The Two Sons (That Do His Will) Parable

 

The Two Sons That Do His Will Parable

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'" 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" 11 And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." 12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers." 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?" 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. 18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." 23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?" 24 Jesus answered them, "I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?" And they discussed it among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet." 27 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. 28 "What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 29 And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. 31 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. Matthew 21:28-31 (ESV).

In this well-known parable, Jesus illustrates a vital truth about what it means to be obedient children of God. It is not enough to say "yes" to God or have good intentions - true obedience requires action and doing the Father's will. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote, "Only those who obey can believe, and only those who believe can obey." Let us explore the meaning of this parable further.

The Context of the Parable

As with interpreting any passage of Scripture, we must first understand the context in which Jesus told this parable. Matthew 21 finds Jesus nearing the end of his earthly ministry in the final week before his crucifixion. He has triumphantly entered Jerusalem and cleansed the temple courts, provoking the religious leaders' anger. They question his authority to teach and act as he does.

In response, Jesus tells a series of parables aimed at the hard-hearted religious elite. These parables reveal their hypocrisy and lack of true obedience to God. The first two sons likely represent the outcasts of society (tax collectors, prostitutes, sinners) and the religious leaders, respectively. The first son refuses but later repents and does his father's will. Though they initially rejected God, the outcasts ultimately responded in repentant obedience. Meanwhile the leaders claim loyalty to God but fail to submit to his authority truly.  

This background gives punch to Jesus' piercing question - "Which of the two did the will of his Father?" On the surface, the religious leaders appeared morally superior in their quick promises of obedience. However, genuine righteousness is displayed not through empty words but through active obedience from the heart. The lessons for us cut to the heart of what faithful discipleship means.

The Necessity of Obedience

Clearly, this parable emphasizes the importance of obeying the Father's will, not merely offering lip service. However, what exactly does it mean to "do the will" of God? And why does it matter if we obey or not?

1. God's will equals what is good, pleasing, and perfect.

Romans 12:2 instructs us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Obeying God is always what is best for us. His commands are good and gracious, not overbearing or spiteful. When we obey the Father, we experience life as he designed it.

2. We obey because we love Christ.  

Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Genuine love for Christ compels us toward obedience. If we merely profess love through empty words but fail to follow his teachings, our love is questionable at best. What we truly love is seen through our actions.  

3. Disobedience damages our relationship with God.

Sin creates separation from God, yet obedience draws us close to the Father's heart. 1 John 1:5-7 explains, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another." Walking in darkness cannot coexist with a life embraced by the light of Christ.

4. Obedience leads to blessing and freedom.  

James calls Scripture "the perfect law of liberty" (James 1:25) because acting according to God's wise boundaries grants freedom from the pitfalls of our own flawed thinking. Obeying God leads to blessing, even when difficult, because his vision extends beyond our limited perspective. Like a master artist, our Creator knows best how the canvas of our lives should take shape.

Obedience matters because it draws us close to the Father, avoids damage caused by sin, fulfills what we were created for, and allows us to operate within the maker's design for life. Only obedience fueled by love can lead to lasting fruitfulness.

Obedience in Action, Not Just Words

In the parable, the second son quickly promises the Father he will work in the vineyard but never actually goes. We see that verbally affirming obedience means nothing if it is not accompanied by action. Hearing Christ's words is essential, but if we fail to put them into practice, we deceive ourselves (James 1:22). Authentic obedience involves both an inner posture of submission and outward action.

This truth finds clear expression throughout the New Testament:

"Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father" (Matt. 7:21). Or as 1 John 3:18 states, "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

If we are not doing the will of God, neither our words nor inner feelings reflect genuine faith. That is why Paul challenged the Thessalonians to "test everything; hold fast what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21). Even our best intentions must prove themselves through actions that obey Christ.

Of course, just as verbal affirmation alone falls short, so outward acts devoid of an inner posture of submission to Christ also lack true obedience. Jesus blasted the religious leaders for being whitewashed tombs - pristine on the outside but dead on the inside (Matt. 23:27). God sees our hearts and knows when our actions fail to align with inner conviction and devotion.

Thus, the obedient life involves an inner passion for Christ and outward demonstrations of his Lordship through doing the Father's will. One without the other reflects an incomplete obedience.

Marks of Obedience

The nature of obedience deserves deeper reflection since we are prone to reduce it to a list of superficial dos and don'ts. Rules have their place, but genuine obedience flows from a restored heart in a relationship with Jesus, not just willpower. We obey because we have transferred allegiance from self-rule to the loving rulership of Christ. His grace empowers transformation from the inside out. 

Several essential qualities characterize this heart-level obedience:

1. Wholistic Transformation - Every Area of Life

Sincere obedience impacts every area. We cannot partition off corners of our life, choosing when or how much to obey Jesus' commands. Of course, spiritual growth takes a lifetime, and we all struggle with patterns of disobedience as we allow God to redeem and transform us. However, compartmentalized obedience that fails to penetrate all aspects of work, sexuality, ambition, attitudes, relationships, habits, entertainment, and more is questionable obedience.  

2. Costly Sacrifice - Going Against Our Natural Desires

Obeying Jesus will require sacrificing natural desires that compete with God's best for us. Dying to self is the only path to new life in Christ. Knowing this, we should not be surprised if obedience brings difficulty or sorrow for a time. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer reflected, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." The flesh resists death, but the Spirit produces new life through brokenness.

3. Love - Delighting in God's Will

While obedience brings struggle as we slay the flesh, the love of Christ ultimately makes his yoke easy and burden light (Matt 11:30). With the Psalmist, we cry, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Ps. 119:97). When obedience flows from relationship rather than rigid rules, we increasingly delight in God's design for life. Perplexing commands give way to good and perfect instructions.  

4. Humility - Dependence on the Spirit

Since sin's root is the arrogant illusion that we know better than our Creator, obedience begins with humility. We relinquish self-reliance, acknowledging our dependence on the Spirit to enlighten Scripture's truth and empower righteousness (John 16:13, Phil 2:13). Petitioning God for help cultivates humility and invites grace for transformation.

5. Faith Working Through Love - Galatians 5:6 

Authentic obedience works in tandem with faith and love. Faith trusts God's wisdom and ability more than our own. Love delights in Christ and serving others, not selfish ambition. Faith believes God fulfills his promises; love pursues his purposes. The two partner together, producing good works that reflect true obedience.

In summary, genuine obedience means every compartment of life bows to do God's will. It requires struggle and sacrifice but brings deep blessing. Characteristics like love, humility, and faith mark this obedience that springs from an inner posture of submission to Christ's Lordship.

Obedience and the Religious Leaders

 In the parable, Jesus deliberately contrasts the leading religious teachers of the day with the tax collectors and prostitutes. Shockingly, he asserts that the religious elite only paid lip service to God's commands while those entrenched in lifestyles of open rebellion embraced the Father's will when they repented.  

The teachers and priests claimed exalted status based on their scrupulous religious devotion. But Jesus exposes their hypocrisy with a sobering warning in Matt 23:2-4,  

"The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat so practice and observe whatever they tell you - but not what they do. For they preach but do not practice...They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger."

Despite a veneer of righteousness, the religious leaders manipulated God's commands for selfish gain. They added volumes of extra rules not required by God, enforcing rigid conformity to gain power and privilege. Respectability on the outside hid hearts filled with pride and greed. Being so near the truth of Scripture, their defiance of God's clear commands warranted heavy condemnation.

Meanwhile, those entrapped in sexually immoral lifestyles demonstrated more readiness to do God's will when Jesus preached the message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 4:17). Though previously steeped in shameful occupations, their open sin left them more inclined to admit failure when grace opened their eyes. They obeyed the call to repentance, leaving former ways behind in order to walk God's path by the power of the Spirit. 

So, we discover obedience has little correlation with surface morality or religious zeal. Redemption testimony rather than shiny reputation proves the acid test. The self-righteous tend to cling to the comforts of cultural Christianity that asks for little sacrifice. Meanwhile, the disenfranchised more often exchange counterfeit belongings for the priceless treasure of following Christ (Matt 13:44-46).

Of course, we shouldn't downplay the importance of nurturing faith through a life-giving Christian community. But, we must examine our own lives to see if righteousness remains merely on the surface while hearts pursue comfort over Christ. True obedience starts inwardly as we bow to self-rule to accept Jesus' Lordship. Only from this humble posture can right living flow from a vibrant faith.

Cultivating a Lifestyle of Obedience

Since obedience requires inner passion for Christ and outward action, we must cultivate rhythms and relationships that nurture its growth. Consider these practical suggestions:

1. Feed on Scripture Daily 

God's word stands as the most apparent revelation of his will and ways. As the Psalmist declares, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119:105). Time in Scripture aligns our thoughts with the Father's heart and renews our minds to embrace his desires. Even Jesus prepared for temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Start each day connecting with God through his word.  

2. Accept Suffering and Discipline

The path of obedience rarely follows the easy road. Discipleship means leaving comforts behind to pursue God's higher calling. We should not view trials as punishment but as refining instruments in the Redeemer's hands. As Hebrews 12:7 encourages, "Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons." Through struggle, we discover the depths of his mercy.

3. Practice Instant Obedience

Scripture calls for swift trust and action from Abram leaving Ur to Peter leaving his fishing nets. Delayed or partial obedience is still disobedience. As James wrote, "Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4:17). Each moment brings new opportunities to practice obedience or self-rule. Small choices prepare us for more difficult trials of faith. 

The habit of immediate obedience trains us to respond to the Spirit's prompting despite opposing rationalizations. We deny self-trust that insists we know best and instead joyfully yield to the Good Shepherd's voice.

4. Remain in Community

Non-believers should recognize Christ's disciples by our love (John 13:35). We sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron, rooting our identity in beloved adoption rather than personal accomplishments (Heb 10:24, 1 John 3:1). Grace sustains as we confess failures and extend forgiveness. Accountability helps identify deception the enemy would use to justify disobedience. And unity reminds us to look out not only for our own interests but also for the interests of others (Phil 2:2-4). The community provides a greenhouse for spiritual growth. 

5. Stay Dependent Through Prayer

Jesus modeled complete dependence on the Father through a lifestyle of prayer. Time after time, we find him leaving crowds to commune with his Heavenly Dad. Luke 5:16 notes, "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." This posture fueled his obedience that led all the way to the cross. As our obedience costs more we need greater connection to the Vine that feeds and guides us (John 15:1-8). Prayer aligns our heart plans with the Father's sovereign purposes.

Conclusion  

Ultimately, our obedience flows from recognizing God's worth demonstrated through Christ's loving sacrifice on our behalf. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Grace transforms life's priorities, values, and pursuits. It compels us to live for the Maker's glory rather than self-glory. We obey because we have found no greater joy than following the Old Rugged Cross wherever it leads.

With the hymn writer, we declare in doxology, 

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,  

 that were a present far too small.  

Love so amazing, so divine,  

 demands my soul, my life, my all."

May our words and actions testify together to the delight found in obedient lives submitted fully to the loving will of God. As John exhorts, "Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar...But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected" 1 John 2:4-5. Lord Jesus, perfect your love within and through us. Make us sons and daughters who joyfully do your will.