Matthew 21:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Although the Israelites declared, "All that the Lord hath said we will fulfil" (Ex. 19:8), they ultimately failed to adhere to the law. To prevent the Jews from believing that the law was advantageous to them, Christ demonstrated that it was, in fact, their condemnation. Consequently, Paul asserts, "Not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2:13).

The Lord presents two groups of individuals, one of whom made a commitment initially; these were the Jews, who declared, “All that God hath said, we will do and obey.” The other group comprises those who initially disregarded God's commandments, including tax collectors, sinners, and Gentiles. While these individuals initially rebelled against God's desires, they ultimately repented and came to obedience. Observe the wisdom of Christ: He did not begin by telling the Pharisees that “publicans and sinners are better than all of you.” Instead, He first engaged with them. They themselves acknowledged that among the two sons, the one who truly fulfilled his father's will was the one who acted upon it.

“Very well,” he replied, “Lord!” This individual referred to him as son, yet he responded, “Lord!”—not addressing him as father, and still he did not carry out his promise.

The second reference signifies the son, the people of Judah, who replied to Moses, "All that the Lord saith, we will do" (Exodus 24:3). According to the New Synodal Translation: "All that the Lord hath said we will do." They failed to enter the vineyard because, after having slain the Son of the master, they regarded themselves as the rightful heirs. Some interpret this parable not as a distinction between Gentiles and Jews, but rather as a contrast between sinners and the righteous, as the Lord later clarifies with the statement, "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots go ahead of you into the kingdom of God." This is because those who, through their wrongful actions, initially spurned God's service ultimately repented and embraced the baptism of John. In contrast, the Pharisees, who prided themselves on their righteousness and adherence to the commandments of the law, dismissed John's baptism and adhered strictly to God's commandments. Thus, He declares:

Beloved brethren, I urge all of you who are called by the name of the faithful and are privileged to be known as the people of Christ. Let us not tarnish our identity nor undermine our faith through unrighteous actions. It is insufficient for us to merely identify as believers; we must demonstrate our faith through our deeds. The Scripture recounts a story about a father who had two sons. He instructed the first, “Go and work in the vineyard.” Although the son initially agreed, he ultimately failed to follow through. The father then spoke to the second son, who outwardly refused but later complied with his father’s wishes. Thus, the first son was deserving of reproach, while the second was worthy of commendation (Matthew 21:28-31).

What do you consider your identity to be, particularly regarding the matters I am about to discuss? As they hesitated to disclose the origin of John's baptism, fearing they would reveal themselves as unbelievers, He sought to expose their lack of faith through a parable. He stated: ‘A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, saying, ‘Child, go work in my vineyard today.’ The son initially replied, ‘I will not,’ but later changed his mind and went. In this context, the man represents God, who loves humanity, while his two sons symbolize the Jewish and Gentile peoples as His children. The son who did not affirmatively respond but ultimately went represents the Gentile nations, whereas the son who made a promise but failed to act corresponds to the Jewish nation.

In the parable of the two sons, the second son eagerly exclaimed, ‘I am going,’ yet failed to follow through. This exemplifies the nature of impulsive good intentions; fulfilling them requires steadfastness, determination, and patience. A lighthearted spirit may quickly embrace every noble cause presented, but it is the unwavering will that initially hesitates to act. This frailty is common among many. How then can one prevent such shortcomings before themselves and others? The answer lies in careful deliberation and ensuring that you possess the strength to commit to any undertaking. The Lord illustrates this in the parable of the man who sets out to wage war and the one who begins to construct a home. What constitutes this prudence?

To labor in the vineyard signifies engaging in acts of righteousness. Previously, we established that the vineyard symbolizes the righteousness that God has instilled in the nature of humanity, particularly highlighted in the Hebrew Scriptures. Each vine within this vineyard represents a unique aspect of righteousness, such that each individual, based on their personal virtues, yields varying quantities of vines. Indeed, I have yet to encounter a person capable of producing an entire vineyard by themselves. Yet, when asked, one might respond, "I do not wish to." How is this articulated?

The son was so disrespectful that he outright declined, responding, "I do not wish to." However, later, filled with remorse, he recognized his mistake, understood that he had disappointed his father, and went to labor in the vineyard. The father then approached another son and conveyed the same message he had given to the first. This son, while showing honor to his father, replied, "I will go, sir," yet he did not follow through.

The parable of the two sons involves a man who had two children and sent them to tend to his vineyard. One child initially refused but later felt remorse, repented, and went. The other claimed he would go but never did. Jesus asked which son fulfilled his father's wishes. With a lack of comprehension regarding the true intent behind Jesus' parable, they replied that the first son clearly did, to which Jesus affirmed their answer.

Since the esteemed leaders of the community were present, He conveyed several parables that were closely related to them and the Jewish populace as a whole. He shared a story about two sons, where the first initially resisted his father's command but later repented and complied, while the second son offered a flattering promise yet failed to act on it. He then inquired, "Which of the two has done his father's will?" Naturally, they could only respond, "the first." He then revealed to them the profound significance of their own reply. It illustrated that even the tax collectors and prostitutes, despite their blatant and disgraceful violations of the law, were leading the way into the kingdom of heaven ahead of them—the learned and highly esteemed legal experts of the holy nation. These sinners, whom they looked down upon and despised, had already entered those gates while they were still open.

The Pharisees, scribes, and those who considered themselves righteous seemed to comply with divine instructions and laws, proclaiming their intent with phrases like "I will go." However, in truth, they did not follow through because they lacked genuine repentance, which is essential for justification (Matt. 21:32). In reality, they acted as adversaries to the kingdom of God.