Matthew 21:31

o the question, Who did the will of the father? the answer, when the parable is arranged as above, must, of course, be ὁ ὕστερος; the nay -sayer, not the yea -sayer. It is a wonder any answer was given at all when the purport of the parable was so transparent. ἀμὴν λέγω ὑ.: introducing here, as always, a very important assertion. The statement following would give deadly offence to the Pharisees. τελῶναι, πόρναι, the publicans and the harlots, the two socially lowest classes. Jesus speaks here from definite knowledge, not only of what had happened in connection with the Baptist ministry, but of facts connected with His own. He has doubtless reminiscences of the “Capernaum mission” (chap. Matthew 8:9-13) to go upon. προάγουσιν, go before, anticipate (προλαμβάνουσιν, Euthy.), present tense: they are going before you now; last first, first last. Chrysostom, in Hom. lxvii., gives an interesting story of a courtesan of his time in illustration of this.