Jesus tells the parable of the labourers in the vineyard. Some worked all day under the scorching sun. Others were hired at the eleventh hour. Yet when evening came, each received a denarius. The early workers grumbled. The Master replied:

“Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?” (v.15)

Their error was not in arithmetic—it was in theology. They viewed the kingdom as a wage system. God revealed it to be a grace system. They calculated hours worked. God displayed generosity given. The problem was comparison. They measured themselves against others instead of trusting the goodness of the Master.

How often do we do the same?

• “I’ve served longer.”
• “I’ve sacrificed more.”
• “Why does that person receive such blessing?”

But salvation is not overtime pay. Eternal life is not seniority-based compensation. It is mercy. The scandal of grace is that God gives fully to those who deserve nothing. And if we are honest, that includes us. “So the last will be first, and the first last.” The kingdom overturns human accounting systems.

(2) Getting It Wrong: Missing the Priority of the Cross and True Greatness (Matthew 20:17–28)

Immediately after the parable, Jesus makes a stunning announcement. As He goes up to Jerusalem, He tells the Twelve plainly:

• He will be delivered over.
• He will be condemned.
• He will be mocked, flogged, and crucified.
• He will rise on the third day.

The shadow of the cross falls over the road to Jerusalem. Yet astonishingly, what happens next? The mother of James and John comes with a request:

“Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” (20:21)

While Jesus speaks of suffering, they think of status. While Jesus speaks of a cross, they think of crowns. They missed the priority of the moment. The Son of Man is about to lay down His life, and the disciples are jockeying for rank. Their vision of greatness is positional. Jesus’ vision of greatness is sacrificial. True greatness in the kingdom is not found in prominence but in servanthood. The cross is the interpretive key to the kingdom. Without it, we will always misunderstand glory.

Whenever we seek recognition more than faithfulness, advancement more than obedience, we repeat their mistake. The way up in God’s kingdom is down. The path to glory runs through Calvary.

(3) The Two Blind Men Got It Right: A Cry for Mercy (Matthew 20:29–34)

Then we meet two blind men sitting by the roadside near Jericho. This city was the first to be conquered and destroyed in Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land—in fact there is a curse for whoever attempted Jericho’s rebuilding (Joshua 6:26).

For the two blind men, to be residents of this city, is in fact double trouble. However, when they hear that Jesus is passing by, they cry out:

“Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” (20:30)

The crowd rebukes them. They cry out all the more. Unlike the labourers, they do not calculate wages. Unlike the disciples, they do not seek status. They ask for mercy. They, though blind in the sight, recognize what others (those who see) miss: Jesus is the “Son of David”—the promised Messiah. Though physically blind, they see spiritually.

And what moves Jesus? Not ambition. Not comparison. But desperate faith. Jesus stops. He calls them. He touches their eyes. Immediately they receive their sight and follow Him. This is the right response to the King:

• Not grumbling over grace.
• Not grasping for greatness.
• But pleading for mercy.

Final Reflection

Matthew 20 presents three groups:

(a) Workers who resented grace. Why give others more? Note that what was given to others was not money that belong to those who grumbled. It was the master’s.

(b) Disciples who misunderstood greatness. Jesus’ path to the greatness was obedience to the Father through submission to the Cross and the benefits that submission brought to others. The disciples‘ clamouring displayed their smallness.

(c) Blind men who cried for mercy. Full stop.

Two groups got it wrong. One group got it right. The question is not how long we have served. The question is not what position we will hold. The question is: Have we cried out for mercy to the Son of David? In the end, the only safe place in the kingdom is at the feet of the crucified and risen King.

“Lord, have mercy on us.” And He does. Those who cried out received mercy. Will you, today?

QT 26/02/2026 星期. 马太福音 20 看错了。看得准。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/mat/20/

门徒误解了，瞎子却领悟了。

(1) 看错了：低估了慷慨之神的赏赐（马太福音20:1-16）

耶稣讲述葡萄园工人的比喻。有人顶着烈日劳作终日，有人在最后一刻才被雇佣。然而黄昏时分，人人都领到一钱银子。先来的工人便发怨言。主人回应道：

“难道我不可以照自己的主意用我的财物吗？还是因为我仁慈你就嫉妒呢？”(20:15节)

他们的错误不在于算术——而在于神学。他们将天国视为薪酬体系，神却揭示它是恩典体系。他们计算工时，神彰显恩赐的慷慨。症结在于比较——他们拿自己与他人衡量，而非信靠主人的良善。

我们何尝不是如此？

• “我服侍更久”
• “我牺牲更多”
• “那人为何得如此福气？”

但救恩并非加班费，永生亦非资历补偿。那是怜悯。恩典的惊人之处在于：神将丰盛赐予全然不配之人。若我们诚实面对，这包括我们自己。“因此，在后的将要在前，在前的将要在后。” （20:16 节）

(2) 看错了：错失十字架的优先权与真正的伟大（马太福音20:17-28）

讲完这个比喻后，耶稣立刻作出惊人宣告。当祂前往耶路撒冷途中，祂向十二门徒直言：

• 祂将被交出。
• 祂将被定罪。
• 他将遭受嘲弄、鞭打与钉十字架之刑
• 他将在第三日复活

十字架的阴影笼罩着通往耶路撒冷的道路。然而令人震惊的是，接下来发生了什么？雅各和约翰的母亲带着请求前来：

“求你下令，使我这两个儿子在你的国里，一个坐在你的右边，一个坐在你的左边。”（20:21）

当耶稣谈论受难时，他们却想着地位；当耶稣谈论十字架时，他们却想着冠冕。他们错失了当下的要义。人子即将舍命，门徒却在争抢名次。他们眼中的伟大在于地位，耶稣眼中的伟大在于牺牲。天国里真正的伟大不在于显赫，而在于服侍。十字架是解读天国的钥匙。若无此钥匙，我们永远误解荣耀的真义。

每当我们追求名望胜过忠心，攀升地位胜过顺服，便重蹈他们的覆辙。在神的国度里，通往高处的道路是向下的；通往荣耀的道路必经各各他。

(3) 两个瞎子看得准：求怜悯的呼喊（马太福音20:29-34）

随后我们遇见两个坐在耶利哥城外路旁的瞎子。这座城在约书亚征服应许之地时首当其冲被攻陷毁灭——事实上，凡试图重建耶利哥者必遭诅咒（《约书亚记》6:26）。

对这两位盲人而言，身为这座城市的居民实属双重不幸。然而当他们听闻耶稣经过时，便高声呼喊：

“主啊，大卫的子孙，可怜我们吧！”（20:30）

众人斥责他们，他们却越发大声呼喊。不像雇工计较工钱，不像门徒追求地位，他们只求怜悯。他们虽肉眼失明，却洞察常人（明眼人）所忽略的真相：耶稣正是“大卫之子”——应许的弥赛亚。他们虽身陷盲聋，灵里却洞若观火。

什么打动了耶稣？不是野心，不是攀比，而是绝望中的信心。耶稣停下脚步，呼唤他们，触摸他们的眼睛。他们立刻复明，便跟随了他。这才是对君王的正确回应：

• 不因恩典而抱怨
• 不贪图尊荣
• 唯求怜悯

终极反思

《马太福音》第20章呈现三类人：

(a) 嫉妒恩典的雇工。为何他人得更多？须知所赐之物并非抱怨者应得的薪酬，乃是主人的恩赐。

(b) 误解伟大之道的门徒。耶稣通往伟大的道路，是通过顺服十字架来顺服父神，并借此顺服为他人带来益处。门徒的喧嚷暴露了他们的渺小。

(c) 盲人呼求怜悯。就是那么的简单。

两类人误入歧途，唯有一类人得着真义。关键不在服侍年日长短，不在位分高低，而在于：我们是否向大卫之子呼求怜悯？终极而言，天国里唯一安全的所在，唯有在被钉十字架又复活之君王的脚前。

“主啊，可怜我们吧。”祂必施怜悯。呼求者得蒙恩典。今日，你可愿如此？