Matthew 21 · Verse 28

Matthew 21:28

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.

Matthew 21:28, King James Version

Matthew 21:28 in other translations

BSB	But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’
WEB	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.’
ASV	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.
YLT	‘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.'
DARBY	But what think ye? A man had two children, and coming to the first he said, Child, go to-day, work in my vineyard.
BBE	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.
Webster	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.

What does Matthew 21:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

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--for true religion is a practical thing, a "bringing forth fruit unto God."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verses 28-32. But what think ye? A way of speaking designed to direct them particularly to what he was saying, that they might be self-convicted.

Two sons. By those two sons our Lord intends to represent the conduct of the Jews, and that of the Publicans and sinners.

In my vineyard. Mt 21:33. To work in the vineyard here represents the work which God requires man to do.

I will not. This had been the language of the Publicans and wicked men. They refused at first, and did not profess to be willing to go.

Repented. Changed his mind. Afterwards, at the preaching of John and Christ, the publicans--the wicked--repented, and obeyed.

The second--said, I go, sir: and went not. This represented the conduct of the Scribes and Pharisees--professing to obey God; observing the external rites of religion; but opposed really to the kingdom of God, and about to put his Son to death.

Whether of them twain, etc. Which of the two.

They say unto him, The first. This answer was correct. But it is strange that they did not perceive that it condemned themselves.

Go into the kingdom of God. Become Christians, or more readily follow the Saviour. Mt 3:2.

Before you. Rather than you. They are more likely to do it than you. You are self-righteous, self-willed, and obstinate. Many of them had believed, but you have not. John came unto you in the way of righteousness. That is, in the right way, or teaching the way to be righteous; to wit, by repentance. Publicans and harlots heard him, and became righteous, but they did not. They saw it, but, as in a thousand other cases, it did not produce the proper effect on them, and they would not repent.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28 A certain man had two sons - Under the emblem of these two sons, one of whom was a libertine, disobedient, and insolent, but who afterwards thought on his ways, and returned to his duty; and the second, a hypocrite, who promised all, and did nothing; our Lord points out, on the one hand, the tax-gatherers and sinners of all descriptions, who, convicted by the preaching of John and that of Christ, turned away from their iniquities and embraced the Gospel; and, on the other hand, the scribes, Pharisees, and self-righteous people, who, pretending a zeal for the law, would not receive the salvation of the Gospel.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 21:28-32

Parables which give reproof, speak plainly to the offenders, and judge them out of their own mouths. The parable of the two sons sent to work in the vineyard, is to show that those who knew not John's baptism to be of God, were shamed by those who knew it, and owned it. The whole human race are like children whom the Lord has brought up, but they have rebelled against him, only some are more plausible in their disobedience than others. And it often happens, that the daring rebel is brought to repentance and becomes the Lord's servant, while the formalist grows hardened in pride and enmity.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 21:28 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤίTiWhatG5101

δὲdehoweverG1161

ὑμῖνhuminyouG4771

δοκεῖ;dokeithink?G1380

ἄνθρωποςanthrōposA manG444

εἶχενeichenhadG2192

τέκναteknasonsG5043

δύο,duotwo,G1417

καὶkaiandG2532

προσελθὼνproselthōnhaving comeG4334

τῷtōto theG3588

πρώτῳprōtōfirstG4413

εἶπεν·eipenhe said;G2036

τέκνον,teknonSon,G5043

ὕπαγεhupagedo goG5217

σήμερονsēmerontodayG4594

ἐργάζουergazoudo workG2038

ἐνeninG1722

τῷtōtheG3588

ἀμπελῶνιampelōnivineyardG290

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 21:28

Matthew 20:1
For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Mark 13:34
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
Luke 15:11-32
And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. …
Matthew 21:33
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
Matthew 17:25
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
Luke 13:4
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Matthew 20:5-7
Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
Matthew 22:17
Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

what.
17:25; 22:17; Lu 13:4; 1Co 10:15
A certain.
Lu 15:11-32
Son.
20:5-7; Mr 13:34; 1Co 15:58

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 21:27
And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
Matthew 21:28
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.
Matthew 21:29
He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

Read all of Matthew 21

Matthew 21:28 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas, ¿qué os parece? Un hombre tenía dos hijos, y llegando al primero, le dijo: Hijo, ve hoy á trabajar en mi viña.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Mais que vous en semble? Un homme avait deux enfants; et venant au premier, il dit: Mon enfant, va aujourd’hui travailler dans ma vigne.
German Elberfelder 1871	Was dünkt euch aber? Ein Mensch hatte zwei Kinder; und er trat hin zu dem ersten und sprach: Kind, gehe heute hin, arbeite in meinem Weinberge.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quid autem vobis videtur? Homo quidam habebat duos filios, et accedens ad primum, dixit: Fili, vade hodie, operare in vinea mea.