Two sons
In the Bible, we find two parables which are both about two sons. The first one is found in Matthew 21.
Jesus tells the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21 in response to the questioning of the authority of Jesus as Christ by the "chief priests and the elders of the people" in the temple. They wanted to know by what authority he was doing what he did.
What Jesus did was come to Jerusalem and on his entry He was treated as king and hailed as the highest son of David.[1] Such treatment and claim would make him the unquestionable king of Judea.
He then goes and fires the moneychangers in the temple casting them out[2] which was something only the king could do since the days of David.
In Mark 11 he imposes commands on activities within the temple.[3] and in John 8[4] we see Jesus is giving instructions in the royal treasury[5].
Jesus' condemnation of the Corban of the Pharisees was reiterated by the accusation directed toward the "chief priests and scribes" in the temple saying that they had "made it a den of thieves".[6]
This chapter also tells the story of the fig tree that Jesus caused to wither because it bore no fruit.[7]
Jesus took over the kingdom of God in Jerusalem as the rightful king of Judea which he continues to proclaim in verse 43 because they were not bearing fruit.[8]
This parable of the two sons is about the chief priests and Pharisees who claimed to be doing the will of the Father in heaven. But they were neither doing what God said nor were they doing what Moses had said for Israel to do. If they actually knew Moses they would have known Jesus.[9] We know the parable was about them because scripture tells us so.[10]
Unfortunately, the same is true of many who claim to be Christians and followers of Christ. No one earns salvation. But if you truly believe in the real Jesus then you should be doing what He said to do.
We can see Jesus appoint the kingdom to his little flock in Luke 22 verse 29.[11]
The Pharisees were represented by the first son because they claimed to do the will of the Father and His Prophet Moses but they were not attending to the weightier matters. They had set up and were dependent upon Herod's socialist system of Corban which was making the word of God to none effect and not bearing fruit.
John the Baptist had told the people to stop the covetous practice of forcing the contributions of the people like all the other governments of the world and to learn to depend upon charity alone for their daily bread and welfare.
The "publicans and the harlots" and thousands of other Jews expressed their faith in Jesus by starting to repent of the covetous welfare system of the world and sit down in the tens, in ranks of hundred and more as commanded by Christ.
Christ made it clear in this parable of two sons[12] that the true son is not the one who says he will do his father's will in homage but the one who actually does it. If you are not doing what Christ said to do, which is the will of the Father, or if you are doing something contrary to what He said, then saying Lord Lord is not true worship.[13]
The modern Christians who justify their covetous practices and dependence upon the benefits offered by men who exercise authority one over the other may claim a relationship with Jesus but are they really following Christ? As long as they are willing to force the contributions of their neighbors then by their works we know they are in need of repentance. If the people will not sit down in the tens in ranks of a hundred and ranks of a thousand to practice pure Religion unspotted by the fathers of the earth and the benefactors of the world then they are not like the early Church and have not really repented nor should they imagine that they are following Christ.
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.29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."
The other parable of the two sons includes the story of the prodigal son.
The prodigal sons
The prodigal son would not have been forgiven by his Father if he did not change his ways and return with full intent to do the will of his Father. And neither will the Modern Christians who have abandoned the way of Christ and the early Church to pursue the covetous ways of the world. They have accepted a false, do-nothing gospel and when they are shown how they have sought unrighteous, iniquitous ways that Christ said made the word of God to none effect they refuse to repent.
The gospel tells us the kingdom of heaven, and the right to be ruled by God instead of the gods many of the world, is within our reach if we will repent, forgive and seek to live by the righteous ways of Christ.
- Part 9: Gods Many video ~10 min
Jesus' kingdom is not a part of the world. And our religion should not be a spotted by that world.
The devil believes in who Christ is but he does not want to do what Christ said to do that you might be saved. The devil certainly does not want you to repent. He wants you to think there is nothing you have to do to be saved. These people - these brothers - to whom Paul is writing have already repented and are seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness by caring for one another through a Living Network set up by the ministers of Christ to attend to the Daily ministration providing, in Free Assemblies, the Health, Education, and Welfare for Christians and their neighbors through Faith, Hope and Charity by way of Freewill offerings through the Perfect law of liberty.
Early Christians did not apply or pray to Benefactors who exercised authority or wielded the sword to obtain the free bread and circuses offered through the Social contracts of the Fathers of the earth.
Many Modern Christians have not repented and even think they do not have to change their ways. They think they can save themselves by saying they believe in Christ while they continue to be workers of iniquity and covet their neighbors' goods.
They do not just live in the world but of it. They do not know why Jesus said His kingdom was not of the world. Nor do they know why they were told that their religion, to be pure, was not supposed to be spotted by the world.
Luke 15:11 ¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12 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.
13 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.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
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Footnotes
- ↑ Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
- ↑ Matthew 21:12 ¶ And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
- ↑ Mark 11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry [any] vessel through the temple.
- ↑ John 8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
- ↑ 1049 ~γαζοφυλάκιον~ gazophulakion \@gad-zof-oo-lak’-ee-on\@ from 1047 and 5438; ; n n AV-treasury 5; 5
- 1) a repository of treasure, especially of public treasure, a treasury
- It is used to describe the apartments constructed in the courts of the temple, in which the not only the sacred offerings and things needful for the service were kept, but in which the priests, etc, dwelt: #Ne 13:7; of the sacred treasury in which not only treasure but also public records were stored, and the property of widows and orphans was deposited. Josephus speaks of treasuries in the women’s court of Herod’s temple. In the N.T. near the treasury seems to used of that receptacle mentioned by the rabbis to which were fitted thirteen chests or boxes, i.e. trumpets, so called from their shape, and into which were put the contributions made voluntarily or paid yearly by the Jews for the service of the temple and the support of the poor.
- ↑ Matthew 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
- ↑ Matthew 21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
- ↑ Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
- ↑ John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
- ↑ Matthew 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
- ↑ Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
- ↑ Matthew 21:28 "But what think ye? A [certain] man had two sons..."
- ↑ Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- Matthew 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
- Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
- Luke 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: