Parables of Jesus—
The Parable of the Two Sons–One Obeys, One Does Not Obey
By Joyce Webb 2008
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
Jesus told stories so people could understand things about heaven.
The Parable of the Two Sons–One Obeys, One Does Not Obey
Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus told this story:
A man had two sons. He asked the first son to go work in the vineyard.
The son said, “I will not go.” Then later, he thought about it and decided to go and do what the father asked.
The man went to his second son and asked him to work in the vineyard. The son said he would go, but he did not go.
Then Jesus asked the leaders of the Jewish church, “Which of the sons obeyed his father?” The leaders said, “The first son obeyed.”
Jesus said, “Yes, you are right.”
Then Jesus said, “I am telling you leaders of the church that tax collectors– who you think cheat and steal– and women who are prostitutes shall get into heaven before you church leaders.”
Jesus said, “John the Baptist preached about sin and turning away from sin to go into heaven.
The tax collectors and prostitutes listened and believed. They turned away from their sin.
You church leaders do not think you need to repent of sin.
You did not believe what John preached.
The Jewish church leaders never accepted Jesus as the Messiah–Son of God.
Jesus is the only one who can forgive sins. If you do not believe in him, you have no forgiveness of sin.
Jesus is the one who died and took your punishment for sin. So he is the only one who can give forgiveness.
The one son in the story did what the father asked. He did not do it at first, but later he realized what he should do, he repented and went to follow what his father asked.
The word “repent” means to turn and go the other way.
The other son in the story said words that he would do what the Father asked but then went his own way.
People are like that. They say they love God. They say they believe in the Bible.
But they ignore God. Some go to church but they live the way they want and do not obey what Jesus teaches them to do.