The Parable of the Two Sons

Where it happened. Jesus was teaching in the temple when the chief priests and elders asked Him, “By what authority are You doing these things?” (21:23). He asked them whether John's baptism came from heaven or from men, and they answered, “We do not know” (21:27). But what do you think? Jesus did not walk away from them. He said, “But what do you think?” (21:28) and told them a parable. A parable is a story that teaches one main lesson. Jesus wanted these leaders to think and to see themselves in it. A man had two sons. The story is about a family: a father and his two boys. Both sons belonged to the same father and heard the same request. Son, go. The father came to his first son and said, “Son, go, work today in my vineyard.” He did not ask a stranger or hire a worker. He asked his own son to share in the family's work. Today. The father said today. The work was waiting now, not someday. When God shows us what is right, the best time to obey is right away. A picture of God. Many Christians see the father in this story as a picture of God, who calls each of His children to serve Him. What we learn. Jesus told this story to leaders who said they did not know the answer to a simple question about John. He was giving them a chance to think honestly. He gives you that chance too. Ask Him, Lord, what do You want me to do today?

The question behind the story (21:23-27). The chief priests and elders demanded to know by what authority Jesus acted. He answered with a question of His own: “The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” (21:25). Either answer troubled them, so they said, “We do not know.” “But what do you think?” (21:28). Jesus would not name the source of His authority to them, but He did not stop teaching them. He handed them a story and asked them to judge it. In His parables Jesus often let His hearers give the answer first, and then showed them what their own answer meant (21:31). Teknon. The father says, “Son, go, work today in my vineyard.” The word for son here is teknon (say: TEK-non), child. It is a family word. The father is not hiring a worker; he is speaking to his own child. Today. The request is plain, and the timing is now. The father asks for work today, not for a promise about work someday. A picture of God. Many Christians see the father in this story as a picture of God, who calls His children to serve Him. Jesus Himself explains the story in 21:31-32, and that explanation is the main lesson. Two sons, one request. Both sons hear the same words from the same father. The difference between them will not be what they heard. It will be what they did. For you. God has already spoken clearly in His Word about much of what He wants from you today: to trust Jesus, to love others, to tell the truth. The question Jesus put to the leaders is the question He puts to you: what do you think, and what will you do?

Jesus was teaching in God's house, the Temple. The leaders asked who gave Him the right to do this. Jesus asked them about John the Baptist. They were afraid, so they said they did not know. Then Jesus told them a story called a parable. A parable is a story that teaches one big lesson. In this story, a father had two sons. He asked the first son to work in his vineyard. He called him son, because he was his own child. The work was for today, not for some other day. Many Christians see the father as a picture of God. God loves His children, and He asks them to obey. Jesus wanted the leaders to think hard about the story. He wants you to think about it too.

Some leaders asked Jesus who sent Him. Jesus answered them with a story. In it, a father asked his son to help.

“I will not.” The first son answered his father, “I will not” (21:29). It was a flat, disrespectful answer. God's law told children, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Afterward. But that was not the end of the story. “Afterward he regretted it and went.” Afterward means some time later. His first answer was wrong, but it was not his final answer. Regretted. To regret something is to be sorry about it and wish you had done differently. The son thought again about what he had said, and he changed his mind. And went. His sorrow did not stay a feeling. He went to the vineyard and did the work his father had asked for. Being sorry is a good start, but real change shows up in what we do. His father's will. Later Jesus asked which son did the will of his father. The answer is this son, the one who said no and then went. God's patience. The son's first no did not close the door; he could still go. God is patient with us too. He is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). What we learn. Maybe you have said no to God by disobeying, by ignoring Him or by doing things your own way. It is not too late. You can turn back to Him today, and He welcomes you.

A hard “No” (21:29). “He answered and said, ‘I will not.’” His words in Greek mean, I do not want to. For a son to refuse his father to his face broke the command, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Metamelomai. “But afterward he regretted it and went.” The word for regretted is metamelomai (say: meh-tah-MEL-oh-my). It means a change of mind that comes from looking back on what you have done and being sorry for it. The same word again. Jesus uses the same word in 21:32 for the leaders: “you did not afterward relent.” The first son did what the leaders would not do. He let his regret turn him around. Regret that moves. Regret alone can stay a feeling. This son's regret ended in two words: “and went.” Paul wrote, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Real sorrow leads somewhere. Still time to go. The son's refusal did not end his chance to go, and in the end he went. God is patient with us too. The Lord is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Not to buy love. The son did not go to buy his father's love. His going showed that his mind had truly changed. The tax collectors did not earn the kingdom either; they believed, and the change followed (21:32). For you. A past “No” to God does not have to be your last word. If you have refused Him, ignored His Word or gone your own way, the door is still open. Turn back today, and let your change of mind show up in what you do this week.

The first son said, “I will not go.” That was a wrong answer to give his father. But it was not his last answer. Later he was sorry for what he said. He changed his mind and went to work. Being sorry was a good start. But the son did more than feel sorry. He got up and went to the vineyard. That is what turning around looks like. We all say no to God sometimes. We choose our own way instead of His way. God is kind and patient with us. You can turn back to Him today. Then your life will show that you changed.

The first son said no to his father. But later he changed his mind. He went and did the work!

“I go, sir.” The father went to the second son and said the same thing. This son answered, “I go, sir,” but he did not go (21:30). His answer was polite and quick. He even called his father sir. Words without going. The second son never argued and never said no. His words were good words. The trouble is that words were all he gave. Which of the two? Jesus asked the leaders, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first” (21:31). They judged the story correctly. The will of his father. The father wanted work done in the vineyard. One son said no and then did it. The other said yes and never did. Only one did what his father wanted. God sees. People hear our words, but God also sees our lives. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Not a show. It is easy to say yes to God at church, in a song or in a prayer, and then go home and forget about it. Jesus wants our yes to be real. What we learn. When you tell God yes, keep going until your yes is done. If you have said yes and not followed through, tell Him the truth and ask Him to help you do it now.

A quick yes (21:30). “And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.” In Greek his answer is only two words, which mean something like, I, sir! It sounds eager and respectful. Kyrios. The word for sir is kyrios (say: KOO-ree-os). It was a polite way to speak to a father or a master, and it is also the word the New Testament uses for Jesus as Lord. Two ways to fall short. The first son failed with his words and then obeyed. The second son spoke well and then failed with his life. Neither son was fully right, but only one ended by doing what his father asked. The verdict (21:31). “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” The leaders judged the story correctly. The will of the father was not a polite reply but a day's work done. God sees the heart. “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). A respectful answer cannot hide a life that never goes. Promises to God. Long before, Israel had promised Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey!” (Joshua 24:24). Words like that are good, but only a changed heart keeps them. For you. Many people say yes to God in a moment, at church or camp or in a song. A real yes keeps walking until the work is done. If your yes to God has gone quiet, tell Him so honestly and ask Him to help you go.

The father asked the second son the same thing. This son gave a nice answer. He said, “Yes, sir, I will go and work.” His words sounded good and polite. But he never went to the vineyard. Saying yes did not get the work done. Then Jesus asked which son obeyed his father. The leaders knew the answer right away. They said, “The first son.” Obeying means doing what you are asked to do. It is more than saying the right words. God sees what we do, not only what we say. When you tell God yes, ask Him to help you do it.

The other son said, “Yes, sir.” But he did not go. Jesus wants our yes to be real.

Jesus explains. Jesus told the leaders, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (21:31). Tax collectors gathered money for Rome, and many took more than was right. Harlots were women known for living in sin. Like the first son. For years these people had said no to God with their lives. Then they heard John and believed him. They changed their minds and turned to God. The way of righteousness. Jesus said, “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him” (21:32). John showed people the right way to live. He told them to turn from their sins and get ready for Jesus. Like the second son. The leaders said yes to God with their words. They taught God's law and led the worship at the temple. But when God sent John, they did not believe him. They saw it. “And when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him” (21:32). They watched sinners' lives change, and still they would not change their own minds. Still invited. The tax collectors were going in first, but the door was not shut. Jesus told this story to call the leaders too. Later that week He died on the cross for sinners like them, and like us, and then He rose again. What we learn. God's kingdom is not for people who look good. It is for people who believe Him and turn to Him. No one is too bad to come, and no one is too good to need Him.

The meaning (21:31). “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.” Tax collectors worked for Rome, and many were known for cheating. Harlots were women who lived by breaking God's law about marriage. Both groups were seen as far from God. Proago. The word for enter before is proago (say: pro-AH-go), to go ahead of someone or to lead the way. They were going in ahead of the leaders. Jesus was still calling the leaders to believe and come in too. John's message (21:32). “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him.” John called people to turn from sin and get ready for the coming King. Luke's account. Luke tells how “even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves” (Luke 7:29-30). Relent and believe. “And when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” Relent is metamelomai again, the first son's word. The leaders saw changed lives with their own eyes and still would not change their minds. Believing first. In 21:32 Jesus speaks of believing three times. The sinners entered the kingdom by believing God's message, not by building a better record. The changed life came after the believing. Later that week. The leaders who would not relent soon handed Jesus over to be crucified. He died for sinners, including the ones who rejected Him, and He rose again on the third day. For you. It does not matter how far from God you have been. If you will believe Jesus and turn to Him, you are welcome. And if you have grown up saying all the right words, make sure you have truly believed.

Then Jesus told the leaders what His story meant. Tax collectors and other sinners were like the first son. For a long time they had said no to God. Then John the Baptist came. He told people to turn from sin and get ready for Jesus. The sinners believed John's message and turned to God. The leaders were like the second son. They said yes to God with their words. But they did not believe John. Even when they saw sinners change, they would not change. God's kingdom is for people who believe Him. A few days later, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He rose again, and He welcomes everyone who believes.

Jesus said many sinners believed God's message. They turned back to God and His ways. God welcomes everyone who turns to Him!