Bible Verses of the Week

The Parable of Two Sons

²⁸ “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. ³⁰ Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go. ³¹ “Which of the two obeyed his father?” They replied, “The first.” Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. ³² For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. (NLT, Matthew 21:28–32)

Jesus told this parable to some religious leaders who condemned the "sinners" and outcasts of society, but who were stubborn, self-righteous and secretly corrupt themselves. In the parable, the first son represents sinners who at first disobeyed God but then repented and obeyed. The second son represents people, like those religious leaders, who profess obedience to God but do not practice it. Professing one's faith and going to church are important, but those who repent of their sins and obey God are the people who will be saved (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 15:7-9, Luke 16:13-15). For more details: What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?