Matthew 21:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He spoke with him, not face to face as man, but to his heart as God, instilling understanding through the senses. To work in the vineyard is to do righteousness; for to cultivate the whole thereof, I know not that any one man is sufficient.

These individuals, whom you scorned, initially resistant to God's will, believed John and turned in repentance. Yet, it was John who initially came to you, not them; their example should have moved you to action. YOU, however, witnessing their transformation, failed to repent or to have faith in him. You remain obstinate and unrepentant. This is the reason tax collectors are highly commended, while you stand condemned: firstly, because of your unwillingness to believe, and secondly, because you hypocritically hide this resistance, feigning a quest for God’s truth, sending inquiries to John: "Who are you?"; then to me: "By what authority do you perform these actions?" Notice, as St. Chrysostom points out, how He extols the tax collectors while condemning the Jews. "To you John came," He asserts, "not to them; you did not believe, and that did not captivate them; they believed, and this did not benefit you." The message evolves, not to suggest that the Jews will follow the publicans, but rather that they, too, might enter into God's kingdom if they choose. For nothing stirs coarse men like jealousy; thus Christ consistently teaches, "The last shall be first, and the first shall be last." Therefore, Christ holds up harlots and tax collectors as examples to provoke the jealousy of the Jews. For the sins of prostitutes and tax collectors are among the gravest, rooted in intense desires—one for physical pleasure, the other for wealth. Moreover, Christ conveys that to believe John is to adhere to God’s commandments. Consequently, harlots do not enter the kingdom of God merely by grace but also through their righteousness. They enter not as harlots anymore but as transformed, obedient, and faithful individuals. Both tax collectors and prostitutes find their place in God's vineyard, the Church of Christ, and contribute, having once responded to their sinful lifestyles with a refusal. In contrast, the Pharisees and scribes consistently did the opposite. The prophet Isaiah aptly characterized them when he spoke on behalf of the Lord: "This people draws near to Me with their mouth and honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." St. Chrysostom indicates how Christ, through parables and by highlighting the harlots, softens His approach towards the Jews while simultaneously strengthening His message. He did not initially confront them with the question, "Why did you not believe John?" Instead, He made the more striking point by first referencing the publicans and harlots and then pressing them, demonstrating through their actions that the Jews were unworthy of forgiveness and acted merely out of fear of men and vanity. They also failed to believe in Christ, fearing excommunication from the Synagogue, and refrained from condemning John, not out of reverence, but from intimidation. After admonishing the Jews for these failures, Christ delivers the most severe rebuke: "But you, even after witnessing these events, did not repent to believe him." It is unfortunate not to perform good initially, yet failing to amend one’s behavior thereafter deserves even harsher judgment. Some interpretations, including those of St. John Chrysostom, view the two sons as representing Gentiles and Jews: the former obeyed the law without prior promise or knowledge, while the latter professed, "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do and obey," yet failed to genuinely adhere to the Law. Thus, to prevent the Jews from believing that a lack of fulfillment of the Law benefited them, Christ clarifies that this very failing is what condemned them. Paul also affirms, "Not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified." Concluding his interpretation of this parable, St. Chrysostom states that neither the sinner should fall into despair, nor should the virtuous man succumb to futility in seeking assurance for himself. For it can often happen that a harlot may lead the way before him, and the sinner must not lose hope, as he might even surpass her. When we approach God with sincere love, He does not hold our past sins against us. God is unlike man; He does not reproach us for what we have done in the past. When we repent, He does not question, "Why have you been away from Me for so long?" He embraces us upon our return, as long as we come rightly. Thus, let us bond with the Lord through fervent love, firmly anchoring our hearts in reverence for Him. We can see examples of this not only in the New Testament but even in the Old Testament. Who could have been more terrible than Manasseh? Yet he was able to obtain God’s mercy. Who was happier than Solomon? Yet he fell due to his folly. Who was more blessed than Judah? Yet he betrayed his trust. Who was more broken than Paul? Yet he became an apostle. Who was more sinful than Matthew? Yet he became an evangelist. Countless histories illustrate this point, from ancient times to contemporary events! The Lord warns the arrogant: "Whoever thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall," and to the fallen, "When they stumble, do they not rise?" Strengthen those who are weak and support the trembling knees. "Watch," He instructs the righteous, "and to the wicked, 'Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead.'" Some require sustenance for healing, while others need to overcome illness, as they endure much suffering. Many who are unwell regain their health, just as many who are healthy can fall into sickness due to negligence. Therefore, the Lord addresses some: "Look, you have been restored; sin no more, lest something worse befall you," and to others: "Do you wish to be made whole? Get up, take up your bed and walk." Though you may have suffered for thirty-eight years, if you truly desire to be restored, nothing will obstruct your healing. And now Christ stands before you, commanding: "Take up your bed." His grace is always abundant and never lacking.

John's message of repentance, inviting all into God's kingdom, made visible the disparity between those who considered themselves righteous and the openly acknowledged sinners. While the latter responded to his call, often viewed with disdain, many who were outwardly seen as the kingdom's loyal servants were the first to act contrary to that calling. Why, then, ask this question now? Would the self-righteous Pharisees, upon receiving the clear answer, choose to follow the Son of Man? Would they repent and acknowledge their own sinfulness? Absolutely not; their inquiry was merely a means to find justification for His execution.

The former group, through their blatant wickedness, openly rejected God's will; however, when the time of the Messiah arrived, for whom Israel had been prepared, they repented and followed the preaching of John the Baptist. Conversely, the latter group, despite their outwardly pious behavior, believed they would be the first to respond to the work and enter the vineyard—the kingdom of the Messiah—when the moment came. In reality, they rejected the message of John and remained unmoved by the repentance of the tax collectors and prostitutes, who turned to the way of the law and faith in the Messiah.

It appeared that you, who took pride in your understanding of Scripture, would be more likely to accept His invitation than those who are openly sinful; furthermore, your outward piety led you to claim you were indeed fulfilling God's will, always declaring, 'I am coming, Lord,' yet failing to take action. You did not heed John's call either. However, the tax collectors and sinners, who initially rejected God's will, upon hearing John, came to their senses, repented, and began working in the Lord's vineyard. You witnessed this, yet you did not repent or accept John's message. Therefore, understand that tax collectors and sinners will precede you on the path to the Kingdom of God; many of them will enter it, but you will be cast aside!" The members of the Sanhedrin, who arrived at the temple as accusers, now stood silently before Jesus and the crowd, feeling condemned.

In the Lord's perception, the vineyard represented His merciful kingdom, which He called the children of Israel—the heirs of God's ancient promises—to enter, both through His forerunner John and directly through Himself (Rom. 9:4). While many deemed the publicans and sinners to be careless children of the heavenly Father, these individuals received the invitation with contrite hearts, repented of their sins, and chose the path to salvation in God's kingdom. In contrast, the scribes and Pharisees, who viewed themselves as guides for the blind and bearers of truth through the law (Rom. 2:19-20), held the key to understanding (Luke 11:52) yet remained obstinate in their disobedience. Despite their apparent zeal for the law, they were persistently unrepentant adversaries of God's Kingdom. The Lord declared to them, "Amen, I say unto you," that publicans and sinners would enter the Kingdom of God before them; for John the Baptist came to them, proclaiming righteousness. It was they—the people’s representatives—who should have been the first to recognize the undeniable truth in his words, yet they did not believe. In contrast, publicans and sinners did believe, having shown repentance and faith afterward.