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Explanation for:
Matthew
21
:
29
And he answering, said: I will not. But afterwards, being moved with repentance, he went.
12
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The former, without committing to obedience or listening to the law, fulfilled obedience through the act itself."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He responded arrogantly, saying, \\"I refuse to.\\" However, later on, upon the arrival of the Saviour and through repentance, he labored in the vineyard of the Lord, and the hard-heartedness reflected in his words was rectified by his actions."},{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"To labor in the vineyard signifies engaging in acts of righteousness. It has been previously stated that this vineyard symbolizes the righteousness that God has sown within the very essence of humanity, particularly reflected in the Jewish Scriptures. Each vine within the vineyard represents a distinct manifestation of righteousness, allowing individuals to yield varying quantities of vines based on their unique virtues. While it is rare to find a person capable of cultivating an entire vineyard on their own, when asked, one might respond, \\"I do not wish to.\\" This response occurs within the mind, for if an individual, equipped with the ability to discern right from wrong, chooses to pursue evil instead of good, they implicitly convey to the Lord, \\"I do not wish to.\\" Such a thought contradicts the mind that the individual has dedicated to God. As long as a person does not genuinely express \\"I do not wish to\\" within their heart, they remain sinless, as the psalmist declares: \\"The wickedness of the lawless one speaks in my heart\\" (Psalm 35:2). The Gentiles, who initially turned away from God and His righteousness in favor of idols and sinful living, effectively decided in their hearts, \\"We will not pursue Your righteousness; we rely on our own.\\" When approached again, another individual echoed the same sentiments, stating, \\"I will go, O Lord,\\" yet failed to fulfill this commitment. The Jewish people, represented by the younger son, were called by both Moses and John the Baptist—as if God Himself had spoken through them—to adhere to all His commandments. Yet, they ultimately deceived God, as prophesied: \\"The sons of strangers have deceived me.\\" When asked which of the two fulfilled their father’s desires, they replied, \\"The first.\\" This response illustrates how they, swayed by the truth inherent in the parable, inadvertently indicted themselves by identifying the first son, representing the Gentiles, as one who accomplished the father's will. It is far better to embody God’s righteousness without making promises than to vow and fail to deliver on those commitments."},{"author-name":"John Damascene","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88f1652142a026a0c6d53_John%20Damascene.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":8,"exegesis-text":"Dear brothers and sisters, I urge all of you who are called faithful and are privileged to be known as the people of Christ. Let us honor this name and maintain our faith, avoiding actions that would tarnish it. It is insufficient merely to identify as believers; we must demonstrate our faith through our actions. As Scripture recounts, a certain father had two sons. To the first, he said, “Go work in the vineyard.” This son made a commitment but failed to follow through. The father then spoke to the second son, who initially refused but ultimately did his father's bidding. Thus, the first son faced rebuke, while the second gained commendation (Matthew 21:28-31). Similarly, we ought to recall the vows we took at Baptism—our renunciation of evil and our dedication to faithfulness. We must reject the devil, his angels, and all his works to remain true to our promises. The actions associated with the devil include adultery, envy, hostility, strife, hypocrisy, gossip, anger, ill will, judgment, slander, and sorcery. Signs of disbelief manifest as mercilessness, hatred, sinful desires, greed, extravagance, and intoxication. Service to the devil is characterized by pride, vanity, self-centeredness, arrogance, haughtiness, and an obsession with physical appearances. Having cast aside these traits, let us hold fast to Christ, celebrating virtues such as purity, chastity, humility, patience, peace, love, compassion, mercy, generous support for the needy, respect in our treatment of others, righteousness, and especially the humility of Christ. By partaking in His sufferings, we may also share in His glory, presenting a living and pure offering to God the Father within the community of the firstborn, the joyful assembly."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The Lord presents a contrast between two groups of individuals. The first group includes those who initially made a commitment, like the Jews, who proclaimed, \\"All that God hath said, we will do and obey.\\" The second group comprises those who initially expressed defiance, such as tax collectors and sinners, as well as the Gentiles. Although these individuals initially resisted God's will, they ultimately repented and began to follow it. Observe the profound wisdom of Christ: He did not initially declare to the Pharisees that the tax collectors and sinners were superior to them. Instead, He engaged them with insight. They recognized that, among the two sons, the one who truly fulfilled his father's wishes was the one who acted on them."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"What do you perceive yourself to be? This pertains to the matters I am about to address. Since they were hesitant to disclose the origins of John's baptism due to the risk of being branded as unbelievers, He aims to lead them to self-condemnation as nonbelievers through a parable. He states, \\"A certain man had two sons, and he went to the first, saying, 'Child, go work today in my vineyard.' But he replied, 'I will not,' yet later he repented and went.\\" The man represents God, who is loving towards humanity, while his two sons symbolize the Gentiles and the Jewish people as His offspring. The son who initially refused but ultimately obeyed represents the Gentile nations, who did not commit to following God at first but later believed in Him and Christ. Conversely, the son who promised to obey but failed to act is indicative of the Jewish nation. The Jews declared their commitment to God, saying in Exodus, \\"all that the Lord hath spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.\\" Nevertheless, they subsequently turned away, remaining unfaithful to both Christ and God. Focus on this one element from the parable and elaborate on it, while omitting the other details, as we have previously highlighted in other parables. This has been included here with a degree of ambiguity, ensuring that the Jews, unaware of any relation to themselves within the parable, might arrive at the correct conclusion."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The son was so disrespectful that he declined, responding, “I do not want to.” However, later on, he felt remorse, came to his senses, recognized that he had disappointed his father, and set out to labor in the vineyard. The father then approached another son, conveying the same message he had given the first. This second son, while showing respect to his father, replied, “I will go, sir,” but ultimately did not follow through."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The unwillingness to adhere to God's expectations, as conveyed through the Scriptures, can be seen in the actions of sinners who, by their very existence, seem to proclaim, \\"I do not desire this,\\" due to their failure to live by His commandments. However, following genuine repentance, there was a transformation: after hearing the message of the Baptist, tax collectors and prostitutes, representing sinners broadly (though it is important to note that not all fit this description), began to align themselves with the divine will."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The parable of the two sons Jesus then posed a question to them: “Will you answer Me another question? A man had two sons, and he asked them to work in his vineyard. One initially refused but then felt remorse, repented, and went to work; the other claimed, ‘I will go,’ but ultimately did not. Which of the two fulfilled his father’s will?” They replied, not grasping the intent behind Jesus’ parable, “Certainly the first.” Jesus affirmed their answer, saying, “You are correct.” \\n\\nNow, consider the meaning of this parable. The Lord, through John, has called you to repentance, which is vital for entering the Kingdom of God, and has sought the fruits worthy of that repentance; in essence, He called you to labor in His vineyard. He also reached out to tax collectors and sinners. It appeared that you, proud of your familiarity with the Scriptures, would be more inclined to heed His call than those deemed obvious transgressors; furthermore, your outward devotion led you to act as if you were faithful servants of God's will, continuously proclaiming, “I am coming, Lord,” while failing to take any action. You did not respond to John's call either. In contrast, the tax collectors and prostitutes, who initially disregarded the will of God, upon hearing John's message, became aware of their plight, repented, and went to labor in God's vineyard. You witnessed this transformation but did not repent or believe John. Therefore, understand that tax collectors and sinners will precede you on the path to the Kingdom of God; many of them will enter it, while you shall be cast aside. The members of the Sanhedrin arrived at the temple as accusers, now standing silently before Jesus and the crowd as those condemned."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Since the knowledgeable authorities among the people were present, He shared several parables that were closely connected to them and the broader Jewish community. Among these was the story of two sons. The first initially refused to obey his father's wishes but later felt remorse and complied, while the second made a flattering promise yet failed to act on it. He then asked them, “Which of the two has done his father’s will?” Their obvious response was “the first.” He then highlighted the profound significance of their own answer. It revealed that the very tax collectors and sinners, despite their blatant and shameful disregard for the law, were demonstrating to them—the esteemed and revered scholars of the holy nation—the pathway into the kingdom of heaven. These despised sinners had already entered through the gates while they remained open."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In His ongoing teaching, the Lord Jesus Christ addressed the Jewish people through vivid parables, highlighting their lack of repentance and hardened hearts. He forewarned them of the grave consequences that lay ahead while prompting them to judge their own condition. \\"What do you believe you are?\\" He inquired, capturing their full attention for what He was about to convey: \\"A certain man had two sons. He approached the first and said, ‘Son, go work in my vineyard today.’ The son replied, ‘I will not!’ but later felt remorse and went. He then spoke to the second son, saying the same, to which he answered, 'I will go, Lord,' yet did not comply.\\" Unaware of the deeper meaning within the parable and viewing themselves as above reproach, the Jews declared, “The first.” \\n\\nIn the Lord's view, the vineyard represented His benevolent kingdom, which He extended to all of Israel, the rightful heirs to God’s ancient promises, through both His forerunner, John the Baptist, and His own ministry (Rom. 9:4). Those whom society marginalized, like tax collectors and sinners—deemed rebellious sons of the Heavenly Father—accepted this divine invitation with contrite hearts. They repented of their sins and embraced the path of salvation leading to God's kingdom. In stark contrast, the scribes and Pharisees, who considered themselves guides for the blind, lights in darkness, and instructors of the foolish, appeared to possess wisdom and truth through the law (Rom. 2:19-20). However, they proved to be disobedient children, steadfast and unyielding adversaries of the Kingdom of God. \\"Truly, I say to you,\\" the Lord declared to them, \\"the tax collectors and harlots enter the Kingdom of God before you. For John the Baptist came to you in the way of righteousness; you, the leaders of the people, should have been the first to recognize the undeniable truth of his words, yet you did not believe him. In contrast, tax collectors and harlots believed him, while you failed to demonstrate genuine repentance afterward.\\""},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In this parable, Christ critiques the disbelief of the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees. Christ's own interpretation of the parable reveals that God is represented by the father who had two sons. The first son, who initially defied his father's wishes, later felt remorse and fulfilled his father's command, symbolizing those who were seen as sinners, such as tax collectors and harlots. Conversely, the second son, who falsely proclaimed his willingness to obey his father's desires yet failed to do so, embodies the law's representatives—the teachers of the people, including the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees. \\n\\nThe first group, due to their inherent wickedness, had openly rejected God's will; however, upon the arrival of the Messiah they had long anticipated, they ultimately repented, responding to John the Baptist’s call to repentance. The latter group, though they appeared outwardly righteous and seemed poised to join in the work of God's kingdom when it emerged, actually remained skeptical of John's message. They were unmoved, even as the tax collectors and sinners repented and embraced the path of the law and faith in the Messiah."}]}
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