The Parable Of Two Sons And The Authority Of Jesus Series

Dr. Bradford Reaves

CrossWay Christian Fellowship

Hagerstown, MD

www.mycrossway.org

As we continue through the parables, I realize that this is one of those parables that has always confounded me. It confounds me not because of the application but because of the theology. Most tried to impose that the two sons in this parable represent Israel and the Gentiles. At first glance, that seems like a pretty logical conclusion. However, it is common to introduce some pretty deep theological problems that we have to consider.

First, this leads us to a replacement theology interpretation. Secondly, Jesus addressed his disciples in the context of understanding the Kingdom of Heaven. We know that replacement theology is a broken theology not rooted in the Bible. We also know that Jesus was speaking to a Jewish audience to convey an understanding of Kingdom principles lost through the broken principles taught by the Pharisees. With both interpretations debunked, we are forced to return to our interpretive principles to get a better understanding of Jesus's words.

With that, let me introduce a better interpretation for us to follow, and then we will break down this sermon into verses. The better interpretation is about the character and nature of those who claim to belong to the Kingdom – Jew or Gentile. There are many who talk about Jesus or celebrate Jesus, and they like to believe that it assures them of a spot in Heaven. So with that, they go and live their life however they desire, never considering the importance of their obedience to God. Jesus uses this parable as another warning to those who give lip service only to God.

I believe this parable answers the question in the Sermon on the Mount to Matthew 7:21 “21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. (Matthew 21:23-27 ESV)

As with every parable, we must interpret it with appropriate context. We are in the last week before Jesus’ crucifixion. Several key events have played out to lead to this conversation. First, we have Jesus arrive in Bethany and have dinner with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. On Monday, we have the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, with Jesus cleansing the Temple on Tuesday. It is now Wednesday, and Jesus has cursed the fig tree. He is now back in the Temple teaching when he is confronted by the Chief Priests and the Elders. Notice that they are not questioning his actions - they are questioning his authority.

Now, we’re going to stop right there because this is the crux of understanding the entire parable. We’re dealing with the authority of Jesus. So let’s take a look at the question the religious leaders pose… it is all about Jesus’ authority.

When we think about authority, several things come to our mind. We must understand that it is the power or right to make decisions and enforce command. Authority can be derived from different sources, such as law, tradition, expertise, charisma, or consent. Depending on the context, we see people in authority in different ways:

· Uniforms, badges, including the rank on that uniform.

· Titles, credentials, diplomas, and certificates that demonstrate the knowledge, skill, or qualification of someone.

· Media or propaganda that portrays the image of the authority figure.

· Technology, weapons, tools, and equipment that influence the control of the authority figure.

· Followers, supporters, allies, and networks that affirm, endorse, or legitimize the authority figure.

However, we have to recognize that these visualizations are not fixed or universal, and so we need to dig deeper into what the Priests and Elders are asking Jesus because Jesus had nothing physically, socially, or politically about him that demanded authority, and yet he walked in complete authority. That is because he was given all authority from God the Father, and more significant than social, political, or physical authority is that Jesus was in authority over the spiritual things.