In order to understand the context of the parable which Jesus told of the two sons we just need to look at the verses which immediately precede the parable.

Matthew 21:23-27: “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things?  and who gave thee this authority?  And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.  The baptism of John, whence (from where) 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?  But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.  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 wickedness of these Jewish leaders was exemplified by how they rejected John the Baptist as a messenger sent from God.  Receiving John the Baptist as being from God would have meant that they would have to lose face before the people and acknowledge that they themselves were wicked sinners in need of repentance.

Going back to Matthew 3:7-10: “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?  Bring forth therefore fruits meet (fitting) for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.  And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

The Jewish leaders had been called out by John and exposed as wicked people who needed to repent like the publicans and harlots did.  The wickedness of most every popular leader in the realm of professing Christianity now is no less evident.  These leaders are no less fitting candidates for exposure and rebuke (and they and their supporters label such as “hatred” and “dividing the body of Christ” and other clever recriminations).

Jesus now proceeds to tell them the parable of the two sons.  

Matthew 21:28-32: “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.  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.  And he came to the second, and said likewise.  And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.  Whether of them twain (that is, two) 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.  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.”

Going to work here obviously represents going to work in the Lord’s vineyard to bring forth fruits fitting for repentance (the fruit of righteousness which John the Baptist emphasized the necessity of in his preaching- and every faithful servant of God in the Bible, and every faithful servant of the true God period, does the same).  

The Jewish leaders claimed to already be serving the Lord faithfully- but they weren’t.  These Jewish leaders loved their place along with the status and financial reward which came with that place.  They were liars and cheaters themselves who hid their deceit and theft under a pretense of holiness.  They were experts in displaying false piety- just like the leaders in the realm of professing Christianity today are.  

The scheming ways of these Jewish leaders is illustrated by how they wouldn’t even answer Jesus directly when asked a simple question about the origin of John’s baptism.  The leaders in the realm of professing Christianity now are likewise pragmatists who act like politicians and commonly dodge simple questions when and if they are publicly put on the spot.  

The wickedness of these Jewish leaders was also illustrated by how they opposed the true repentance and accompanying righteous actions of others who received John the Baptist’s preaching.  Those who are walking righteously in line with the Lord rejoice when others repent and get in line with the Lord- but the Jewish leaders did not do so.  They also did not recognize that they were out of line themselves and needed to repent when they saw the repentance of others- even others like publicans and harlots who had previously made no serious claim to be serving God faithfully.

That should have confirmed the authenticity of John’s message and persuaded them that John’s scathing rebukes of themselves were accurate and ought to be heeded- even if nothing else did.

And it should be considered no strange thing now that witnessing those who had previously been openly godless people repenting and getting in line with the Lord would not be welcomed by today’s Christian leaders nor persuade today’s Christian’s leaders to repent themselves.

Their very doctrine opposes true repentance and obedient faith- like the first son who ultimately did the will of the father exercised.

Don’t modern evangelicals believe in justification by faith alone and claim that Christians have the imputed righteousness of Christ applied to them?  

If they’re right, there’d be no need to actually do the will of the father and actually bring forth the righteous fruit of repentance in one’s life.  

There would likewise be no need to  actually bring forth the righteous fruit of repentance in one’s life were sacraments and church membership the solution.  

There is no shortcut around, nor an acceptable alternative of any kind, to actually walking in an obedient faith in Christ which forsakes sin and strives to do whatever God’s Word commands us in a good faith effort from the heart.  That is what John the Baptist, who was sent to prepare the way for Jesus, called people to.  The principle is still the same since Jesus has not changed and His righteous standards will never be compromised to accommodate man.

Yet the Jewish leaders didn’t get it in their spiritual blindness.

Today’s professing Christian leaders don’t get it either.

It is rather considered acceptable now to say and not do- and to even call those who say that not doing so is unacceptable things like “hateful” and “unchristlike.”.  

And in many cases, it is actually even considered “proper theology” to openly say there is no need to actually do the will of the Father at all- and to attack those who say that there is with labels such as “opponents of grace”, “holier than thous”, and “Pharisees.”

It is even common now for people to say (through their demonic once saved always saved doctrine) that those who turn back from doing the will of the Father are safe from God’s wrath in spite of their return to living under the devil’s dominion.

That is utter insanity.

Look at how the Bible labels perilous times.  Consider what deliverance from this peril would have to look like.  

2 Timothy 3:1-5: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times (spiritually harsh, furious times) shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud (that is, haughty or arrogant), blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection (and that would include those who support abortion by the way), trucebreakers, false accusers (literally “diablos”- people often slander when their sin is exposed), incontinent (that is, without self-control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors (an obvious example would be those pastors who change their stances on moral issues with the tide of the world), heady (that is, rash; reckless), highminded (puffed up with haughtiness; blinded by their own conceit- often to the point of not being willing to acknowledge obvious Bible facts- Bible colleges and seminaries produce a lot of people like this), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The harlots had to forsake their harlotry to heed John the Baptist and do the will of the Father.  The publicans likewise had to forsake their dishonesty and cheating.

Luke 3:12-13: “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him (that is, John the Baptist), Master, what shall we do?  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.”

In Matthew chapter 21, in the verses which follow the parable of the two sons (the parable of the householder, the vineyard, and the tenants) Jesus puts forth the plain proof that the political nation of Israel would be disinherited for its wickedness which would very shortly culminate in its rejection and murder of Himself.  However, the mass of professing Christians today do not receive this verdict.  They rather regard the Jews who reject Christ as “God’s chosen people.”  These surely do not do the will of the Father.  How can they do so when they justify others who so blatantly do not the will of the Father?  The same principle applies to justifying professing Christians who are also clearly not doing the will of the Father.

Aaron’s email is: gospeltruth768@yahoo.com

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR FRONT PAGE FOR ALL THE STUDIES

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR 3RD WORLD MISSION TO THE IMPOVERISHED