Let's read it together again,
Matthew 21:30,
- and he came to the second and said likewise,
And the second son answered and said, I go Sir, and went not
The second son first said I will go work but then did not go.
Did he change his mind?
Lessons learned from Jesus: the parable of the two sons, Biblical repentance #2
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Matthew 21:30,
- and he came to the second and said likewise,
And the second son answered and said, I go Sir, and went not
The second son first said I will go work but then did not go.
Did he change his mind?
It does not say. You are reading things into the text to fit into your own ideas about sin. Sir.
Bob
Well-Known Member
Thank you the discussion.
Recall in the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother said he had done everything his father requested. But, like the Pharisees, who claimed obedience to the law, his heart was not obeying anyone but his own inner voice.
Ditto in the Matthew parable: the one son claimed immediate obedience to his father, but spiritually he disobeyed (and physically in the literal reading of the parable).
These parables are not about physical work (in a vineyard or estate), but work in the Kingdom of God.
Being faithful to God means obeying His commandments, spiritually as well as physically.
See also 1 Samuel 15: King Saul had specific commands from God, but he chose to reinterpret them according to his own (seeminly rational) self-deception.
Blessings.
Recall in the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother said he had done everything his father requested. But, like the Pharisees, who claimed obedience to the law, his heart was not obeying anyone but his own inner voice.
Ditto in the Matthew parable: the one son claimed immediate obedience to his father, but spiritually he disobeyed (and physically in the literal reading of the parable).
These parables are not about physical work (in a vineyard or estate), but work in the Kingdom of God.
Being faithful to God means obeying His commandments, spiritually as well as physically.
See also 1 Samuel 15: King Saul had specific commands from God, but he chose to reinterpret them according to his own (seeminly rational) self-deception.
Blessings.
You might have. But then again you.might not. You have been prevented from going by unforseen circumstances.
That is why we must read the text carefully and make sure we are not twisting things.
Yes!!! Totally agree.
I could get physically sick therefore hindered from going to get bread.
But you also are right that I could have changed my mind.
Now looking at the context of the two sons, we need to ask ourselves why did Jesus use two sons as examples?
Why not just use one son?
The reason is to show us what is biblical repentance and what is not.
Jesus contrasts the two sons.
One is our example for how to live for God. What is true repentance.
The other also teaches us what is not true repentance toward God.
Since God uses them both, the first clearly changes His mind.
The second also changes His mind in the opposite of his brother.
Jesus knows changing the mind occurs in repentance therefore He is showing how changing the mind is right and wrong.
Let's say you are right and the second son did not change his mind.
It doesn't change Jesus' teaching on how true repentance does works that is it produces fruits of repentance.
The second son had no fruit therefore was not an example of true repentance.
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In the parable of the two sons
God is the father.
Jesus would be representative of the father not the son in this parable.
But yes Jesus was always the obedient Son.
Thank God He was and will always be if not we would all be without hope.
I dont believe it's an assumption as Jesus is using the two to teach on repentance.
They would both need to change their mind. If the second did not change his mind, why did Jesus include two sons in His parable?
He could have taught only about one son.
I believe it's an assumption to say the second son did not change his mind.
Why did Jesus include the second son in the parable.
What lesson do we learn from him?
The point of the parable is the comparison of the sons therefore l do not think the second changed his .mind.
Obedience .must be instant . It is about attitude.
Sorry, I just deleted my post seeing that @Hepzibah already addressed this point.
One said he'd go, but didn't, one said he wouldn't, then did. Which did what the father wanted? He didn't want them to say something, make promises, whatever, he wanted them to go. So the one who went, regardless of anything else, this was the one who did what the father wanted.
This is not a parable about repentance, it's a parable about obedience. You can't just stop at the story of the sons, we need to include Jesus' full answer.
Matthew 21:28-32 KJV
28) 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.
29) He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30) And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
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.
32) 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.
John the Baptist came commanding repentance and works fit for repentance. Those who said they were the righteous wouldn't obey by repenting. Those who made no claim to righteousness, however, did obey John, by repenting of their sins and being baptized.
Much love!
Are you familiar with worldly sorrow?
Heres an example,
A thief made his money through I'll gotten gain.
He got old and never was caught.
But one night he thought to himself I don't want to go to prison if I get caught.
So he changed his mind and quit stealing.
Greek word for repentance means to change ones mind.
We can repent but it not be the kind of repentance that leads to salvation,
Acts 17:30,
- God overlooked peoples ignorance about these things in earlier times but now commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to God
The best verse that teaches on repentance is,
2Corinthians 7:10,
- Godly sorrow worketh repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret but worldly sorrow brings death
One has godly sorrow. The other, he is our example of true repentance.
The other is like many today that claim you can change your mind and you have repented. Not true.
Biblical repentance,
A change of mind brought about by godly sorrow that results in a change of life.
We need to take into account which one Jesus said was the obedient one and He showed that it was not the first one. Therefore it was the second even though he did not make it. We can assume he intended to. When Jesus says jump we are not to stand thinking about it.
So, the first son did not change his mind?
You demanded that and you gave the Greek, changing the mind was repentance.
Explain how the first son clearly changed his mind but did not repent of the rebellion against his father(God)?
Matthew 21:29,
- he answered and said I will not but later he repented and went
The Greek word used in this passage is metamelomai
Heres the definition given on Biblehub: to repent, to regret, to change ones mind
But there are different reasons to regret. Fear of the consequences is the most usual.
Well I know when one is a sinner and they change, start obeying God by doing His commandments as the first son did that is a person who...
A) has an in penitent heart?
Or
B) has an penitent heart?
Ok, let's use your definition.
But first why do you suppose so many English translations use the word repent instead of regret?
Do you think these Greek Scholars are all wrong in our English bibles?
Also where did you learn your interpretation of the parable of the two sons?
What church teaches your interpretation?
Matthew 21:29,
- he answered and said I will not but afterward he regretted and went
Ok, the Greek word means all these things not only regret
Repent, regret, changing ones mind
When a person regrets their choices in life does that require them to change their mind about the bad choices they made in the past?
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