What is the parable of the two sons?
In Matthew 21:28–32 a father asks two sons to work in his vineyard. The first refuses but later changes his mind and goes. The second says he will go but doesn’t. Jesus’ verdict — the one who did the will of his father was the first. Words without obedience don’t count; repentance does.
Jesus directs the parable at religious leaders who said the right things but did not follow him, contrasting them with "tax collectors and prostitutes" who responded to John the Baptist’s call.
God is honored by the broken who turn and obey, not by the proud who profess and disobey. Saying "yes" to God in church on Sunday and "no" with our lives on Monday is the second son’s sin.
It is never too late to be the first son. Yesterday’s "no" can become today’s "yes." That is repentance, and Jesus loves it.
Original BibleDawn answer · reviewed 2026-06. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.