Matthew 21:28-32 - Which of the two obeyed?

21:28-32

“Slow obedience is no obedience, is disobedience” is a statement that is beloved of some preachers. Now it is true that we should obey quickly rather than slowly, but actually there isn’t that much substance to the claim. Here Jesus tells a parable of two sons. One declines to obey, but later does obey. The other says he will obey, but in the end does no such thing. It is the first son who is the obedient one. Jesus likens the religious leaders to the second son. With their words they say they are obeying God, but in reality were doing no such thing. The tax collectors and prostitutes were despised by the religious leaders, and were indeed disobeying God. But when they repented and turned to God, as some had done during the time of John the Baptist, they proved themselves to be the obedient ones. The religious leaders, on the other hand, had seen the “sinners” repenting, but had not repented themselves.