“A man had two sons.”

Matthew 21:28-32

“A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”

Tom Wright, Matthew for Everyone (Vol. 2)

The first son, who rudely tells his father he doesn’t fell like working today, but then does after all, stands for the tax-collectors and prostitutes. Their daily life seemed to be saying “No” to God; but when they heard John they changed their minds and their lifestyle (in other words, they “repented”). The second son, who politely tells his father he will indeed go to work, but then doesn’t, stands for the Temple hierarchy and other leaders. They look as though they’re doing God’s will, worshipping in the Temple and keeping up appearances; but they refuse to believe in John’s message, not only about repentance, but also about the Messiah who was standing unknown in their midst (76).

A. Orendorff

Another, more famous parable also open with the words, “A man had two sons.” Luke 15:11, which introduces what is commonly known as the parable of the prodigal son begins: “There was a man who had two sons.” Interestingly, both parables were told in an attempt to explain why Jesus was welcoming the wrong kinds of people: in Matthew they’re called the “tax collectors and prostitutes” in Luke 15:1, the “tax collectors and sinners.” The point of both parables is the same: no one is too unrighteous to enter the kingdom if only they will repent. Another way to say this that righteousness—or perhaps better self-righteousness or public-righteousness, i.e., the son who says “Yes”—is a more dangerous spiritual condition that unrighteousness—i.e., the son who says “No.” What the kingdom requires is not merit but repentance, a change of mind and heart.