Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 21:28-32

"But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I [go], sir: and went not. 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. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him." — Matthew 21:28-32 (ASV)

Those poor fallen women and degraded tax-gatherers practically said by their conduct, "We will not serve the Lord." Their past evil life had been a deliberate rejection of the authority of God; and yet, when John the Baptist came, they repented, and they believed. Each of them had said, like the elder son, "I will not," yet they did it. But as for these chief priests and elders, who all their lives had been outwardly serving the Lord and saying, "We will go and work in God's vineyard," when John came and pointed them to God's own Son, they would not accept him. They had, just now, by refusing to tell whether the Lord's messenger was from heaven or of men, again rejected him and proved that they had not repented.

They did not believe John; they had themselves confessed that it was so, and therefore, out of their own mouths they were condemned. I wonder whether there is any lesson in this parable for some who are here; I should not be surprised if there is. I hope that there are some among you who until now have said, "I will not go," who will repent and go and serve your God. On the other hand, it is to be feared that there may be some here who have always been saying, "I go, sir," who nevertheless have not gone and perhaps never will go, but will remain to the last disobedient to the command of God. The Lord grant that it may not be so!