The Jewish Annotated New Testament (198 page)

26
:
All things are possible
, Gen 18.14; Jer 32.17.

28
:
Renewal of all things
, messianic age; see 8.20n.; 10.23n.; 25.30–31;
1 En
. 62.5.
Twelve tribes of Israel
, Jesus’ disciples will sit in judgment over their fellow Jews (cf. 1 Cor 15.5).

29
:
Inherit eternal life
, see 19.16n.

30
:
First will be last
, eschatological reversal (Mk 10.31; Lk 13.30).

20.1
–16: The parable of the workers in the vineyard.

1
:
His vineyard
, Israel (21.33; Isa 5; Jer 12.1–4).

2
:
Daily wage
, Gk “denarius” (18.28; 20.10; 22.19).

8
:
When evening came
, laborers were to be paid on the day they performed the work (Lev 19.13; Deut 24.14–15).
Owner
, Gk “kyrios,” “Lord” (cf.
m. Avot
2.14).
Beginning with the last
, the owner sets up the first hired to believe they will receive more than those hired last.

12
:
You have made them equal to us
, the issue is not when one follows Jesus, but that one does so.

13
:
Friend
, not necessarily indicating friendliness (22.12; 26.50). Rabbinic sources offer a similar story of equal wages for differing durations (
y. Ber
. 2.8).

15
:
Are you envious
, lit., “Is your eye evil?”

16
:
See Mk 10.31; Lk 13.30.
Last will be first
, 19.30n.

20.17
–19: Third Passion prediction (
Mk 10.32–34; Lk 18.31–34). See 16.21–23; 17.22–23; 26.2.

19
:
Gentiles
, referring to Pilate and his soldiers.
Crucified
, in the first century a Roman, not Jewish, punishment (
m. Sanh
. 7.1–4; Josephus,
J.W
. 2.308; 5.451).
Third day
, see 16.21n.

20.20
–28: The mother of James and John
(Mk 10.35–45; Lk 22.24–27). Mark and Luke have the brothers pose the question. Cf. 15.21–28; 1 Kings 1.15–21.

20
:
Sons of Zebedee
, James and John (4.21).

21
:
Right hand … at your left
, positions of honor. Ironically the two on Jesus’ right and left hands are crucified thieves (27.38).

23
:
Cup
, suffering and death (26.27–28; Jn 18.11; cf. Isa 5.13; 51.17; Jer 25.15; Ezek 23.31; Hab 2.16; Ps 75.8). Disciples must share Jesus’ suffering (cf. 5.10–12; 7.15–22; 10.23; 13.53–58; 16.24–25; 19.28; 21.12–13; 24.9–10; Rom 8.17; Rev 1.9; 20.4).

25
:
Rulers of the Gentiles
, pagan Rome and its client kings.

27
:
Must be your slave
, true rulers serve those in their charge.

28
:
Ransom
(Mark 10.45). See Ex 6.6; 15.33; Isa 43.1; 44.22, Ps 77.16 (76 LXX), in the sense of divine liberation from slavery and exile. To “save his people” (1.21; cf. Jn 13.13–15; 1 Tim 2.5–6; 1 Pet 1.18–19), Jesus pays the penalty (“ransom”) of their debt/sins

20.29
–34: Jesus heals the two blind men
(Mk 10.46–52; Lk 18.35–43). Cf. 9.27–31.

29
:
Jericho,
a city (with an oasis) 15 mi (24 km) east of Jerusalem and 8 mi (13 km) north of the Dead Sea.

30
:
Son of David
, see 1.1n.; 9.27n.

31
:
Ordered them to be quiet
, perhaps in order to hear any teaching that Jesus might give.

21.1
–11: Triumphal entry
(Mk 11.1–11; Lk 19.28–40; Jn 12.12–19).

1
:
Bethphage
, the specific location cannot be identified.
Mount of Olives
, east of Jerusalem, was linked to messianic and eschatological fulfillment (Ezek 11.23; Zech 14.4).

2
:
Donkey … and a colt
, Zech 9.9;
b. Sanh
. 98a.

4
–5:
The prophet
, Matthew combines Isa 62.11 and Zech 9.9.

8
:
Cut branches
, see Lev 23.39–40; 2 Kings 9.13; 2 Macc 10.5–8; only Jn 12.13 mentions palms. Palms were normally connected to the fall Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. The cloaks and branches mentioned in Matthew were therefore meant for a different purpose: to connect Jesus to the kingship of Israel, as the practice in 2 Kings 9.13 indicates.

9
:
Hosanna
, Hebrew “save now” (Ps 118.26). A form of this term (“Help!”) is earlier used in connection with King David (2 Sam 14.4), making it clear that Jesus is the Davidic king.
Son of David
, see 9.27n.
Blessed is the one who comes,
from the “hallel” (“praise”) psalms (Ps 115–18) recited during Passover according to rabbinic tradition (
b. Arak
. 10a;
t. Sukk
. 3.2).

10
:
Whole city was in turmoil
, see 2.3; cf. Ruth 1.19.

11
:
Prophet Jesus
, the crowds do not address him as messiah.
From Nazareth in Galilee
, Matthew favors Galilee over Jerusalem.

21.12
–17: Temple incident
(Mk 11.15–19; Lk 19.45–48; Jn 2.13–22).

12
:
Selling and buying
, to purchase animals for sacrificial offering (
m. Seqal
. 1.3;
m. Ker
. 1.7).
Money changers
converted foreign currency into Tyrian shekels, high-quality silver coinage accepted by the Temple.
Doves
, Lev 5.7.

13
:
House of prayer
, Isa 56.7; 1 Macc 7.37; cf. 6.5; Ps 141.2; 2 Macc 10.26.
Den of robbers
, Jer 7.11 (see 12.6), a place where criminals feel safe.

14
:
Blind and the lame
, present in the Temple, contrast 2 Sam 5.8 LXX.

15
:
Hosanna
, see 21.9n.

16
:
Ps 8.1–2 (Heb vv. 2–3); 11.25n.; 17.23n.

17
:
Bethany
, east of Jerusalem (26.6).

21.18
–22: The fig tree
(Mk 11.12–14; Lk 13.6–9).

19
:
Fig tree
, here symbolizing judgment (see Isa 34.4; Jer 8.13; 24.1–10; Hos 2.12; Joel 1.7).
Withered
, Temple leaders and the people of Jerusalem are condemned because they lack faith in Jesus (24.2).

21.23
–27: Jesus’ authority is questioned (
Mk 11.27–33; Lk 20.1–8).

23
:
Temple authorities challenge Jesus (cf. 9.34; 12.22–24; 19.3–9; 22.15–22,34–46).
Chief priests
, Gk “archiereus,” in sing. “high priest,” in pl. “chief priests,” including previous high priests and family members. In Lk 3.2 there is mention of “the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas”: Annas had been deposed by the Romans in 15 CE and was succeeded by sons and a son-in-law, Caiaphas, who was high priest 18–36 CE.

25
:
Baptism of John
, see 3.1–12.

26
:
Regard John as a prophet
, see 17.12–13n.

21.28
–32: Parable of the two sons.
See 20.1–16.

29
:
Changed his mind
, the first son represents those who repent.

30
:
But he did not go
, the second son, a liar and a hypocrite, represents those who preach but do not practice (see 23.2–3).

21.33
–46: Parable of the vineyard
(Mk 12.1–12; Lk 20.9–19).
Gos. Thom
. 65.

33
:
Vineyard
, a reworking of the earlier parable in Isa 5.1–2, 7; see 20.1–16n.
Tenants
, chief priests and Pharisees (see 21.45).

34
:
Slaves
, prophets of Israel (22.3).

37
:
His son
, Jesus (21.41,43; see 7.16–20n.).

39
:
Out of the vineyard
, Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem’s walls (27.32–34; Mk 15.20; Lk 23.26–33; Jn 19.17; cf. Heb 13.12–13); executions occurred outside the walls of Jerusalem.