Matthew Chapter 21 verse 28 Holy Bible
But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard.
read chapter 21 in ASV
But how does it seem to you? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go and do work today in the vine-garden.
read chapter 21 in BBE
But what think ye? A man had two children, and coming to the first he said, Child, go to-day, work in [my] vineyard.
read chapter 21 in DARBY
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.
read chapter 21 in KJV
read chapter 21 in WBT
But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, 'Son, go work today in my vineyard.'
read chapter 21 in WEB
`And what think ye? A man had two children, and having come to the first, he said, Child, go, to-day be working in my vineyard.'
read chapter 21 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerses 28-32. - The parable of the two sons. (Peculiar to St. Matthew.) Verse 28. - But what think ye? A formula connecting what follows with what has preceded, and making the hearers themselves the judges. By this and the succeeding parables, Jesus shows his interlocutors their true guilty position and the punishment that awaited them. He himself explains the present parable in reference to his hearers, though, of course, it has, and is meant to have, a much wider application. A certain man (ἄνθρωπος, a man) had two sons. The man represents God; the two sons symbolize two classes of Jews - the Pharisees, with their followers and imitators; and the lawless and sinful, who made no pretence of religion. The former are those who profess to keep the Law strictly, to the very letter, though they care nothing for its spirit, and virtually divorce religion from morality The latter are careless and profane persons, whom the Lord calls "publicans and harlots" (ver. 31). The first. Westcott and Hort, relying on no very weighty authority, reverse the order of the sons' answers, altering ver. 31 in agreement with this arrangement. Christ's reply countenances the received text, setting the repentant before the professing son. It is a matter of small importance (see Tischendorf, in loc.). "The first son "here typifies the evil and immoral among the Jewish people. Go, work today. Two emphatic imperatives. Immediate obedience is required. "Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (Psalm 95:7, 8). God called his sons to serve in his vineyard - the Church. He called them by the prophets, and more especially by John the Baptist, to turn from evil ways, and to do works meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8). Christ gives two examples, showing how this call was received.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28) But what think ye?--The question serves to connect the parable with the foregoing incident, and so gives point to its special primary application. In many MSS. the answers of the two sons are inverted, and it is accordingly the "second," and not the first, who is said, in Matthew 21:31, to have done the will of his Father.Go work to day in my vineyard.--The parable rests on the same imagery as that of the Labourers, with some special variations. Both of those who are called to work are "sons," and not hired labourers--i.e., there is a recognition of both Pharisees and publicans, the outwardly religious and the conspicuously irreligious, as being alike, in a sense, children of God.
