Parables #38 The Two Sons
Parable #38 – Matthew21:28–32The Two Sons?”Just as with all the previous Parable that Jesus taught the key interpretive point in understanding the Parable of the Two Sons comes in defining to whom Jesus is speaking.
For that we need to look at the overall context of this passage. Matthew chapter 21 begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The whole point of Matthew’s gospel is to show Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The crowd responds by shouting Hosannas and praises to the King. The King’s first act upon entering Jerusalem is to cleanse the temple Matthew 21:12-1712 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”( Jeremiah 7:11 Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves?… )14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’[]” 17 Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight.Afterwards, we see Jesus cursing a fig tree (21:18-22). This account may seem an isolated story, but Jesus was making a strong symbolic point. The fig tree is often symbolic of IsraelHosea 9:1010 The Lord says, “O Israel, when I first found you, it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.When I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.But then they deserted me for Baal-peor, giving themselves to that shameful idol.Soon they became vile, as vile as the god they worshiped.Joel 1:77 It has destroyed my grapevines and ruined my fig trees,stripping their bark and destroying it,leaving the branches white and bare.The fact that the fig tree had leaves but no fruit is symbolic of Israel’s religious activity—i.e., all the trappings of spirituality, but no substance. In reply to the questions as to his authority, Jesus gives the third great group of parables. (In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)In,Matthew 21:23-27 the religious authorities—the chief priests and elders—question Jesus’ authority. Who is this Jesus who comes into Jerusalem receiving the praises of the masses and drives the moneychangers out of the temple?23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”24 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26 But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.
The Pharisees had just challenged Jesus’ authority and He responded by asking them to identify John the Baptist’s authority. They refused to say that John the Baptist’s authority was from heaven because they didn’t like John the Baptistor what he preached. But verse 25 shows that they knew what John was proclaiming – that Jesus was the Messiah. They refused to say that John’s authority was from Satan because they feared the crowds. The stage is set for the showdown. It is in this context that Jesus tells three parables—the Two Sons, the Tenants, and the Wedding Feast. Each of these parables is told to the Jewish religious leaders, each illustrates their rejection of Jesus, and each pronounces judgment on Israel for their rejection of their Messiah. So Jesus refused to answer them. But he tells them the first of the three parables.The Parable of the Two Sons Matthew 21:28-3228 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”They replied, “The first.” (Other manuscripts read “The second.” In still other manuscripts the first son says “Yes” but does nothing, the second son says “No” but then repents and goes, and the answer to Jesus’ question is that the second son obeyed his father.)Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.
The basic story is of a man with two sons who told them to go work in the vineyard. The first son refused, but later obeyed and went. The second son initially expressed obedience, but actually disobeyed and refused to work in the vineyard. In this parable, Jesus shows us how different people obey what God has called them to do. In telling the story, Jesus wanted us to realize that what we do is more important than what we say we will do. Jesus wants us toanswer, “Yes,” when hetellsus to “Love one another,” but He reallywants us to do isloveone another! Jesus wants us toanswer,“Yes,” when he says, “Follow me,” but what he really wants is for us tofollowhim! Isn’t it the kind of child you want to be?Israel may have had the leaves of activity, but not the fruit of repentance and obedience to God, which is why Jesus tells them the prostitutes and tax collectors will enter the kingdom ahead of them (v. 31).Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do..The leaders of Israel are the second son who claimed obedience, but did not do the will of the father.The son who ultimately did the will of his father was the first son because he eventually obeyed. Jesus then likens the first son to tax collectors and prostitutes—the outcasts of Jewish society—because they believed John the Baptist and accepted “the way of righteousness” (v. 32), in spite of their initial disobedience to the Law.32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.What does it mean to be a son in this parable? Does being a son equals to being saved? No. Many think when they read a parable and see that someone is a son or a servant that it means he is a Christian. But in this parable, being a son does not equal salvation.The scribes and Pharisees are one son and the other son is the harlots and tax gatherers. Both were sons. One entered the kingdom and the other didn’t. Don’t assume because the word servant or son is used in a parable that it is equal to believer.
First son
Who does the first son represent?He represents the sinners, harlots, tax gatherers, and all the outcasts. The outcasts initially were saying by their life style that they didn’t want to follow God. But when confronted by their sin, they changed their mind (repented) and believed.
Second son
Who does the second son represent?The second son represents the religious leaders who said “I will obey the law” but didn’t. In fact, their claim was not that they will obey, but that they “did” obey it – all the time. That was the claim of the Pharisee in the parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector praying.
But Jesus taught otherwise. The whole sermon on the mount and many of the controversies with Jesus showed that they were not obeying the law. The verbal commitment of the second son is not a statement of faith. It is representative of the Pharisees who by their actions were saying I don’t need to do any more than I’m already doing. But what they were doing was following ritual. They had substituted ritual for righteousness. This is the message of the prophetsMicah 6:88 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.In Jesus’ day the religious leaders thought that eternal life came from studying the torah.
Jesus’ question in verse 3131 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”Now what is Jesus trying to do with his question?When He says that tax collectors and harlots are going to get into the kingdom before the religious leaders, how should the religious leaders feel?
Jesus is trying to make the religious leaders jealous
Rom 11:1111 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.When the leaders saw these kinds of people repenting, changing their lifestyles, etc., it should have made them wake up. But they weren’t convicted, they felt threatened. They didn’t want the kind of kingdom Jesus was offering. The next parable will tell us what their motivation was.
The Point that Jesus is making is – Regardless of one’s background, repentance and faith are what qualifies one to enter the kingdom of God.
It was God’s purpose for the people to respond to John the Baptist but they rejected it.Luke 7:3030 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism.There was a legitimate offer of the kingdom. They didn’t accept, so God replaced them with the Gentiles (temporarily).
It may seem that this parable is teaching a salvationof works? If not, how do you explain that it does not? After all it was the son who went to work that got in. How do you get in? The parable is not teaching works salvation, no vs. 32 says to believe. That is the “work” in this parable. The leaders would not believe the message.
The Principles
Parables which give criticism, speak plainly to the offenders, and judge them out of their own mouths. The parable of the two sons sent to work in the vineyard, is to show that those who did not know John’s baptism to be of God, were shamed by those who knew it, and owned it. The whole human race is like children whom the Lord has brought up, but they have rebelled against him.And it often happens that the daring rebel is brought to repentance and becomes the Lord’s servant, while the formalist grows hardened in pride and enmity.
Some parables are designed to convince people of their own sin. For instance, Nathan convinces King David of the seriousness of his sin with Bathsheba by using a parable (II Samuel 12:1). In the New Testament, Jesus Christ pointedly targets the evil of His challenger with parables in a manner they cannot deny or prove false. Such condemnatory parables are requests to the offenders to repent, and ultimately they judge themselves out of their own mouths.
In the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32), Jesus fully intends to have the chief priests and elders of the people convict themselves. From the first words of His parable—”But what do you think?”—Jesus has them questioning their own thoughts and motives. Obviously, He wants them to react to His parable as David did to Nathan’s, but as subsequent events show, they did not. 1. How do the character behaviour of the two sons differ?Matthew 21:28 Hebrews 3:8-13 Romans 10:2-4.
The character of each son is vastly different. One son is independent, disobedient, and disrespectful, but after thinking about his ways, returns to carry out his responsibility. The second is a big talker, full of promises but no action. In these two men, Christ describes, on the one hand, sinners of all types, who, when convicted by John the Baptist and Himself, turned away from their iniquities, repented, and obeyed God.
On the other hand are the scribes, Pharisees, and other self-righteous people who act and pretend to have a passion for the law but refuse to receive the gospel.
2. Why does the first son regret his disobedience?Matthew 21:29 Job 24:1-25 Lamentations 3:27Romans 8:7.
Both sons hear the same command: “Son, go work today in my vineyard.” Parents should not raise their children in the destructiveness of idleness, and similarly, God commands His children to work, though we are all heirs.Generally, the first reaction of a sinner to God’s truth is “I will not!” which shows the antagonism between man and God. The disobedient son represents those who have no desire to make an effort to obey God. They neither fear God nor pretend to, seeing no immediate reward for their efforts. Although hypocrisy may exist in other areas of their lives, they are not hypocritical in their stance toward God—they reject Him flat out! Eventually, when called, they realize that true happiness is to work for God to produce eternally rewarding fruit.
3. Why does the second son not go to work in his father’s vineyard? Matthew 21:3023:25-26 Job 8:13 27:8-12 Luke 6:45 Galatians 5:19-23.
The second son dishonestly professes respect and obedience, but he never does his duty. The contradiction between his word and his work exposes his major character flaw—hypocrisy. It is harder to convince a hypocrite of his true state than a blatant sinner because, in deceiving himself, the hypocrite follows his own standards and form of godliness. With embarrassment, the unashamed sinner knows he is evil.
Many in mainstream Christianity profess to know God but deny Him in their works. They appear pious at church, but their personal lives are riddled with sin. They are living a lie, and out of their smooth mouths their deceitful hearts speak. Their efforts produce the works of the flesh rather than thefruit of the Spirit. The second son does not go to work because he lives for the moment and never comprehends his father’s ultimate plan, its wonderful results, and its long-term benefits.
4. Since bothsons have sinned, why does the openly disobedient son eventually do the will of his father? Matthew 21:31 Luke 7:29-30 Ezekiel 18:30-32 Acts 3:19 Romans 2:4-11.
The sons’ ultimate actions reveal their difference. The first son, after open refusal, repents of his sin—better late than never—and goes to work for his father. He overcomes and changes from bad to good. After experiencing the negative results of sin, he yields to God’s instruction, changing direction and doing as his father commanded him—the fruit of his repentance.
The proof of our repentance comes to light when we comply with the Father’s will and do good works with the help of the Holy Spirit. The result is the production of the fruit of the Spirit.
5. Why do the Pharisees not recognize true righteousness? Matthew 21:32 Luke 7:36-50 Revelation 3:16-17.
John the Baptist proclaimed the truth and lived it, but the Pharisees rejected John’s witness and professed their own righteousness while living unrighteously. In this parable, Jesus distinguishes those who generally knew the way of God (Jews) from those who did not (Gentiles). The Jews initially appeared righteous, having the revelation of God and the ordinances of justice established among them. The Gentiles were initially ignorant of righteousness—the way of God—and were sinful in their conduct. From this, we can learn that those who feel they are knowledgeable and need nothing more fail to realize their spiritual bankruptcy and see no need to change. They may appear righteous, but being deceived by Satan, they believe their own righteousness will save them. Therefore, because they see no sin in their lives, they see no reason to repent.
But God’s true church—the Bride of Christ—makes herself ready by repenting and overcoming sin, by truly valuing and appreciating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and by obeying and admiring the Father and His Son. The long-term rewards for obeying the Father’s command to work in His vineyard are tremendous.This is just for you Nick you don’t have to repeat this
The parable verse for verse
28 “But what do you think about this? [By these words Jesus put them on notice that he was about to put forward something which would require an answer, and therefore demanding the strictest attention.] A man with two sons [the two sons stand for the Jewish rulers and the Jewish common people] told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.
29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. [The common people made no special pretension to religious excellence, and the rulers regarded them as very careless about the will or law of their Father, God, and made unfavourable contrasts between their own conduct and that of the people ( John 7:48 John 7:49 ). But this very same common people repented and did the will of God when they heard the preaching of John the Baptist– Matthew 3:5 Matthew 3:6 .]
30 Then the father told the other son, [the rulers]‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. [The rulers, though all the while professing to be very passionate for the will of God, utterly refused to enter the kingdom or to work therein as God bade them to by the voice of John the Baptist–Matthew 3:7-9 .]
31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”They replied, “The first.” [They gave the true answer and did not perceive that in so doing they confirmed a parable which condemned themselves.] Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes [the very worst representatives of the common people] will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. [Rather than you.]
32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live,[The term “the right way ,“, seems used in a half-technical sense, as expecting the aspect of righteousness which the Pharisees themselves recognized ( Matthew 6:1 ), and which includes, as its three great elements, the almsgiving, fasting, and prayer that were so conspicuous both in the life and the teaching of the Baptist. Surely they could have presented its demands in a form more acceptable to the Jewish rulersbut you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.[These rulers had demanded that Jesus show his authority for his assumption of right as teacher, prophet, etc. The situation must have given great force to the parable; for the rulers in their private conversation had just admitted to each other that the people recognized and obeyed the divine authority of John, while they, the rulers, rejected it.]Next week we will be studying Parable#39 of the wicked tenants