condemn themselves, declined giving him any direct answer. Our Lord, seeing their perverseness, changed his mode of dealing with them, and drew from them an involuntary acknowledgment of their guilt, by means of a less obvious, but well-adjusted, parable.
In opening the parable we shall,
I. Compare the conduct of the two sons —
The first of them represented the state of those to whom John had preached —
[His father ordered him to " go and work in his vineyard." This command he peremptorily refused to comply with ; but, on further consideration, " repented" of his misconduct, " and went." Thus many of the Baptist's hearers were of an aban- doned character : they, by their lives, had shewed an utter contempt for the will of God ; but they were soon brought to a sense of their undone condition : they thankfully embraced the mercy which that faithful preacher announced to them, and submitted to his baptism in token of their unfeigned con- trition.]
The second represented the Pharisees whom our Lord was addressing —
[He promised a ready and unreserved obedience to his father's will, but never truly engaged in executing the work assigned him. Thus the Pharisees professed much reverence and respect for God: they wished to be thought his dutiful and obedient children, but they would not really devote them- selves to his service : what might suit their own inclination and redound to their own credit, they would do; but they would not enter into the vineyard which he required them to culti- vate ; they would not submit to the humiliating doctrines which John had preached, nor accept that salvation which was offered them by Christ himself^ — ]
Both of them are just emblems of many living
characters —
[There are many who have lived in the violation of all God's commands : the constant language of their hearts has been that of rebellion against him** : but, by the grace of God, they have been convinced of their sin ; they have deeply be- wailed all their former iniquities ; they have sought for mercy
^ John vii. 37, 38, 48. There may be a further reference in the text to the rejection of the Gospel by the hypocriticai Jews, and the reception of it among the idolatrous Gentiles.
^ Ps. xii. 4.