The disciples rightly anticipated the establishment of God’s kingdom and hoped for places within it, to reign with Christ. However, the purpose of God required that Jesus first suffer, and so he warned them of this. The disciples had great difficulty taking in this information and continued to concentrate on the glories of the Kingdom. Jesus, therefore, impressed upon them that only those who humble themselves will be exalted. Jesus is the supreme example: “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many”.
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Verses 11,15-16
Waiting for response for Matthew 20:11,15-16At the end of the last chapter Jesus spoke of the exaltation of the lowliest of men to the highest rulership under Christ in the Kingdom of God, while the highest rulers of the earth will be abased. This principle is enunciated in the last verse: “But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first”, Matthew 19:30Waiting for response for Matthew 19:30 and is repeated in this chapter sandwiching a parable Jesus told to illustrate it. The Jews had their own views as to superiority and, in particular, exalted themselves above the Gentiles. While it is true that God chose the Jews first, their rejection of his word led him to offer the great reward to the Gentiles. The Jews’ reaction was to murmur and complain, but the reward is the LORD’s and he may give it to whomsoever he wills: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?”