Matthew 21:30

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. AND HE CAME TO THE SECOND, AND SAID LIKEWISE. AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I [GO] SIR, [ Egoo (G1473) kurie (G2962)] - 'I, sir.' The emphatic "I," here, denotes the self-righteous complacency which says, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men" (Luke 18:11). AND WENT NOT. He did not "afterward repent" and refuse to go; because there was here no intention to go. It is the class that "say and do not" (Matthew 23:3) - a falseness more abominable to God, says Stier, than any "I will not....

30._I, Sir. _(35) This phrase is borrowed from the Hebrew language; for, when the Hebrews wish to offer their services, and to declare that they are ready to obey, they speak in this manner, “Here I am, Sir,” It is a laudable virtue in itself, as soon as God has spoken, to yield to Him ready and cheerful obedience; and Christ does not here give the commendation to slowness. But as both are improper—to delay before doing your duty, and to promise what you do not perform—Christ shows that this hypocrisy is less to be endured than the fierceness which, in process of time, is subdued....

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 30. _I GO, SIR_] This is all respect, complaisance, and professed, obedience; but _he went not_: he promised _well_, but did not perform. What a multitude of such are in the world, professing to know God, but denying him in their works! Alas! what will such professions avail, when God comes to take away the soul?...

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

AND HE CAME TO THE SECOND,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, by the ministry of John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles also: AND SAID LIKEWISE; the same things as to the other son, the publicans and sinners; calling them into the Gospel dispensation, to hear the word, embrace truth, attend on ordinances, and labour in promoting the kingdom, and interest of the Messiah, whilst they had the light of the Gospel with them. Urging also the relation they stood in to God, as a part of the Jewish body; to whom, among other external privileges, the adoption belonged: AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID, I GO, SIR, AND WENT NOT: the word "go" is not in the generality of the Greek copies; the phrase is only "I sir", though it is rightly enough supplied as to the sense. Beza says, it was in his most ancient copy; and so it is in the Arabic and Persic versions, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; though it is no...

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

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 .)