Matthew 21:31Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To ensure that the Jewish people recognize their own culpability, the Savior allows them to declare their own judgment. This is echoed in the subsequent parable involving the vineyard. In this instance, Christ cleverly leads the Jews to condemn themselves through the actions of others. Although they are reluctant to admit their fault directly, He steers them toward the intended lesson by using a parable.

The Lord presents two distinct groups of individuals. The first group consists of those who initially made a commitment, exemplified by the Jews, who declared: 'All that God hath said, we will do and obey.' The second group includes those who started in disobedience, such as the harlots, tax collectors, and Gentiles. While these individuals initially turned away from God's desires, they ultimately repented and chose to follow His ways. Observe the insight of Christ: rather than proclaiming to the Pharisees that 'publicans and sinners are better than you,' He first engaged them in dialogue. They acknowledged that, among the two sons, the one who truly fulfilled his father's wishes was the one who took action.

"Which of them fulfilled the will of his father?" They, understanding correctly, replied, "The other." He did not phrase it as, "Which of the two, in your view, am I going to," but rather, "Which...has fulfilled the will of his father?" Hence, "the tax collectors and sinners will enter the kingdom of heaven before you," because while you speak of promises, they act in accordance with their deeds.

The second refers to the Son, specifically the people of Judah, who responded to Moses, "All that the Lord saith, we will do" (Exodus 24:3). According to the New Synodal Translation, it states, "All that the Lord hath said we will do." However, they did not enter the vineyard because, after having slain the Son of the master, they viewed themselves as heirs. Some interpret this parable not as a commentary on Gentiles and Jews, but rather as a representation of sinners and the righteous, as the Lord further clarifies. Truly, I say unto you, the publicans and harlots are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you, for those who, despite their sinful actions, repented and accepted the baptism of John have been granted entrance. In contrast, the Pharisees, who valued their own righteousness and took pride in observing the law's commandments, dismissed John's baptism and adhered rigidly to God's commandments. Therefore, He declares:

Dear brethren, I urge all of you who are called faithful and are privileged to be recognized as the people of Christ. Let us uphold the honor of our name and not tarnish our faith through wicked actions. Being labeled as believers is insufficient; we must demonstrate our faith through our actions. The Scriptures recount the story of a father with two sons. To the first, he said, "Go and labor in the vineyard." That son promised to go but did not carry out his word. The father spoke to the second son with the same request. Although this son initially refused verbally, he ultimately fulfilled his father's wishes through his actions; thus, the first son deserves reprimand, while the latter merits commendation (Matthew 21:28-31).

Which of the two fulfills the will of the Father? They responded, "The first." He makes them declare it themselves, as it is said, to render judgment upon themselves. Then He turns to the tax collectors and sinners, rebuking them even more sternly. Jesus declared to them, "Amen, I say to you, that tax collectors and sinners are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." He refers to those who repented and were baptized during John's ministry as tax collectors and sinners. "Boiled," meaning warned. He then clarifies the reason and demonstrates how they are warned, stating:

The first son symbolizes those who relied on the Pharisees. Despite being called by God through the prophecy of John to follow His commandments, they remained proud, rebellious, and resistant to His admonitions. They trusted in the law, turned away from repentance for their sins, and proudly claimed their lineage from Abraham. Eventually, they came to believe after witnessing the miracles accomplished by the apostles following the Lord's resurrection. They returned to the gospel through an act of faith, repenting and acknowledging the fault of their earlier arrogance. The second son represents the tax collectors and sinners who initially reverted to their sinful ways. John instructed them to anticipate salvation through Christ, to be baptized, and to place their faith in Him.

"WHICH OF THE TWO HAS FULFILLED THE WILL OF THE FATHER?" asked the Lord, directing His gaze at the scribes. The questioners were still unaware of the direction of the parable, and through their haughty, assertive response, they sought to demonstrate that they felt no personal connection to it. They replied, "Certainly, You are the FIRST.” In this moment, the Lord led them to pass judgment on themselves, to condemn their own actions through the lens of another. “Since they refused to acknowledge their wrongdoing themselves, Christ uses the parable to guide them to His intent,” St. Chrysostom remarks, “and then begins to unveil the meaning behind His parable.” JESUS remarked to them, “Is it not the case that the same applies to you?

In this parable, Christ critiques the disbelief of the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees. This is clarified by Christ's own interpretation of the parable (vv. 31-32). The father in the story symbolizes God; the first son, who initially rejected his father's command but later repented and complied, represents the tax collectors and sinners. The second son, who superficially proclaimed his willingness to obey his father yet failed to do so in practice, symbolizes the law's representatives—namely, the teachers, chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees. The former group, through their sinful actions, clearly turned away from God's will, but upon the arrival of the Messiah, for whom Israel had been prepared, they repented in response to John the Baptist's message.

The parable of the two sons Then Jesus asked them, "Will you respond to another question? A man had two sons and he sent them to work in his vineyard. One initially refused to go, but later felt remorse, repented, and went; the other expressed willingness by saying, 'I will go,' but did not follow through. Which of the two fulfilled his father's will?" They replied, "The first, without a doubt." Jesus affirmed, "You have answered rightly." Now, consider the deeper meaning of this parable. The Lord called you to repentance through John, which is essential for entering the kingdom of God, and sought the worthy fruits of that repentance; in essence, He invited you to labor in His vineyard. He also extended this call to tax collectors and sinners.

As the esteemed leaders of the people gathered, Jesus shared several parables that were closely connected to them and the broader Jewish community. One such parable involved two sons. The first son initially refused his father's request but later repented and obeyed, while the second son gave a flattering promise but did not follow through. Jesus then posed the question: “Which of the two has done his father's will?” Naturally, they answered, “the first.” He then highlighted the profound implications of their response, indicating that it was the very tax collectors and sinners—those they scorned and looked down upon—who were demonstrating the path to the kingdom of heaven. These outcasts, despite their evident transgressions against the law, had already entered through the gates of grace while they were still open, in stark contrast to the learned and respected leaders who remained outside.

"Which of the two fulfilled the will of the Father?" The listeners, not grasping the parable's significance, correctly responded, "the first," and the Lord then unveiled the parable's meaning, designed to admonish them, thus leading them to judge themselves by stating, "the first." Those who go ahead of you found themselves more prepared and deserving to enter the kingdom of Christ or the church of Christendom. If He had merely stated, "The sinners will enter the kingdom of God before you," His words would have appeared harsh to them. However, since they themselves have expressed this judgment, His words no longer seem so harsh to them.

Continuing His teachings, the Lord Jesus Christ used powerful parables to highlight the unrepentant and hard-hearted nature of the Jews, revealing the grim consequences that awaited them, prompting them to judge themselves. “What do you think you are?” He inquired, aiming to capture their attention before delivering His message: “A certain man had two sons, and he went to the first and said, ‘Child, go work in my vineyard today.’ He responded, ‘I will not,’ but later changed his mind and went. The father then approached the second son and said the same.