Parable of the Two Sons

For my money, one of the more misunderstood parables that you find in the context of the gospel is today's parable.

Gospel of Matthew chapter 21, the parable of the two sons.

And ironically, I think the reason why it's so often misunderstood is because on the face of it, it seems to be relatively easy and straightforward.

Pretty simple story.

But occasionally, with great intention, he will do something significant, symbolic, and weighty to teach the people of God something about God's will for them based on something he's doing as opposed to something he's saying.

Something we might call a prophetic gesture.

So before the parable of the two sons, the Lord does two prophetic gestures of significance.

So the first thing is this.

Once we die, once our life is over, we will be fixed, we will be set on the choice that we have made to follow the Lord or not.

This is what's at stake in the parable of the two sons.

The one says, I will not serve, but later changes his mind and goes.

He converts his life and comes back to the Lord.

We're always going to gain more and more and more from it.

And so he asks him a question, you know, what's your opinion? A man had two sons, so you know the parable of the two sons, which this is known as, and he tells both of them to go into the vineyard.

The first son says, no, I will not, but then changes his mind.

The second son says, I will, but then he refuses to go.

So this is Matthew chapter 21, verses 23 to 32.

And if you're an Episcopalian, you are in proper 21, and it is the parable of the two sons.

When Jesus entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority? Jesus said to them, I will ask you one question.

If you tell me the answer, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

Verse 28.

In my Bible, it's called the parable of the two sons.

Okay, verse 28.

What do you think? There was a man who had two sons.

Jesus used parables throughout his ministry to communicate and connect with different groups of people, and to challenge conventional wisdom and encourage his audience to consider a deeper meaning.

His parables, however, often left listeners confused, mystified, or puzzled, such as with the powerful Parable of the Two Sons.

Let's listen to the Hearing Jesus podcast's historical and spiritual analysis of these scriptural passages.

[upbeat music] The Father and Son parable, Matthew 21:23.