Matthew 21:28–32 -The Parable of the Two Sons

In the Bible, There are passages in Scripture that comfort us—and there are passages that confront us. This parable does both.

(23) Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

(24) Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. (25) John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’

(26) But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (27) So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

(28) What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

(29) “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

(30) “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

(31)“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

(32) For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

The Parable of the Two Sons is not soft. It’s one of Jesus’ hardline messages—spoken not to outsiders, but to the religious insiders, even to us Christians, if you will. And Jesus is very clear: there is not more than one way into the Kingdom of God. There is one way, and that way is narrow.

Jesus Himself said it plainly: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

No exception to this rule. No religious loopholes of doing good versus bad. No alternate entrances of secret knowledge. It is Christ alone and that is good news. It's not based on works, it’s based on Jesus.

This parable forces us to ask a piercing question:
Is my faith merely something I say—or something I actually live? Is obedience something I pick and choose or is it my lifestyle?

Today we will examine this parable in three ways:

1. What is leading up to this parable?
2. What is Jesus’ point with this parable?
3. What do we learn from it for today?