TWO PARABLES ABOUT TWO SONS
Matthew 21.14-16, 28-32 and Luke 15.1-3, 11-32
A Reading by Lee Magness
Matthew:
And the blind and the lame came to [Jesus] in the temple, and he healed them.
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?”
Luke:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying,
“This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable:
Matthew:
What do you think? A man had two sons.
Luke:
There was a man who had two sons.
Matthew:
And he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.”
And he answered, “I will not,”
Luke:
And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.”
And he divided his property between them.
Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country,
and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
Matthew:
but afterward he changed his mind and went.
Luke:
But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough
bread, but I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’”
And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion,
and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
Matthew:
And he went to the other son and said the same.
And he answered, “I go, sir,” but did not go.
Luke:
Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and sound.”
But he was angry and refused to go in.
His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father,
“Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command,
yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!”
And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad,
for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Matthew:
Which of the two did the will of his father?
They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into
the kingdom of God before you.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him,
but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.
And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”
And the blind and the lame came to [Jesus] in the temple, and he healed them.
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?”
Luke:
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying,
“This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them this parable:
Matthew:
What do you think? A man had two sons.
Luke:
There was a man who had two sons.
Matthew:
And he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.”
And he answered, “I will not,”
Luke:
And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.”
And he divided his property between them.
Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country,
and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need.
So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
Matthew:
but afterward he changed his mind and went.
Luke:
But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough
bread, but I perish here with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’”
And he arose and came to his father.
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion,
and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
Matthew:
And he went to the other son and said the same.
And he answered, “I go, sir,” but did not go.
Luke:
Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing.
And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and sound.”
But he was angry and refused to go in.
His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father,
“Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command,
yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!”
And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
It was fitting to celebrate and be glad,
for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.”
Matthew:
Which of the two did the will of his father?
They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into
the kingdom of God before you.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him,
but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.
And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”