I Will Not Go Work in Your Vineyard - Matthew 21:29

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus asked the chief priests and the elders of Jerusalem, “what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard” and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-eight of his book, Matthew shares how the son said, “I will not” where we read:

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

The verse reads, “He answered and said, I will not: ” Matthew began with the words, “he answered” or “the first son responded to his father” “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “I will not” or “the first son resolved, determined, purposed and wished not to obey his father”. Matthew shared how Jesus said the first son's initial response was that he would not go into his father's “vineyard” to work.

The verse goes on to say, “but afterward he repented, and went.” Matthew continued with the words, “but afterward” which means “nevertheless later and eventually” “he repented” or “the first son regretted his decision and changed his mind”, “and went” or “and departed and left to the vineyard”. Matthew wrote how Jesus said the first son “changed his mind” and departed to work in his father's “vineyard”.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we discover the “repentance” of this “first son”. Though he first stated that he would not go into his father's “vineyard” to work, he later relented and went to his father's field. God gives every person an opportunity to be in a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and His invitation is extended to the whole world. Those who are wise consider carefully how they respond to His offer, and should they yield their lives to Him, they will inherit eternal life and an opportunity to work in His “vineyard”.

Next time Matthew writes the second son answered the father, “I go”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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