Matthew 21, Part Two

The parable of the two sons (vs. 28-33)—This chapter concludes with two stinging parables, aimed at the self-righteous, hypocritical Pharisees. In the first, a man has two sons. He tells the first to go work in his vineyard. The response was “'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went” (v. 30). The father then told the second son to go work, and the response was “'I go, sir,' but he did not go” (v. 30). Jesus then lets the religious leaders hang themselves. Rather than telling them which son was obedient, He asks them, “Which of the two did the will of his father?" (v. 31). Obviously the first, and that was the answer Jesus received. Then He stuck in the knife: “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him” (vs. 31-32). The first son in the parable represents the “tax collectors and harlots,” the second son is the religious leaders. That Jesus would put the chief priests and Pharisees lower than prostitutes obviously wasn’t going to endear them to Him.

The parable of the vinedressers (vs. 33-46)—A landowner planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country. At harvest time, he sent his servants to the vinedressers to receive the fruit. The vinedressers abused them all—“beat one, killed one, and stoned another” (v. 35). The landowner sent more servants, but “they [the vinedressers] did likewise to them” (v. 36). Finally, the landowners sent his son, “saying, ‘They will respect my son.” (v. 37). But the vinedressers killed him, thinking they could receive the inheritance. “Therefore,” Jesus asked His listeners, “when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do with those vinedressers?” (v. 40). And the response was the expected and correct one: “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons" (v. 41). Jesus then made the application: “Have you never read in the Scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?” (v. 42). The kingdom of God would be taken from them and “given to a nation bearing the fruits worthy of it” (v. 44). The parable is pretty clear. The “landowner” is God, the “vinedressers” are the Jews, and the “servants” are the Old Testament prophets. The “son,” of course, is Jesus. Since the Jews never heeded God’s message through the prophets or Jesus, they would not be the leading citizens in the kingdom; the "nation worthy of it" would be the Gentiles. And that “stone” which the builders rejected is Jesus, of course. The religious leaders got the point: “Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them” (v. 45). But there was nothing they could do at the moment, “because they [the multitudes] took Him for a prophet” (v. 46). Jesus never lost His popularity with the masses; that’s why He had to be tried at night, illegally, and put on the cross before the people found out what was going on.