“Whether of them twain did the will of his father?”
The full verse · Matthew 21:31 · KJV
them the of his ? They unto , The . unto , I unto , the the the of .
Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, finishing the parable of the two sons in the temple (Matthew 21:28-31)
Asked to
Chief Priests: the leading priests of the temple, listening to Jesus' parable (Matthew 21:23, 31); Elders: the elders of the people, listening with the chief priests (Matthew 21:23, 31)
The Scene
Jesus has told of a father whose first son said "I will not" but later went, and whose second son said "I go, sir" but did not go (Matthew 21:28-30).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus asked the leaders to judge the case, and the answer was obvious. Only one son actually did what his father asked. Once they said "The first," they had judged themselves, because, as Jesus went on to show, they had neither believed John nor repented (Matthew 21:32). Barnes describes them as "professing to obey God; observing the external rites of religion," yet opposed to His kingdom. Gill contrasts the self-righteous person who "neither repents of his sins, nor believes in Christ" with "a poor profane sinner" who "may, by the grace of God, be brought to repentance."
The Response
What Scripture records"They say unto him, The first" (Matthew 21:31). Jesus then applied their own answer: "Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you." He explained why: "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 had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him" (Matthew 21:32). Then He went straight into "another parable" (Matthew 21:33).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"Whether of them twain" is older English for "which of the two." Publicans (telonai) were tax collectors who gathered public revenue, and harlots (pornai) were prostitutes. The Pharisees grouped publicans with "sinners" (Matthew 9:11).
Yet many of them had responded to John. Luke records that "then came also publicans to be baptized" (Luke 3:12), and Barnes points to it at Matthew 21:32. The verb for "go ... before" is proagousin, which the interlinear glosses "go before" or "are entering." They were going in ahead of the religious leaders.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows that God looks at the heart that turns, not at the reputation that stands still. The people others had written off heard John, believed, and repented. The leaders saw it happen and still did not change their minds (Matthew 21:32).
That is grace. The kingdom of God is open to sinners who repent and believe. Jesus' words "before you" are sobering, but they also show the way in for anyone: believe God's message and turn. The leaders' own answer, "The first," shows they knew what obedience looks like. The question was whether they would do it.
Look Closer
Whom did Jesus say "go into the kingdom of God before you"?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, You opened Your kingdom to people others had written off; whom have I written off that You may be calling to Yourself?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- The leaders saw lives changed and still did not change their own minds. What makes it hard to be moved by God's work in someone else?
- Tell about a person whose turnaround showed you the grace of God.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
No one is too far gone for God, and no one is safe because of a good reputation. The publicans and harlots went in because they believed and repented. The leaders stayed out because they would not.
This does not mean Jesus approved of sin. He praised believing and turning, not the life these people had lived before. If you have a past you regret, the way in is open: believe and turn. If you have a long record of religious life, make sure it includes the same humble faith.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“But what think ye?”
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