19 When they were brought Peter stuck the needle in the ground, with the flesh, the woman was on the
camel. He commanded it as before, and the camel went through, and back again.
20 Onesiphorus cried out, convinced and said: Listen. I have lands and vineyards and 27 litrae of gold
and 50 of silver, and many slaves: I will give my goods to the poor and free my slaves if I may do wonders
like you. Peter said: If you believe, you shall.
21 Yet he was afraid he might not be able, because he was not baptised, but a voice came: Let him do
what he will. So Onesiphorus stood before the needle and camel and commanded it to go through and it
went as far as the neck and stopped. And he asked why. 'Because you are not yet baptised.' He was
content, and the apostles went to his house, and 1 000 souls were baptised that night."
(Acts of Peter and Andrew vv.14-21, The Apocryphal New Testament, M R James, Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1924, p459).
19:28 Ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones
―(28) And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration
when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel.‖
An allusion to the Kingdom in Revelation 21:14.
19:29-30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first
―(29) And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or
children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life (30) But
many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.‖
This is a Hebrew idiom that has to do with "evening things out", not necessarily reversing the actual order of
something. This is seen in the next section of this study (Matt 20:16).
SECTION VII
TEACHINGS ON THE KINGDOM
MATTHEW 20:1- 34
TEXT:
(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.57€575
(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,