Exploring the Wisdom Embedded in Biblical Parables: The Parable of Two Sons

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

The Pharisee and the Publican by James Tissot - 1886-94

Summary:

In Matthew 7:21, Jesus emphasizes that mere verbal acknowledgment of Him as “Lord” is insufficient for entering the kingdom of heaven; what truly matters is doing the will of His Father. This theme is echoed in the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32), where actions, not words, demonstrate genuine obedience to God. Despite initial resistance, the son who ultimately does the father’s will is commended, unlike the son who verbally agrees but fails to act. This parable conveys that true faith and righteousness are validated through actions and not just professions of belief. Analyzing related scriptures, such as Romans and Ephesians, illustrates that salvation through God’s grace requires a response of genuine faith reflected in actions, distinguishing true belief from religious hypocrisy, which is prevalent. Hence, obedience and true transformation over mere verbal affirmations are essential in the relationship with God, emphasizing self-examination to ensure faith’s authenticity.

Parable of Two Sons

Matthew 21:28-32: “‘What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” And he answered, “I will not,” but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, “I go, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.’”

Analysis

We should begin with 1 Timothy 2:4, which claims that God “…desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

But how does that occur?

How does man come to know God and then accept or reject His offer of redemption?

Romans 1:19 answers that question by stating, “…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” Paul goes on to explain in verse 20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, both His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

We can describe this as the Divine Calling. And if what is evident within man and evident to man through nature is not adequate, Romans 10:17 indicates that “…faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Thus, this divine calling is unmistakable through what is shared in the Bible.

As Ephesians 2:8 explains, we do know that this salvation “…is not of yourselves; [rather] it is the gift of God.”

We also know that some will resist and then accept this gift, while others will appear to accept it but, in reality, will reject the gift of salvation.

This parable addresses this specific subject. Salvation is not validated by words and appearances; rather, it is validated by action, as Christ states in Matthew 7:16, “You will recognize them by their fruits..”

We know those who blatantly reject God. Where we are commonly deceived is in the vast reaches of religious hypocrisy. Unfortunately, this is all around us. It is not only ubiquitous; it appears as righteousness.

Returning to Romans again, Romans 1:21-22 shows, “For even though they knew God, they did not glorify Him…but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” This darkening is confirmed in 2 Corinthians 4:4, which advises, “The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel…”

But the God of the Universe is not without recourse. We may fail to notice this, but His response is clear and evident if you simply look at where we are currently.

Romans 1:24-25 shows, “Therefore God gave them over…to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored…For they…worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…”

Romans 1:26-27 continues, “…God gave them over to dishonorable passions; for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the males abandoned the natural function of the female and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males…”

Romans 1:28 then concludes with, “…God gave them over to an unfit mind…”

And that, my reader, is where we are today: we are mired in a world of unfit minds, a world of self-righteous unfit minds. Minds that can’t define what a woman is, minds that see no wrong in pedophilia, minds that crave power over righteousness. From the political arena to corporate suites, universities, entertainment, and sports, all the factors of God’s judgment—impurity, dishonorable passions, and unfit minds—are evident and, unfortunately, dominant today.

But we have a God who can even forgive this. Like the Parable of the Two Sons, God demonstrates this in The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7), and The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14). God is a forgiving God, and His ability to forgive and restore sinners is comprehensive. But His ability to judge must also never be underestimated, as stated in Romans 2:5, “…because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Through faith and repentance, you can be forgiven, but through hardness of heart and impenitence, you will be judged. There are only two choices.

Finally, lest we too become self-righteous, and to those who believe that redemption is simply a walk down the aisle with a quick prayer asking Jesus into your heart, 2 Corinthians 13:5 warns us to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

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