Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus reveals a stunning truth: the outwardly "bad" people who repented and believed were actually doing God's will before the religious leaders who professed obedience but never truly followed through. It's not about initial actions, but about the willingness to change and obey when confronted with truth.
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told a parable about two sons, one who refused his father’s command but later repented and went to work, and another who promised obedience but never followed through. The chief priests and elders, who were listening, correctly identify the first son as the one who did his father's will, completely missing that Jesus was applying the parable to them. Jesus then directly states that tax collectors and prostitutes, people they despised, will enter the Kingdom of God before them because they are like the first son, repenting and acting, while the religious leaders are like the second, full of empty promises.
Jesus tells a parable where the son who initially refused but later obeyed is favored. He then applies this to real people, shocking his audience.
Jesus is contrasting two types of responses to God's call: outward profession versus inward transformation.
The 'First Son' Metaphor:
He represents those who, like the tax collectors and prostitutes, may have lived rebelliously and said 'no' to God initially. However, upon hearing John the Baptist and Jesus, they experienced genuine repentance. They changed their minds and actions, embracing God's kingdom.
The 'Second Son' Metaphor:
He represents the religious leaders. They outwardly said 'yes' to God's will, professing obedience and adherence to the Law. But their hearts remained unchanged. Their 'yes' was empty words, not a commitment to action. They ultimately refused to work in God's vineyard.
Jesus declares that the repentant 'no' (followed by action) is far better than the compliant 'yes' (followed by inaction). True obedience comes from the heart, not just the lips.
Imagine the religious elite of Jesus' day, certain of their place in God's favor. Jesus flips their expectations entirely, pointing to society's outcasts.
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This verse is a radical redefinition of who belongs in God's kingdom. Jesus is shattering the assumption that religious observance and social standing automatically grant entry.
The 'Outcasts' Enter First:
Jesus identifies tax collectors and prostitutes—people considered sinners, outside the religious and social norms—as those who will enter the kingdom before the religious leaders. This wasn't because their past actions were good, but because they responded to Jesus' call with repentance and faith.
The Challenge to Self-Righteousness:
The religious leaders saw themselves as heirs to the kingdom due to their adherence to the Law and their position within Israel. Jesus confronts their pride, revealing that their self-proclaimed righteousness was actually a barrier. Their refusal to repent and believe in Jesus, despite their outward piety, left them on the outside.
God's kingdom is entered not by fitting a human-made mold of religious correctness, but by responding to His grace with a humbled, believing heart.
Understand the original words
basileia tou Theou · Greek Noun
The sovereign rule and reign of God over His creation, His people, and the hearts of believers, which is inaugurated in Christ and consummated in the eternal state.
telōnēs · Greek Noun
A person who collects public revenues, often viewed in the New Testament as socially alienated, corrupt, and collaborator with the Roman occupation, yet frequently open to the message of repentance.
This parable was delivered in the intense atmosphere of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, directly confronting the religious leaders who were resistant to his message. The 'tax collectors and prostitutes' represent those considered outcasts and sinners who, surprisingly to the elite, were embracing John the Baptist's call to repentance and Jesus' own ministry, while the religious leaders, who outwardly appeared obedient, were inwardly rejecting God's work.
c. 27-30 AD
Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist preached a message of repentance, calling people to turn back to God. Many tax collectors and sinners responded to his message and were baptized.
c. 28-30 AD
Jesus' Early Ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching and healing, and calling people to follow him. He eats with tax collectors and sinners, drawing criticism from the religious elite.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Clears the Temple
Jesus enters the Jerusalem temple and drives out merchants and money changers, challenging the religious authorities' practices.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Confrontation in the Temple
After clearing the temple, Jesus is confronted by the chief priests and elders who question his authority. He responds with parables, including the parable of the two sons, directly challenging their hypocrisy.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion
Following his confrontation with the religious leaders, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified.
This passage highlights Jesus' affirmation that great love and forgiveness are shown to those who have had their sins forgiven, which aligns with the idea that those who recognize their sinfulness (like the 'first son' or tax collectors/prostitutes) can enter God's kingdom.
Luke 18:14Jesus uses the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to show that the one who humbles himself and acknowledges his sin (like the tax collector) is justified, while the self-righteous one is not, echoing the Matthew 21:31 contrast.
Romans 2:13This verse states that it is not just hearing the Law but doing it that justifies people before God, which directly supports Jesus' point that outward religious practice (the second son's promise) is less valuable than actual obedience, even if it comes after initial rebellion.
Galatians 3:27Those who have been baptized into Christ have 'put on Christ,' signifying a new identity and submission to His will, which mirrors the 'first son' who eventually went to work in the vineyard after his initial refusal.
clarkeMatthew 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."
The publicans and the harlots - In all their former conduct they had said No. Now they yield to the voice of truth when they hear it, and enter into the kingdom, embracing the salvation brought to them in the Gospel. The others, who had been always professing the most ready and wil…
bengelMatthew 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."
Matthew 21:31 .[932] Εἰς , into , or as regards ) the kingdom of heaven. [932] ὁ πρῶτος , the first ) Work without words is better than splendid words unaccompanied with work: and also it is better to adopt a praiseworthy course subsequently, rather than not at all. V. g.
Jesus reveals a stunning truth: the outwardly "bad" people who repented and believed were actually doing God's will before the religious leaders who professed obedience but never truly followed through. It's not about initial actions, but about the willingness to change and obey when confronted with truth.
Jesus has just told a parable about two sons, one who refused his father’s command but later repented and went to work, and another who promised obedience but never followed through. The chief priests and elders, who were listening, correctly identify the first son as the one who did his father's will, completely missing that Jesus was applying the parable to them. Jesus then directly states that tax collectors and prostitutes, people they despised, will enter the Kingdom of God before them because they are like the first son, repenting and acting, while the religious leaders are like the second, full of empty promises.
Jesus has just told a parable about two sons, one who refused his father’s command but later repented and went to work, and another who promised obedience but never followed through. The chief priests and elders, who were listening, correctly identify the first son as the one who did his father's will, completely missing that Jesus was applying the parable to them. Jesus then directly states that tax collectors and prostitutes, people they despised, will enter the Kingdom of God before them because they are like the first son, repenting and acting, while the religious leaders are like the second, full of empty promises.
"Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." — Jesus reveals a stunning truth: the outwardly "bad" people who repented and believed were actually doing God's will before the religious leaders who professed obedience but never truly followed thr…
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Last reviewed October 2026