Matthew 21:23 – When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”   24 “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question,” Jesus replied. 25 “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”

They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask us why we didn’t believe John. 26 But if we say it was merely human, we’ll be mobbed because the people believe John was a prophet.” 27 So they finally replied, “We don’t know.”  And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.

28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.   31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”  They replied, “The first.”  Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. (NLT)

In this passage the religious leaders have once again confronted Jesus, challenging him and his ministry.  Jesus cleverly answers with a question, which the religious leaders fail (or refuse) to answer.  By now, Jesus was growing tired of the religious leaders and their legalistic ways, so he tells the parable of the two sons.

The parable is clearly pointed at the legalistic religious leaders.  By asking, ‘Which of the two obeyed his father?’, Jesus makes it clear that what truly matters is not saying the right words (as did the religious leaders), but living out the will of God.

This parable is certainly a challenge to all religious people. Do we go to worship on Sunday and sing songs and pray prayers, then live for ourselves the rest of the week?  If so, we are like the brother who told his father that he would work in the vineyard, but did not.  It’s not that singing the songs and praying the prayers are wrong, but our words must be followed up with action. This is what James wrote about in James 2:14 – “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”; 20 “Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?”

Today, let us be people who work in the vineyard – living out the will of God! 

Posted by Ramón Torres