Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

Matthew 21:31

in Matthew 21

Which of the two did the will of his father?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Which of the two did the will of his father? They say, 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.

KJV

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.

⋯

This verse in Matthew 21

Commentary

3 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Matthew · Written before 420.

(Verse 31) Which of the two did the will of the father? And they said to him: The first. Jesus said to them: Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. But others do not consider it as a parable of the Gentiles and Jews, but rather of sinners and the righteous, as the Lord Himself later expounded on the matter.

This site's exposition

publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you

on Matthew 21:31-32

The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you is among the hardest sentences Jesus speaks to the temple's own leaders, and he grounds it in a plain historical fact rather than an opinion: John came in the way of righteousness, the same righteousness thread the Sermon named as exceeding the scribes, and the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him while the leaders did not. Before you leaves the leaders' own door open rather than shut, since the rebuke is for unbelief persisted in even after seeing the publicans repent, not for a status assigned by birth. The bench reads this as Jesus' most direct application yet of the Gentiles-and-outcasts-gathered-in pattern that has run since the genealogy's own four women.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

The publicans and the harlots - In all their former conduct they had said No. Now they yield to the voice of truth when they hear it, and enter into the kingdom, embracing the salvation brought to them in the Gospel. The others, who had been always professing the most ready and willing obedience, and who pretended to be waiting for the kingdom of God, did not receive it when it came, but rather chose, while making the best professions, to continue members of the synagogue of Satan.

The words behind it

32 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Luke 11:9So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.37 works1 John 2:17The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.9 worksLuke 7:29All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.8 worksLuke 7:37–50When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.7 worksHebrews 10:36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.7 worksMatthew 7:21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Proverbs 26:12Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.6 worksMatthew 12:28But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.6 worksMatthew 20:16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”6 worksJames 2:25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?5 worksRomans 9:30–33What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;4 works1 Timothy 1:13–16I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.4 works2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.4 worksRomans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.4 worksRomans 5:20The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,4 worksMatthew 10:7As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’4 worksMark 10:31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”4 worksLuke 19:9–10Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 7:21

    Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

    it leads to

    • Romans 2:13

      For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but it is the doers of the law who will be declared righteous.

    • Luke 6:46

      Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?

    • James 1:22

      Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

    • Luke 11:28

      But He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

    • Titus 1:16

      They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.

  • Through

    Luke 7:29

    All the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice. For they had received the baptism of John.

    it leads to

    • Luke 3:12

      Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

    • Luke 7:35

      But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

    • Revelation 16:5

      And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.

Where this verse is studied

About Matthew

The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
Matthew: the study guide →Read Matthew 21 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Matthew 21 →