Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox
Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 20]. 20:16 {The last first and the first last} (\hoi esch•toi pr•toi kai hoi pr•toi eschatoi\). The adjectives change places as compared with 19:30. The point is the same, though this order suits the parable better. After all one's work does not rest wholly on the amount of time spent on it. "Even so hath Rabbi Bun bar Chija in twenty-eight years wrought more than many studious scholars in a hundred years" (Jer. _Berak._ ii. 5c). 20:17 {Apart} (\kat' idian\). This is the prediction in Matthew of the cross (16:21; 17:22; 20:17). "Aside by themselves" (Moffatt). The verb is \parelaben\. Jesus is having his inward struggle (Mr 10:32) and makes one more effort to get the Twelve to understand him. 20:19 {And to crucify} (\kai staur•sai\). The very word now. The details fall on deaf ears, even the point of the resurrection on the third day. 20:20 {Then} (\tote\). Surely an inopportune time for such a request just after the pointed prediction of Christ's crucifixion. Perhaps their minds had been preoccupied with the words of Jesus (19:28) about their sitting on twelve thrones taking them in a literal sense. The mother of James and John, probably Salome, possibly a sister of the Master's mother (Joh 19:25), apparently prompted her two sons because of the family relationship and now speaks for them. {Asking a certain thing} (\aitousa ti\). "Asking something," "plotting perhaps when their Master was predicting" (Bruce). The "something" put forward as a small matter was simply the choice of the two chief thrones promised by Jesus (19:28). 20:22 {Ye know not what ye ask} (\ouk oidate ti aiteisthe\). How often that is true. \Aiteisthe\ is indirect middle voice, "ask for yourselves," "a selfish request." {We are able} (\dunametha\). Amazing proof of their ignorance and self-confidence. Ambition had blinded their eyes. They had not caught the martyr spirit. 20:23 {Ye shall drink} (\piesthe\). Future middle from \pin•\. Christ's cup was martyrdom. James was the first of the Twelve to meet the martyr's death (Ac 12:2) and John the last if reports are true about him. How little they knew what they were saying. 20:24 {Moved with indignation} (\•ganakt•san\). A strong word for http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT20.RWP.html (3 of 5) [28/08/2004 09:03:19 a.m.]
Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 20]. angry resentment. In the papyri. The ten felt that James and John had taken advantage of their relation to Jesus. 20:25 {Called them unto him} (\proskalesamenos autous\). Indirect middle again, calling to him. 20:26 {Would become great} (\hos an thel•i megas genesthai\). Jesus does not condemn the desire to become great. It is a laudable ambition. There are "great ones" (\megaloi\) among Christians as among pagans, but they do not "lord it over" one another (\katakurieuousin\), a LXX word and very expressive, or "play the tyrant" (\katexousiazousin\), another suggestive word. {Your minister} (\h–m•n diakonos\). This word may come from \dia\ and \konis\ (dust), to raise a dust by one's hurry, and so to minister. It is a general word for servant and is used in a variety of ways including the technical sense of our "deacon" in Php. 1:1. But it more frequently is applied to ministers of the Gospel (1Co 3:5). The way to be "first" (\pr•tos\), says Jesus, is to be your "servant" (\doulos\), "bond-servant" (verse 27). This is a complete reversal of popular opinion then and now. 20:28 {A ransom for many} (\lutron anti poll•n\). The Son of man is the outstanding illustration of this principle of self-abnegation in direct contrast to the self-seeking of James and John. The word translated "ransom" is the one commonly employed in the papyri as the price paid for a slave who is then set free by the one who bought him, the purchase money for manumitting slaves. See examples in Moulton and Milligan's _Vocabulary_ and Deissmann's _Light from the Ancient East_, pp. 328f. There is the notion of exchange also in the use of \anti\. Jesus gave his own life as the price of freedom for the slaves of sin. There are those who refuse to admit that Jesus held this notion of a substitutionary death because the word in the N.T. occurs only here and the corresponding passage in Mr 10:45. But that is an easy way to get rid of passages that contradict one's theological opinions. Jesus here rises to the full consciousness of the significance of his death for men. 20:29 {From Jericho} (\apo Iereich•\). So Mr 10:46. But Luke (Lu 18:35) places the incident as they were drawing near to Jericho (\eis Iereich•\). It is probable that Mark and Matthew refer to the old Jericho, the ruins of which have been discovered, while Luke alludes to the new Roman Jericho. The two blind men were apparently between the two towns. Mark (Mr http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/MT20.RWP.html (4 of 5) [28/08/2004 09:03:19 a.m.]
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<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Mat<strong>the</strong>w: Chapter 20].<br />
20:16 {The last first and <strong>the</strong> first last} (\hoi esch•toi pr•toi<br />
kai hoi pr•toi eschatoi\). The adjectives change places as<br />
compared with 19:30. The po<strong>in</strong>t is <strong>the</strong> same, though this order<br />
suits <strong>the</strong> parable better. After all one's work does not rest<br />
wholly on <strong>the</strong> amount of time spent on it. "Even so hath Rabbi Bun<br />
bar Chija <strong>in</strong> twenty-eight years wrought more than many studious<br />
scholars <strong>in</strong> a hundred years" (Jer. _Berak._ ii. 5c).<br />
20:17 {Apart} (\kat' idian\). This is <strong>the</strong> prediction <strong>in</strong> Mat<strong>the</strong>w<br />
of <strong>the</strong> cross (16:21; 17:22; 20:17). "Aside by <strong>the</strong>mselves"<br />
(Moffatt). The verb is \parelaben\. Jesus is hav<strong>in</strong>g his <strong>in</strong>ward<br />
struggle (Mr 10:32) and makes one more effort to get <strong>the</strong> Twelve<br />
to understand him.<br />
20:19 {And to crucify} (\kai staur•sai\). The very word now. The<br />
details fall on deaf ears, even <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t of <strong>the</strong> resurrection on<br />
<strong>the</strong> third day.<br />
20:20 {Then} (\tote\). Surely an <strong>in</strong>opportune time for such a<br />
request just after <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>ted prediction of Christ's<br />
crucifixion. Perhaps <strong>the</strong>ir m<strong>in</strong>ds had been preoccupied with <strong>the</strong><br />
words of Jesus (19:28) about <strong>the</strong>ir sitt<strong>in</strong>g on twelve thrones<br />
tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m <strong>in</strong> a literal sense. The mo<strong>the</strong>r of James and John,<br />
probably Salome, possibly a sister of <strong>the</strong> Master's mo<strong>the</strong>r (Joh<br />
19:25), apparently prompted her two sons because of <strong>the</strong> family<br />
relationship and now speaks for <strong>the</strong>m. {Ask<strong>in</strong>g a certa<strong>in</strong> th<strong>in</strong>g}<br />
(\aitousa ti\). "Ask<strong>in</strong>g someth<strong>in</strong>g," "plott<strong>in</strong>g perhaps when <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
Master was predict<strong>in</strong>g" (Bruce). The "someth<strong>in</strong>g" put forward as a<br />
small matter was simply <strong>the</strong> choice of <strong>the</strong> two chief thrones<br />
promised by Jesus (19:28).<br />
20:22 {Ye know not what ye ask} (\ouk oidate ti aiteis<strong>the</strong>\). How<br />
often that is true. \Aiteis<strong>the</strong>\ is <strong>in</strong>direct middle voice, "ask<br />
for yourselves," "a selfish request." {We are able}<br />
(\dunametha\). Amaz<strong>in</strong>g proof of <strong>the</strong>ir ignorance and<br />
self-confidence. Ambition had bl<strong>in</strong>ded <strong>the</strong>ir eyes. They had not<br />
caught <strong>the</strong> martyr spirit.<br />
20:23 {Ye shall dr<strong>in</strong>k} (\pies<strong>the</strong>\). Future middle from \p<strong>in</strong>•\.<br />
Christ's cup was martyrdom. James was <strong>the</strong> first of <strong>the</strong> Twelve to<br />
meet <strong>the</strong> martyr's death (Ac 12:2) and John <strong>the</strong> last if reports<br />
are true about him. How little <strong>the</strong>y knew what <strong>the</strong>y were say<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
20:24 {Moved with <strong>in</strong>dignation} (\•ganakt•san\). A strong word for<br />
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