Matthew 21:29

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I WILL NOT. Trench notices the rudeness of this answer, and the total absence of any attempt to excuse such disobedience, both characteristic; representing careless, reckless sinners, resisting God to His face. BUT AFTERWARD HE REPENTED, AND WENT....

28-32 Parables which give reproof, speak plainly to the offenders, and judge them out of their own mouths. The parable of the two sons sent to work in the vineyard, is to show that those who knew not John's baptism to be of God, were shamed by those who knew it, and owned it. The whole human race are like children whom the Lord has brought up, but they have rebelled against him, only some are more plausible in their disobedience than others. And it often happens, that the daring rebel is brought to repentance and becomes the Lord's servant, while the formalist grows hardened in pride and enmity....

Verse 29. _I WILL NOT_] This is the general reply of every sinner to the invitations of God; and, in it, the Most High is treated without ceremony or respect. They only are safe who _persist not_ in the denial....

BUT WHAT THINK YE? - A way of speaking designed to direct them particularly to what he was saying, that they might be self-convicted. TWO SONS - By those two sons our Lord intends to represent the conduct of the Jews, and that of the publicans and sinners. IN MY VINEYARD - See the notes at Matthew 21:33. To work in the vineyard here represents the work which God requires man to do. I WILL NOT - This had been the language of the publicans and wicked men. They refused at first, and did not “profess” to be willing to go. REPENTED - Changed his mind. Afterward, at the preaching of John and Christ, the publicans - the wicked - repented and obeyed. The s

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 21:1 _Triumphal entry into Jerusalem_. (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29; John 12:12.) MATTHEW 21:1 We have come to the last week of our Lord's earthly life, when he made his appearance in Jerusalem as Messiah, and suffered the penalty of death. If, as is believed, his crucifixion took place on the fourteenth day of the month Nisan, the triumphal entry must be assigned to the ninth, which day was reckoned to commence at one sunset and to continue till the follow-lug evening. Th

HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I WILL NOT,.... Which answer fitly expresses the language and practice of openly profane and unregenerate sinners, who will not come to Christ, that they may have life; nor will they serve the Lord, but are bent upon indulging their lusts; nor will they be subject to the law of God; nor will they hear and receive the Gospel of Christ, or submit to his ordinances, and are averse to every good work: where is man's free will? this is the true picture of it; man has no will naturally to that which is good. BUT AFTERWARD HE REPENTED, AND WENT: a change of mind was wrought in him, and this produced a change of life and conversation: so, many of the publicans and sinners repented of their sins of disobedience, and rebellion against God, under the ministry of John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles; not of themselves, men do not naturally see their sin, or need of repen...

Matthew 21:23. _And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto, him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?_ Jesus knew that these men came to him for no good purpose, mad that willing were only trying to trip him up in his speech. He was always willing to teach when men were willing to learn, but he did not care to cast his pearls before swine. Therefore, mark the holy caution, the sacred ingenuity with which our Lord replied to these men. Matthew 21:24. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or o

REPENTED Compare (Luke 15:20); the other perfect illustration of repentance. (_ See Scofield) - (Acts 17:30). _...

MATTHEW 21:29-31 ouv qe,lw( u[steron de. metamelhqei.j avph/lqen … e`te,rw| … evgw,( ku,rie\ kai. ouvk avph/lqen … o` prw/toj {C} The textual transmission of the parable of the two sons is very much confused (see also the comment on 21.32). Is the recusant but subsequently obedient son mentioned first or second (ver. Matthew 21:29)? Which of the two sons did the Jews intend to assert had done the father’s bidding (ver. Matthew 21:31), and what word did they use in their...

9. THE KING ENTERS INTO JERUSALEM. The Parables of the Two Sons and the Householder and His Vineyard. CHAPTER 21 1. The King Enters Jerusalem. (Matthew 21:1 .) 2. The Second Cleansing of the Temple. (Matthew 21:12 .) 3. The Fig tree Cursed. (Matthew 21:18 .) 4. His Authority Impeached and His Question. (Matthew 21:23 .) 5. The Parable of the Two Sons. (Matthew 21:28 .) 6. The Parable of the Householder. (Matthew 21:33 .)