There were some individuals in the lifetime of Jesus who were having a very difficult time accepting that He had authority in religious matters and, therefore, that He had authority in their lives. They were constantly questioning and challenging that authority, as they did vehemently even in the week leading up to His death. They confronted Him in Matthew 21:23, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”
When His accusers arrogantly and pretentiously refused to respond to the question He asked in return, Jesus told a very simple parable about two sons. “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.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go” (21:28-30). Jesus purposefully told this parable at this time, in order that these high-minded chief priests and elders might see the seriousness of their rebellious, self-aggrandizing attitude. Some who had initially defied the will of God (including tax collectors and harlots), repented and obeyed His will, but others (including Jesus’ scoffers) professed great righteousness but refused to actually obey. The application could not have been more emphatic.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. How many people are there today who have a difficult time accepting that Jesus is the One who has authority in religious matters and, therefore, that He has authority in their lives? To concede authority to another requires submitting to that authority. In our day and age, submission is not a popular notion. Thus, there are multitudes today that are still constantly questioning and challenging Jesus’ authority.
Yet, many of these same people are the ones who are supposedly saying, “I go, sir,” to His command. They are teaching people about salvation (a thing Jesus commanded to do in Mark 16:15), but they are not teaching His requirement of immersion for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16). They are emphasizing the greatness of worshiping God (a thing Jesus commanded to do in Matthew 4:10), but they are not worshiping by the truth of God’s Word (John 4:24; 17:17). Further examples could be lined up by the hundreds. Based upon the testimony of Jesus’ enemies themselves, such behavior is not doing the will of the Father (Matt. 21:31).
To “enter the kingdom of God” (21:31), one must submit to the authority of Jesus in all matters (21:23-27), “believe” (21:32), “change his mind” (21:29) and humbly obey “the will of the Father” (21:31). Anything short of going into the vineyard as precisely instructed will lead to ruin.