The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 21 Part 7 The Parable of Two Sons & Their Father

Matthew 21:25-27  The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26  But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27  And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. 

The chief priests and scribes demanded to know who gave Jesus the authority to teach God's Word to the people and to heal them.

Jesus' reply was that He would answer both their questions if they answered one question from Him.

Jesus asked them if John the Baptist's ministry was from God or of men.

They refused to answer Him and therefore, Jesus refused to answer their questions.

However, in the next paragraph Jesus gave a parable to show the scribes, Pharisees and priests their grave error.

Thus, this parable is a continuation of Jesus' speech to Jewish religious leaders about the ministry of John the Baptist.

Jesus used parables to make kingdom truth easier for His disciples to grasp. 

He also used parables to bring guilt and conviction into the hearts of those who opposed Him.

For example, God sent the prophet Nathan to speak a parable to King David, who had sinned in the matter of Bathsheba and her husband Uriah (See 2 Samuel 12:1-14).

He used the example of a rich man who had many sheep and a poor man who had one sheep that he loved.

The rich man came and unjustly took the poor man's lamb.

At this point Nathan asked King David what judgment should be measured out to the rich man.

When the King decreed judgment, Nathan looked at him and said "Thou art the man!"

This direct accusation brought David low in order to confess his guilt and sin before God. 

God forgave David and the king wrote two Psalms of penitence that indicated his contrite heart toward Jehovah (See Psalm 32, 51).

Thus, the prophet Nathan used a parable about two men and their sheep to bring conviction into David's heart about his sin.

It is in this manner that we must see Jesus' parable, because His heart was for those wicked men to repent and turn from their evil ways.

Matthew 21:28-30  But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 

Jesus gave a parable about a certain man who had two sons. 

The two sons picture two different responses of the Jewish people to the baptism of repentance for remission of sins preached by  John the Baptist.

A certain man asked both his sons to go and work in His vineyard.

The certain man reminds us that God is Father of all mankind even though many do not acknowledge Him (See Genesis 1:26-31).

Malachi 2:10-12  Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11  Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. 12  The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 

Remember that the prophet Malachi closed out the Old Testament scriptures.

Malachi wrote about one hundred years after the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem from seventy years of captivity in Babylon.

In that short period of time, Judah turned from the revival God granted through the ministries of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The LORD spoke through His prophet to summarize the constant failure of Israel and Judah. 

Both Israel and Judah repeatedly fell into the sin of idolatry and worshiped idols made of wood, stone or ivory.

God reminded Israel and Judah that He is their Father and the Father of all mankind.

How so? Because in the beginning God created man and woman, and He gave them life and a soul (See Genesis 1 & 2).

Therefore, as Creator, God is the Father of all nations and people (See Acts 17:28-29).

God is the Father of Israel by covenant for He calls Israel "my son" (See Exodus 4:22; Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16).

John 1:11-13  He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

God is the Father of all who believe the gospel of Christ and are born again (See Romans 8:14;16; Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1).

Jesus came unto His own people, the Jewish nation and they largely rejected His call to repent and be saved.

However, some did hear and heed the gospel and were born again by the power of God to be called the sons of God.

Another truth in this parable is that both sons were given a common command.

Both are commanded by their father "Son, go to work today in my vineyard." 

First, this command shows us as parents that we must teach our children to be hard workers who are diligent to do a good job in order to glorify God (See Lamentations 3;27).

Ephesians 2:8-10  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

Second, this command teaches us that each Christian is called to do kingdom work in Christ's vineyard (See Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Timothy 2:10; 6:18; Titus 2:12-14; 3:8; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Peter 2:12).

In the parable the father said "work today" and Christians must be working for God's kingdom each day, using our time and resources wisely.

Jeremiah 6:16-17  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 

Therefore, Jesus' parable to the scribes, Pharisees and priests is very much like God calling His wayward nation through His prophet Jeremiah.

God told Israel to stop and consider their ways and think about the idolatrous path they were on.

There are two gates, two ways to walk through life and two different eternal destinations (See Matthew 7:12-14).

Israel was on the path of idolatry which leads to destruction.

God call them to stop and ask for the old paths marked out for us in His Word. 

He called them to seek out the good way and walk on it, because it is the path of rest, blessing and eternal life.

Like the one son in Jesus' parable, Israel said "We will not walk on the old path and good way!"

Peter tells us that the Father is not willing that any soul perish in their sins and suffer eternal condemnation,

Rather, He wants all sinners to repent and put their faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 3:1-6  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4  And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, 6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 

The first son refused to go, but later on, he repented and went into the vineyard to work for his father.

The first son represents Jewish people who heard John's preaching, repented of their sins, and were baptized for the remission of sins.

Prior to John's ministry, most Jews rejected Malachi's call to repentance, just like the one son who said "I will not go and work in the vineyard."

However, just like the son who refused to go and later repented and went to the vineyard, many Jews did respond to John's preaching and were baptized by him, confessing their sins to God.

The second son affirmed that he would go to the vineyard and work for his father, but he never did so.

The second son represents unbelieving scribes, Pharisees and priests who would not submit to John's preaching about repentance and baptism.

Matthew 3:7-8  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 

The same religious leaders who resisted Jesus first came to John out of curiosity and to find fault with his ministry.

Notice John's Spirit guided words to them.

He called them a generation of vipers because broods of snakes came out to sun themselves on rocks but swiftly slithered away under the rocks when people approached.

Therefore, this was a powerful condemnation of Jewish religious leaders, because John's preaching warned about a coming day of wrath and judgment from God.

Thus, the religious leaders would be like snakes scrambling to hide from the presence of God.

Therefore, the second son pictures Jewish religious leaders who were content with the false religion of Judaism and following traditions of men.

They refused to believe the gospel of Christ and thought that submitting to John's call for repentance was beneath them.

Matthew 21:31-32  Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Here is Jesus' application of this parable.

He asked the scribes, Pharisees and priests which of the two sons did the will of his father.

They rightly answered that the first son actually did the will of his father, by repenting and going into the vineyard to work.

Jesus therefore condemned the scribes and priests because they correctly answered and yet they refused to repent and be baptized.

Common people, sinners, publicans and harlots would enter the kingdom of God because they repented of their sins and sought God's forgiveness.

The religious leaders saw the results of John's ministry and stubbornly refused to submit to God's call for repentant faith.

They were just like the unbelieving Jews who refused to ask for the old paths and walk in the good ways as God commanded.

There are several important truths we must grasp from Jesus' parable.

First, anytime that we hear the gospel preached we either respond with repentant faith or unbelief.

God's heart is that we believe the gospel and be saved.

We must determine to respond by faith when we hear God's Word preached, because God is always calling to something good and away from something corrupt.

Second, some people are "religious" and trusting in their works, or church membership or baptism for salvation, but they remain spiritually dead. 

They know some things about God but they do not have a relationship with the Father through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

We must devote ourselves to knowing God through faith in His Son, so that we can walk on the old path that is the good way leading to eternal life with God in heaven.

The gospel of Christ is always simple such that a child can grasp what God is saying to us.

Believers in Christ must keep the truths of this parable in our mind so that we can be Christ's witnesses to lost people.

Bob