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would have stoned them, Luke 20: 6); in that case there was no doubt as to the Lord's
authority, for John, as a prophet, had declared Him to be the Messiah.
They were on the horns of a dilemma. If they once admitted that John was a prophet,
then Christ would say "why didn't you believe him?" (25). And if the Baptist's
proclamation of Him did not convince them, what effect would He own assertion have?
There was only one answer they could make to the Lord's query, namely "we don't
know" (27), which was a disgrace after all the evidence that John had given them. The
Lord Jesus dismisses them with the words "neither will I tell you by what authority I am
doing these things" (27).
The Gospel of Mark follows this with one parable, that of the wicked husbandmen.
Matthew gives us another triplet of parables (21: 28, 33; 22: 1). These were also
addressed to the Pharisees who had just criticized Him. The first is the parable of the two
sons. One refused to obey his father's order to go and work in the vineyard. Afterwards
he changed his mind and went. The second son had the same charge and said he was
willing, but he did not go. Which son did what his father wanted? the Lord asked, and
the leaders were forced to answer, "the first son" (21: 28-31).
This young fellow became sorry for his refusal to obey his father and changed his
mind and became obedient. The A.V. says he repented and went. But the Greek verb is
metamelomai, to be sorry, whereas "repent" is metanoeo. The two words should be
distinguished, as in the English repentance and penitence. The former word means in the
Greek a change of mind, and the latter, sorrow or penitence. The apostle Paul makes this
difference in II Cor. 12: 9 between these words. Mere sorrow is not a change of mind
(repentance). It can be just remorse as it was in the case of Judas Iscariot.
The Lord Jesus applies the meaning of the parable to the religious leaders:
"Jesus said to them, `I tell you the truth, 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'." (21: 31, 32,
N.I.V.).
This is a reversal of human judgment. Not only the Pharisees, but Jewish opinion
generally would have believed that the prospects of this sort of people entering the
kingdom of heaven were of the best, while those of the toll collectors and harlots were
infinitesimal. Truly the first are last and the last first, as the Lord asserted. The latter
made no profession of religion, but accepted John's teaching and were entering the
kingdom, whereas the leaders refused and paid no heed to the Baptist's instruction, and
were being shut out.
Without pause, the Lord Jesus puts to them the parable of the wicked tenants of the
vineyard. The conduct of these husbandmen towards the householder's servants portrays
the behaviour of the nation of Israel and their religious leaders towards the prophets and
now toward Christ.