“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. – Matthew 21:28-32

Image credit

• What do you think about the vocabulary of the two sons?
• What do you think about the actions of the two sons?
• What was the father in the parable ultimately looking for?
• Jesus was teaching in the temple courts when a collection of the leaders of the people (including the chief priests) approached Him and questioned His authority. It was after a verbal exchange that Jesus gave this parable. What points does Jesus make towards this group?
• Why does Jesus state that there were some tax collectors and prostitutes entering God’s kingdom ahead of some pillars of the community?
• Is repenting and believing simply a matter of speech? Explain.