John Calvin Commentary Matthew 21:28

"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." — Matthew 21:28 (ASV)

This conclusion shows the object of the parable, as Christ prefers to the scribes and priests those who were generally considered infamous and detested. For He unmasks those hypocrites,³³ so that they may no longer boast of being God's ministers or display a pretended zeal for godliness.

Although their ambition, pride, cruelty, and avarice were known to all, they still wished to be regarded as entirely different people. And when, just recently, they attacked Christ, they falsely claimed to be concerned about the order of the Church, as if they were its faithful and honest guardians.

Since they attempt to practice such blatant deception against God and men, Christ rebukes their impudence by showing that they were very far from what they boasted, and indeed so undeserving of the high status with which they flattered themselves, that they ranked below the publicans and the harlots.

As for their claim to be prominent in observing God's worship and zealous for the Law, Christ tells them it is just as if a son were to promise obedience to his father in words, but afterward deceive him.³⁴

Regarding the publicans and the harlots, He does not excuse their vices. Instead, He compares their dissolute lives to the obstinacy of a rebellious and debauched son who at first rejects his father’s authority. However, Christ shows that they are far preferable to the scribes and Pharisees in this respect: they do not persist to the end in their vices but, on the contrary, gently and obediently submit to the yoke they had fiercely rejected.

We now perceive Christ's design. Not only does He reproach the priests and scribes for obstinately opposing God and not repenting, though so frequently admonished, but He also strips them of the honor they did not deserve, because their ungodliness was worse than the lasciviousness of the harlots.

³³ “Car il oste a ces hypocritesssss le masque duquel ils se couvroyent;” — “for he takes away from those hypocrites the mask with which they covered themselves.” “;” — “for he takes away from those hypocrites the mask with which they covered themselves.” “Et puis qu’il l’abusast, it n’en feist rien;” — “and afterwards deceived him, and did nothing of it.”;” — “and afterwards deceived him, and did nothing of it.”

³⁴ "Et puis qu'il l'abusast, et n'en feist rein;" — "and afterwards deceived him, and did nothing of it.";" — "and afterwards deceived him, and did nothing of it."