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Matthew 21

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,

And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

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?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

What does Matthew 21:29 mean?

Explanation

The verse "He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went." comes from Matthew 21:29 (King James Version), and is part of the parable of the two sons, which Jesus tells to illustrate a point about obedience and repentance.

The father in the story asks his two sons to work in his vineyard.

The first one initially refuses but later changes his mind and goes.

This son's initial refusal represents disobedience, yet his subsequent action of going into the vineyard demonstrates repentance and compliance with his father's will.

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Historical Context

This parable was told by Jesus during the week leading up to his crucifixion, a period known as the Passion Week.

Jesus was speaking to the chief priests and the elders of the people who had questioned his authority after he cleansed the temple in Jerusalem.

The historical setting underscores the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders, and his teachings often carried a message of scrutiny and challenge towards their understanding of righteousness and the law.

Theological Insights

The parable symbolically speaks of Israel's religious leaders (who are like the son who agrees to work but does not go) and the tax collectors and sinners (who are like the son who initially refuses but then goes).

The latter group, though they may have lived in sin, turned to righteousness.

In contrast, the religious leaders failed to live by the precepts they preached.

Theologically, this parable emphasizes the importance of repentance, actual obedience over lip service, and the inclusive nature of God's calling.

Practical Applications

The verse serves as a reminder that actions speak louder than words.

It teaches that it's not enough to agree verbally with what is right; what truly matters is following through with action.

This can apply to personal commitments, promises, or living according to one's values and beliefs.

The verse also encourages self-reflection on whether one's actions align with their stated intentions or beliefs.

Cross-References

Matthew 21:31: "Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first.

Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."

Ezekiel 18:27: "Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."
Luke 15:10: "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

Language Study

The key word in the original Greek text for "repented" is "metamelētheis" (μεταμεληθείς) which can be translated as “regretted” or "felt remorse." This indicates a change of mind or heart leading to a different course of action.

The term carries both an emotional aspect (regret) and a volitional aspect (the decision to change one's actions).

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Repentance is a concept found in many religious traditions.

In Judaism, repentance is known as "teshuvah" which means “returning” to God and involves both a change of action and a feeling of remorse.

In some ancient myths, figures who defy the gods yet later repent or correct their actions can sometimes find favor or redemption.

Scientific Perspectives

The process of changing one's mind and following through with an action can be studied within the realms of psychology and neurology.

Cognitive dissonance theory might suggest that the discomfort of holding two conflicting thoughts - the refusal and the knowledge of what is right - may lead to the change in behavior.

Neuroscientifically, this would involve various brain processes related to decision-making and behavioral change.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and theologians offer different insights on this verse.

Some may focus on the aspect of grace, highlighting that even those who initially refuse God's call can be forgiven and embraced upon repentance. Others might emphasize the critique of religious hypocrisy, where outward agreement with God's will is insufficient without corresponding actions.

Additionally, the element of surprise in God's grace being offered to those who appear less righteous is often discussed in the context of this parable.

Matthew 21

Matthew 21

What does Matthew 21:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 21:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?