TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
KJV (with Strong's)
Whether G5101 of G1537 them twain G1417 did G4160 the will G2307 of his father G3962? They say G3004 unto him G846, The first G4413. Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto them G846, Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you G5213, That G3754 the publicans G5057 and G2532 the harlots G4204 go G4254 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of God G2316 before G4254 you G5209.
Complete Jewish Bible
Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they replied. "That's right!" Yeshua said to them. "I tell you that the tax-collectors and prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you!
Berean Standard Bible
Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
American Standard Version
Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.
World English Bible Messianic
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Yeshua said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the Kingdom of God before you.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Whether of them twaine did the will of the father? They saide vnto him, The first. Iesus saide vnto them, Verely I say vnto you, that the Publicanes and the harlots goe before you into the kingdome of God.
Young's Literal Translation
which of the two did the will of the father?' They say to him, `The first.' Jesus saith to them, `Verily I say to you, that the tax-gatherers and the harlots do go before you into the reign of God,
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In the KJVVerse 23,858 of 31,102
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Origen of Alexandria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 253
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Whence we may gather, that in this parable the Lord spoke to such as promise little or nothing, but in their works shine forth; and against those who promise great things but do none of these things that they have promised.
Notwithstanding, the Jews are not shut out that they should never enter into the kingdom of God; but, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall have entered in, then all Israel shall be saved. (Rom. 11:25.)
Hilary of PoitiersAD 367
Commentary on Matthew 21.13-14
The first son represents the people who are from the Pharisees. Urgently admonished by God through the prophecy of John to conform themselves to his commandments, they remained insolent, disobedient and contemptuous to God’s warnings. They put their faith in the law and despised repentance from sin, glorying instead in the noble prerogative that they had from Abraham. Later they came to believe through the miracles worked by the apostles after the resurrection of the Lord, and, having returned by a faithful act of the will to evangelical works, they repented and confessed the guilt of their former insolence.The second son represents the group of publicans and sinners who later returned to the sinful state in which they lived at the time. They were instructed by John to expect salvation from Christ and to be baptized and to believe in him. When the Lord says in the parable that the second son did not go as he promised to do, he shows that these people believed John. But because they were not able to receive the teaching of the gospel through the apostles until after the Lord’s Passion (for it was then that the mysteries of human salvation were to be accomplished), they did not go. He didn’t say that they refused to go but simply that they did not go. Their failure to go does not make them guilty of disbelief, because to do so would have been very difficult. Therefore it is not that the second son did not want to do immediately what he was ordered to do but rather that he was unable to do it. His will is shown free from guilt by the obstacles of the circumstance.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 67
After this, He saith, "What think ye? A man had two sons; and he saith to the first, go, work to-day in the vineyard. But 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 then of them twain did the will of his father? They say, the first."
Again He convicts them by a parable, intimating both their unreasonable obstinacy, and the submissiveness of those who were utterly condemned by them. For these two children declare what came to pass with respect to both the Gentiles and the Jews. For the former not having undertaken to obey, neither having become hearers of the law, showed forth their obedience in their works; and the latter having said, "All that the Lord shall speak, we will do, and will hearken," in their works were disobedient. And for this reason, let me add, that they might not think the law would benefit them, He shows that this self-same thing condemns them, like as Paul also saith, "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." For this intent, that He might make them even self-condemned, He causes the judgment to be delivered by themselves, like as He does also in the ensuing parable of the vineyard.
And that this might be done, He makes trial of the accusation in the person of another. For since they were not willing to confess directly, He by a parable drives them on to what He desired.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 67
But when, not understanding His sayings, they had delivered the judgment, He unfolds His concealed meaning after this, and saith, "Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of Heaven before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans believed him; and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe him."
For if He had said simply, harlots go before you, the word would have seemed to them to be offensive; but now, being uttered after their own judgment it appears to be not too hard.
Therefore He adds also the accusation. What then is this? "John came," He saith, "unto you," not unto them, and not this only, but also "in the way of righteousness." "For neither with this can ye find fault, that he was some careless one, and of no profit; but both his life was irreprehensible, and his care for you great, and ye gave no heed to him."
And with this there is another charge also, that publicans gave heed; and with this, again another, that "not even after them did ye. For ye should have done so even before them, but not to do it even after them was to be deprived of all excuse;" and unspeakable was both the praise of the one, and the charge against the other. "To you he came, and ye accepted him not; he came not to them, and they receive him, and not even them did ye take for instructors."
See by how many things is shown the commendation of those, and the charge against these. To you he came, not to them. Ye believed not, this offended not them. They believed, this profited not you.
But the word, "go before you," is not as though these were following, but as having a hope, if they were willing. For nothing, so much as jealousy, rouses the grosser sort. Therefore He is ever saying, "The first shall be last, and the last first." Therefore He brought in both harlots and publicans, that they might provoke them to jealousy.
For these two indeed are chief sins, engendered of violent lust, the one of sexual desire, the other of the desire of money. And He indicates that this especially was hearing the law of God, to believe John. For it was not of grace only, that harlots entered in, but also of righteousness. For not, as continuing harlots, did they enter in, but having obeyed and believed, and having been purified and converted, so did they enter in.
Seest thou how He rendered His discourse less offensive, and more penetrating, by the parable, by His bringing in the harlots? For neither did He say at once, wherefore believed ye not John? but what was much more pricking, when He had put forward the publicans and the harlots, then He added this, by the order of their actions convicting their unpardonable conduct, and showing that for fear of men they do all things, and for vainglory. For they did not confess Christ for fear, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; and again, of John they dared not speak evil, and not even this from reverence, but for fear. All which things He convicted by His sayings, and with more severity afterwards did He go on to inflict the blow, saying, "But ye, when ye knew it, repented not afterwards, that ye might believe him."
For an evil thing it is not at the first to choose the good, but it is a heavier charge not even to be brought round. For this above all maketh many wicked, which I see to be the case with some now from extreme insensibility.
But let no one be like this; but though he be sunk down to the extremity of wickedness, let him not despair of the change for the better. For it is an easy thing to rise up out of the very abysses of wickedness.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 28 and following) What do you think? A certain man had two sons; and going to the first, he said: Son, go today to work in my vineyard. But he, answering, said: I do not want to. Afterwards, however, moved by repentance, he went. Going to the second, he said similarly. But he, answering, said: Yes, sir, and he did not go. Which of the two did the will of the father? And they said to him: The first. Jesus said to them (Luke XV). Hi sunt duo filii, qui et in Lucae parabola describuntur, frugi et luxuriosus, et de quibus Zacharias propheta loquitur: Assumpsi mihi duas virgas: unam vocavi decorem, et alteram vocavi funiculum, et pavi gregem (Zach. XI, 7) . Primo dicitur Gentilium populo per naturalis legis notitiam: Vade, et operare in vinea mea: hoc est, quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris (Tob. IV) . Qui superbe respondit: Nolo. But afterwards, upon the arrival of the Savior, the works of repentance were done in the vineyard of God, and the insolence of speech was corrected by labor. However, the second son, who is the people of the Jews, replied to Moses: 'We will do everything that the Lord has spoken' (Exod. XXIV), but he did not go into the vineyard because, thinking himself the heir after the son of the household had been killed. But others do not consider it as a parable of the Gentiles and Jews, but rather of sinners and the righteous, as the Lord Himself later expounded on the matter.
Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Thus much prefaced, the Lord brings forward a parable, to convict them of their irreligion, and show them that the kingdom of God should be transferred to the Gentiles.
He speaks to the Gentile people first, through their knowledge of the law of nature; Go and work in my vineyard; i. e. What you would not have done to you, that do not you to others. (Tobit 4:16.) He answers haughtily, I will not.
But when, at the coming of the Saviour, the Gentile people, having done penitence, laboured in God's vineyard, and atoned by their labour for the obstinacy of their refusal, this is what is said, But afterward he repented, and went. The second son is the Jewish people who made answer to Moses, All that the Lord hath said unto us we will do. (Exod. 24:3.)
It should be known that in the correct copies it is read not The last, but The first, that they might be condemned by their own sentence. But should we prefer to read, as some have it, The last, the explanation is obvious, to say that the Jews understood the truth, but dissembled, and would not say what they thought; just as though they knew that the baptism of John was from heaven, they would not say so.
Whence others think that the parable does not relate to Gentiles and Jews, but simply to the righteous and to sinners. These by their evil deeds had rejected God's service, but after received from John the baptism of repentance; while the Pharisees who made a show of righteousness, and boasted that they did the law of God, despising John's baptism, did not follow his precepts.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Those who are to be judged in this cause, He applies to as judges, that condemning themselves they might be shown to be unworthy to be acquitted by any other. It is high confidence of the justness of a cause, that will entrust it to the decision of an adversary. But He veils the allusion to them in a parable, that they might not perceive that they were passing sentence upon themselves; A certain man had two sons. Who is he but God, who created all men, who being by nature Lord of all, yet would rather be loved as a father, than feared as a Lord. The elder son was the Gentile people, the younger the Jews, since from the time of Noah there had been Gentiles. And he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. To day, i. e. during this age. He spoke with him, not face to face as man, but to his heart as God, instilling understanding through the senses. To work in the vineyard is to do righteousness; for to cultivate the whole thereof, I know not that any one man is sufficient.
For the Gentiles from the beginning leaving God and his righteousness, and going over to idols and sins, seem to make answer in their thoughts, We will not do the righteousness of God.
But afterwards turning their backs, they lied unto God, according to that in the Psalms, The sons of the strangers have lied unto me. (Ps. 18:44.) This is what is said, But he went not. The Lord accordingly asks which of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. See how they have first sentence upon themselves, saying, that the elder son, that is, the Gentile people, did the will of his father. For it is better not to promise righteousness before God, and to do it, than to promise, and to fail.
The Lord abundantly confirms their decision, whence it follows, Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots shall go before you in the kingdom of God; as much as to say, Not only the Gentiles are before you, but even the publicans and the harlots.
I suppose that the publicans here are to represent all sinful men, and the harlots all sinful women; because avarice is found the most prevailing vice among men, and fornication among women. For a woman's life is passed in idleness and seclusion, which are great temptations to that sin, while a man, constantly occupied in various active duties, falls readily into the snare of covetousness, and not so commonly into fornication, as the anxieties of manly cares preclude thoughts of pleasure, which engage rather the young and idle. Then follows the reason of what He had said, For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not.
Or, because his venerable conversation smote the hearts of sinners, as it follows, But the Publicans and harlots believed on him. Mark how the good life of the preacher gives its force to his preaching, so as to subdue unsubdued hearts. And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him; as much as to say, They have done that which is more by believing on Him, ye have not even repented, which is less. But in this exposition which we have set forth according to the mind of many interpreters, there seems to me something inconsistent. For if by the two sons are to be understood the Jews and Gentiles, as soon as the Priests had answered that it was the first son that did his father's will, then Christ should have concluded His parable with these words, Verily I say unto you, that the Gentiles shall go into the kingdom of God before you. But He says, The Publicans and harlots, a class rather of Jews than of Gentiles. Unless this is to be taken as was said above; So much rather the Gentile people please God than you, that even the Publicans and harlots are more acceptable to Him than you.
This He brings in because the Priests had asked not in order to learn, but to tempt Him. But of the common folk many had believed; and for that reason He brings forward the parable of the two sons, showing them therein that the common sort, who from the first professed secular lives, were better than the Priests who from the first professed the service of God, inasmuch as the people at length turned repentant to God, but the Priests impenitent, never left off to sin against God. And the elder son represents the people; because the people is not for the sake of the Priests, but the Priests are for the sake of the people.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
There are two reasons why the knowledge of truth should be kept back from those who ask; either when he who asks is unfit to receive, or from his hatred or contempt of the truth is unworthy to have that which he asks opened to him.
Yet the kingdom of God may be understood of the Gentiles, or of the present Church, in which the Gentiles go before the Jews, because they were more ready to believe.
John came preaching the way of righteousness, because he pointed to Christ, who is the fulfilling of the Law.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Matthew 21:31 concludes Jesus's Parable of the Two Sons, delivered to the chief priests and elders in the Temple. After challenging them to identify which son truly obeyed his father, Jesus uses their correct answer to issue a profound and shocking rebuke: those considered moral outcasts—tax collectors and prostitutes—who responded to God's call to repentance, would enter the Kingdom of God ahead of the self-righteous religious leaders who rejected it. This verse underscores the supreme value of genuine obedience and humble repentance over outward religious pretense.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 21:31 is rich in literary devices that amplify its impact. The primary device is Irony, as Jesus uses the religious leaders' own correct judgment of the parable to condemn their spiritual state. They correctly identify the obedient son, yet fail to recognize their own disobedience to God's will. There is strong Contrast between the "publicans and harlots" and the "chief priests and elders," highlighting the inversion of societal and spiritual expectations within the Kingdom of God. Jesus's statement also functions as a form of Hyperbole or a shocking truth, designed to provoke and challenge the self-righteousness of His audience. The initial question, "Whether of them twain did the will of [his] father?" is a Rhetorical Question, designed not for information but to elicit a specific answer that will then be used as a basis for Jesus's powerful indictment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly reveals the nature of God's Kingdom and the criteria for entry. It shatters the illusion that religious adherence or social standing automatically grants favor with God. Instead, it champions genuine repentance and active obedience as paramount. God values a humble heart that acknowledges its sin and turns towards Him, even if that heart belongs to someone considered an outcast, more than a proud heart that outwardly conforms to religious rituals but inwardly rejects God's truth and messengers. The "publicans and harlots" represent those who, despite their past, recognized their need for God and responded to the call to change, while the religious leaders, blinded by their self-righteousness, missed God's active work among them.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 21:31 serves as a timeless mirror, challenging us to examine the true condition of our hearts. It warns against the spiritual danger of outward religiosity without inward transformation. Are we merely professing faith, or are we actively pursuing the will of God in our lives? This verse encourages profound humility, reminding us that God is less concerned with our social standing or perceived righteousness and more with our willingness to acknowledge our shortcomings and repent. It calls us to be genuinely open to God's truth, even when it challenges our comfortable assumptions or exposes our blind spots. Furthermore, it reminds us to extend grace and compassion to others, recognizing that God's grace is available to all who humbly turn to Him, regardless of their past or present societal standing. We must guard against spiritual pride, which can be a greater barrier to God's Kingdom than overt sin, for pride prevents us from recognizing our need for a Savior.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jesus use such provocative examples as "publicans and harlots"?
Answer: Jesus deliberately chose these groups because they were the most despised and marginalized in Jewish society, considered beyond redemption by the religious elite. By stating that these individuals would "go into the kingdom of God before" the chief priests and elders, Jesus aimed to shock His audience and expose the profound hypocrisy and spiritual blindness of those who prided themselves on their righteousness. It was a radical inversion of their societal and religious hierarchy, underscoring that God's criteria for entry into His Kingdom are not based on human status or outward conformity, but on genuine repentance and faith, which these outcasts demonstrated by responding to John the Baptist's message and believing in Jesus (Matthew 21:32).
Does "go into the kingdom of God before you" mean that publicans and harlots are inherently better than the religious leaders?
Answer: No, Jesus is not suggesting that publicans and harlots are inherently "better" or morally superior. Rather, He is highlighting their response to God's call. The publicans and harlots, despite their past sins, were receptive to John the Baptist's message of repentance and believed in Jesus, demonstrating a willingness to change their ways. In contrast, the religious leaders, though outwardly righteous, rejected John's message and Jesus's authority, refusing to repent or believe. The phrase "before you" (Greek, proágō' from G4254) signifies precedence in entering the Kingdom, indicating that their humble and repentant response positioned them to receive God's grace while the pride and unbelief of the religious leaders excluded them. It's about receptivity to God's grace, not inherent moral standing.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 21:31 powerfully foreshadows the expansive and inclusive nature of the Kingdom of God, fully realized in Christ. Jesus, as the ultimate embodiment of God's will, came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13). His ministry consistently reached out to the marginalized and outcast—the very "publicans and harlots" mentioned here—offering them forgiveness, healing, and a place in God's family. The fact that they "go into the kingdom of God before" the self-righteous religious leaders underscores that true entry into God's reign is predicated on a humble, repentant heart that embraces the saving work of Christ, rather than adherence to human traditions or perceived moral superiority. Jesus Himself became the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). His sacrifice on the cross opened the door for all, regardless of their past, who would believe in Him and follow His will, demonstrating that His grace is sufficient for even the greatest sinners who turn to Him in faith (Romans 5:8).