The Parable of the Two Sons

The Parable of the Two Sons is a gospel reading that we have encountered many Sundays past and it is back as today’s gospel reading. You can find it in Matt.21: 28-32.

 [Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people] 28”What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today. 29 He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 30 The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did his father’s will? They answered, “The first.”

 “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. 32 When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him, but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believed him.”

 Can you ever imagine that this parable was told by our Lord Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago? Well, this story must have been repeated a million times by many parents of so many generations even up to our modern times. Of course to the son or daughter that said yes to a father’s order, but didn’t do it … we wouldn’t even give much thought about it. To the child who said he or she would not, but eventually changed his or her mind, we as parents would be pleasantly surprised.

 In a sort of way, our Lord is asking the opinion of the chief priests and elders in order to find out from their hearts what they think is right or wrong. In the end, what our Lord is telling the chief priests and elders is that, people like tax collectors and prostitutes are the children of God who fall into that category that said no, but eventually obeyed God’s will, while the chief priests and elders are the ones who said yes to God, but did not obey God’s will. This is why in last Wednesday’s gospel reading in Mark 9:9-13, our Lord Jesus Christ was asked by the Pharisees “I did not come for the righteous but for sinners.” The chief priests and elders have become self-righteous.

 If you analyze further, you will see that the two sons had two different traits. One son was clearly independent-minded to a fault that he would like to do things his way, while the other son was the “Yessir” type who listens to what his father says, but the words merely passes through his ears. In our own respective families we also see different characteristics in our children, which is why, more often than not, we as parents end up with our favorite son or daughter and don’t treat them equally. Indeed we treat our children in the manner how they obey our order to them. Usually, the favorite children are those who do our will without question.

 This is exactly what our Lord is teaching the chief priests and the elders in this parable what it is like in the kingdom of heaven and in a way he is challenging them to think well their positions because they are supposed to be the representatives of God here on earth. But instead, our Lord Jesus is telling them as a warning that tax collectors and prostitutes, the very people that they despise most, are entering the kingdom of heaven because they belong to that group that first refused the Father, but eventually did His will.

 Have you ever wondered what it would be like when we die after our souls leave our bodies? No doubt, we will all die someday it is just a matter of when. But when it happens, say after a long or brief illness, you will end up in a waiting station where God will judge you. If for instance you will kick the bucket in an airplane crash, for sure you will be lining up at the Pearly Gates together with the passengers from your crashed plane.

 When you look around you, you certainly won’t be with your friends, unless you had friends on board that plane. In short, you will be in the midst of strangers who too will be subjected to the same question by God Himself, “What did you do to the least of my brethren? I just hope that if and when the time comes, you already have a ready answer.

 Mind you, this is not a final exam where you are expected to give the best answer because you prepared or studied well. This is a question that will present itself as God will give you something similar to a widescreen (but better or realistic graphics) of your life and the times you have been mean to other people and the times you did good. Then he would weigh the good things you did against the bad times and decide your fate.

 If you told God that you were prayerful, like many priests, you might not make the grade because many priests today are akin to the chief priests or elders of the time of our Lord Jesus in Galilee, when tax collectors and prostitutes had a better chance of entering the kingdom of heaven than their own spiritual leaders. If you told God that I have always prayed in your church. Don’t forget what our Lord Jesus said in Matt.7: 21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

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