When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him. Matthew 21:32 NABRE
The chief priests and the elders challenged Jesus authority, wondering by whose authority He is doing all He is doing. Jesus avoids their trap by asking them a question they are unable to answer. Jesus challenges them by asking about two sons and which does the will of his father. The leaders answer gives Jesus an opportunity to speak about who will attain God’s kingdom. The first son tells the father he will not work in the vineyard but has a change of heart and goes to the vineyard to work. As he does the will of the father Jesus compares him to prostitutes and tax collectors who were considered the bottom of the social and religious scale, outside God’s covenant. These were the kind of people that the religious leaders looked down on the most. Yet, these notorious sinners, who rebelled initially, repented when they heard the exhortation of John the Baptist. Jesus says these sinful outsiders will enter God’s kingdom before the chief priests and elders which is completely astounding. Jesus also compared the chief priests and elders to the second son who told his father he would work in the vineyard but then did not go to the vineyard. They have the law and affirmed they would do God’s will, yet when John the Baptist challenged them to repent, they did not believe him. They will find themselves watching the sinners enter God’s kingdom before them.
It seems a teaching on actions speak louder than words, but the heart of the message is to repent, hear that you should and can change to do God’s will attaining God’s kingdom.
Do you hear God and repent? Do you seek God’s will?
Jesus seems to be teaching actions speak louder than words, but the heart of the message is to repent, hear that you should and can change to do God's will attaining God's kingdom. Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #repent #kingdom #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways