Matthew 21:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go.

NIV: Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

NASB: And the man came to his second son and said the same thing; and he replied, ‘I will, sir’; and yet he did not go.

CSB: Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. 'I will, sir,' he answered, but he didn't go.

NLT: Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

KJV: And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

NKJV: Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

Jesus is telling a parable to illustrate a powerful and devastating point to some of Israel's religious leaders (Matthew 21:28–29). In context, this is a direct criticism of their hypocritical attacks on Jesus, while they themselves ignore the will of God (Matthew 21:23–27). In the first half of the parable, a man's son initially refuses to obey a command to work, but then changes his mind and cooperates.

The man tells his second son to go work in the vineyard. This one answers his father very respectfully. Despite initial appearances, however, that son doesn't do as he is told. As part of the parable, this is meant to depict men like those who have recently attacked Jesus. They give the appearance of obedience and honor to the Father, but in truth they are disobedient. This is in contrast to those whose spiritual state seems despicably defiant (Matthew 21:31), but who will eventually come to faith.

Matthew 21:28–32 continues Jesus' interaction with priests and elders in the temple, after He defuses a challenge. He delivers a parable about a man with two sons who tells them both to go work in a vineyard. The first says no, but then does it. The second says yes and then disobeys. Jesus, comparing the religious leaders to the second son, says that even the tax collectors and prostitutes who believed John the Baptist and repented will enter the kingdom of God before these important and powerful religious men.

Jesus fulfills a prophecy from Zechariah about the coming of the king to Jerusalem by riding in on a donkey. The people celebrate and praise Him as the Messiah. Jesus drives the marketers and moneychangers out of the temple and heals some people. He curses a fig tree and tells the disciples nothing will be impossible for them with faith. Jesus forces cowardly and hypocritical religious leaders to back down with a question about John the Baptist. He then exposes their fraudulent spirituality with two parables about vineyards. Jesus applies to Himself a psalm about a rejected stone being made the cornerstone by the Lord.

Matthew 21 finds Jesus arriving near Jerusalem after leaving Jericho in the previous chapter. His triumphal entry is accomplished riding a donkey, and to raucous praise, fulfilling a prophecy about the Messiah. Jesus cleanses the marketplace from the temple, heals, and presents lessons about faith and Israel's failed leadership. This leads into further conversations which Matthew compiles from Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 4/28/2024 12:22:08 PM