What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
In this parable about obedience and repentance, the Jewish outcasts (tax collectors and prostitutes) and the Gentiles represent the first son who initially was disobedient but ‘repented’ and was obedient. The religious leaders, the chief priests and elders, represent the second son who initially appeared to be obedient but was ultimately disobedient. They resisted John the Baptist’s call to repent. The vineyard represented Israel, God’s chosen people, who had the opportunity to respond to Jesus’ message of conversion and salvation.
The parable shows a stark contrast between the religious leaders, who with their hardness of heart refuse to accept Jesus as the Son of God thereby rejecting God’s will, and the religious outcasts who, upon hearing the Word, had a conversion of heart and embraced the kingdom thereby accepting God will. Thus, the priests and elders condemn themselves. The religious leaders showed an outward devotion to the Torah, but their hearts were far from God (Mt. 15:8). The evangelist Matthew considers obedience and faith to be the final test for entry into the Kingdom of God.
Tax collectors and sinners were the outcasts, the ignorant and unclean sinners. It was shocking for Jesus to say that they would enter the Kingdom of Heaven ahead of others. The rebellious sinners knew they needed to repent. The religious leaders thought they were righteous and did not believe they needed to repent. True obedient faith that leads to salvation begins with a conversion of heart.
Almighty and forgiving God, look with mercy upon your servants and heal us as we call on your name with repentant hearts. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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