Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 21:31

"Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." — Matthew 21:31 (ASV)

They said to him, "The first." The answer apparently came from the lips of the very people who were self-condemned by it, implying an unconsciousness that they were the ones described as the second son. Those who thanked God that they were not like other men could not imagine for an instant that the phrase "went not" represented their spiritual life in relation to God's kingdom.

The publicans and the harlots — The words are purposely general, describing the actions of classes. However, we cannot help but associate them with the personal examples of the publican who became an apostle (Matthew 9:9), Zacchæus (Luke 19:2–10), and the woman who was a sinner (Luke 7:37–50).

Go into the kingdom of God before you — This literally means, lead the way into. What follows shows that our Lord is stating not so much a law of God's government as a simple fact. The choice of the word is significant, implying that there was still time for the scribes and Pharisees to follow behind. The door was not yet closed to them, even though those whom they despised had taken the place of honor and preceded them.