two sons

		Matthew 21:28-32	Home / teachings / Parables / Two Sons
	Parable of the reluctant and unwilling son.

²⁸But what do you think? A man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, Son, go work in my vineyard today. ²⁹He answered and said, I will not. But afterwards he repented and went. ³⁰And he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and did not go. ³¹Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to Him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you that the tax-collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. ³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax-collectors and the harlots believed him. And when you had seen it, you did not repent afterwards so that you might believe him.

MKJV

Insights

Jesus spoke this parable and then the parable of the vineyard to the Pharisees, after they had questioned His authority. Hence both parables were spoken to and against the Pharisees.
- The field is the field of the kingdom.
- The first son was asked to work and said; "No, I will not", this is an image of the Pharisees, Their heart was against doing the work, but later, perhaps out of guilt, obligation, or keeping of the law, they turned and went.
- The second son, answered; "Yes, I will go", his heart was to do the work, but he did not go, perhaps he did not have the perseverance for the work, or was simply lazy.
God is concerned with matters of our heart, rather than our accomplishments. The Pharisees said to Him, "the first son did the will of the father". They were looking at the service that he did, rather than willingness of the heart.
It is not about our works or the service that we perform, (they are as filthy rags, to the Lord) It is about Jesus Christ who we believe in and who we know.