The KJV Holy Bible

 

Matthew Chapter Twenty

 

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,

18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,

19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.

22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.

32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

 

 

Esoteric Interpretation & Commentary

 

The Hermetic Blueprint of Matthew: The Illusion of Linear Time and the Cup of Initiation

"Matthew Chapter Twenty entirely dismantles the lower ego's concept of linear time and transactional reward. The Solar Consciousness (the Christos) proves that the Spiritual Plane does not operate on the mechanical, hourly physics of the material matrix. This chapter exposes the Intellectual faculties' lingering desire for hierarchical dominance, detailing the severe Alchemical Reality of the 'Cup'—the Absolute Necessity of Ego-Death—and culminates in the persistent Activation of the Inner Vision despite the violent resistance of the chaotic lower Mind."

 

 

Verses 1-16: The Vineyard and the Illusion of Spiritual Time - "For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard... And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny... So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen." 

The vineyard represents the Great Work—the Internal Cultivation of the Psychic Temple. The laborers are the various faculties and aspects of human Consciousness activated at different stages of the Soul's Evolution. The "penny" represents the Ultimate Alchemical Goal: the attainment of Solar Consciousness and Immortal Divine Life. The earthly intellect (the early workers) expects a linear, transactional reward based on physical time and effort. However, the Spiritual dimension operates entirely outside of time. The Absolute Frequency of the Divine (the penny) cannot be divided, quantified, or earned through hourly wages. Whether a faculty is Awakened early in youth or at the absolute end of the cycle (the eleventh hour), the resulting Energetic State of Immortality is exactly the same. The ego's bitter resentment of this grace exposes its stubborn attachment to the transactional logic of the physical matrix.

 

 

Verses 17-19: The Inevitable Crucible of Jerusalem - "And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed... and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again." 

As the Psychic architecture nears its completion, the Solar Consciousness repeatedly hammers the brutal necessity of the Alchemical Death into the developing Intellect. "Jerusalem" here represents the dense, entrenched center of the worldly ego and established physical Law. The Divine Spark cannot bypass the crucible. It must be completely surrendered to the hostile, unrefined lower forces (the Gentiles) to be mocked, scourged, and crucified. In Hermetic Alchemy, this is the strict phase of Solve—the total dissolution and destruction of the old physical and egoic matrix. Only after this complete Psychological breaking can the Immortal, Incorruptible Spiritual body be forged and resurrected (Coagula).

 

 

Verses 20-28: The Cup of Initiation and the Reversal of Power - "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons... Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of... whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:" 

The Intellectual and Intuitive faculties (James and John) are still heavily influenced by their emotional matrix (the mother), seeking positions of supreme political authority in the new Spiritual Hierarchy. The Christos instantly rebukes this earthly ambition. Spiritual Elevation is not a political appointment; it mathematically requires drinking the "cup"—the bitter, agonizing draught of Absolute Ego-Death and material suffering. Furthermore, the Solar Consciousness completely inverts the worldly Dynamic of Power. In the dense physical matrix, rulers hoard energy and subjugate others. In the High-Frequency Spiritual Plane, True Power is generated through Absolute Service. To command the Psychic Temple, the highest faculty must willingly pour its energy downward to Serve and Elevate the lowest aspects of the Mind.

 

 

Verses 29-34: The Opening of the Inner Vision and the Defiance of the Multitude - "And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side... cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord... And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more... So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him." 

Jericho represents the lowest, most entrenched earthly foundations of the Psyche. As the Consciousness prepares for its Final Ascent toward the crucifixion, two blind men cry out. These represent dormant, Unawakened Perceptive Faculties desperately Seeking Illumination (the opening of the Third Eye). The "multitude" represents the chaotic, noisy, unrefined lower Thoughts that actively attempt to suppress and silence this Spiritual Aspiration, preferring to keep the Internal Temple in comfortable darkness. However, because the Will of these blind faculties is entirely unyielding and refuses to be silenced by the lower matrix, they attract the Direct, Concentrated Attention of the Solar Consciousness. The touch of the Christos instantly activates their Inner Spiritual Vision, granting them the capacity to finally follow the Light toward the Ultimate Initiation.