哪个儿子是真正地顺服？
马太福音二十一章28至32节
28又说：“一个人有两个儿子，他来对大儿子说：‘我儿，你今天到葡萄园里去做工。’
29他回答说：‘我不去’，以后自己懊悔，就去了。
30又来对小儿子也是这样说。他回答说：‘父啊，我去’，他却不去。
31你们想这两个儿子，是哪一个遵行父命呢？”他们说：“大儿子。”耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们：税吏和娼妓倒比你们先进 神的国。
32因为约翰遵着义路到你们这里来，你们却不信他；税吏和娼妓倒信他。你们看见了，后来还是不懊悔去信他。
信息分享
这个简短的比喻，是主耶稣在世事奉最后一周时，用来教训众人的众多比喻中的一个。当时的祭司长和民间长老不断质疑耶稣的权柄。反对耶稣的势力愈来愈大。而耶稣的教训也变得愈来愈针对他们。
大儿子的反应，究竟有何喻意呢？基督在第31节指出，那些最初公然拒绝接受神的旨意和话语的罪人（像大儿子一样），后来听了施洗约翰和基督本人的讲道，便愿意悔改回转。如今，他们将看见慈爱的父神张开热情的双臂来欢迎他们回家。
但那个小儿子呢？他只是表面上答应了，却没有实质遵从。法利赛人正是这样。表面上，他们毕恭毕敬地谨守神的命令，但实质上却没有真正实行出来。他们自言熟悉神的话语，但实质上却是阳奉阴违。
究竟父亲吩咐两名儿子作甚么呢？我们可以理解为：「儿子，我的心意是要你们做这事。我希望你们听从我的吩咐，照我说的话去做。」父亲吩咐儿子去做的事，绝非无理的要求。神绝对不会向我们发出无理的要求。我们若是神的儿子，祂就当然期望我们会完全顺服祂。
最后，我们必须紧记雅各的提醒：要行道，不要单单听道！
WHICH SON REALLY OBEYED?
Matthew 21 :28-32
28 “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.’
29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said to Him, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.
Message
This short parable comes in a group given in the last week of Christ's earthly ministry. His authority was being questioned. Opposition was growing stronger. His words if anything were becoming more pointed.
What is the application of the first son's actions? Christ said (v.31) that outright sinners who had refused to recognise the will and word of God now were repenting (like the first son). They had heard John the Baptist's preaching and Christ's too and were turning away from their disobedience and sin. Now they were finding a warm welcome in the arms of a loving forgiving Father, God.
But what about the second son? He agreed on the surface but had no intention of obeying. That was what the Pharisees were doing. Outwardly they were making a big show of obeying God, but actually they did not practice what they preached. They rejected the very word of God which they said they knew so much about.
What was the command both sons received? It could be paraphrased, 'Son, here is my will for you. I want you to obey it and do exactly what I am asking you'. That is not an unreasonable demand. God's will never is. If we are the sons of God, the Father should be able to expect our complete obedience.
What did James say - Be doers of the word and not hearers only.