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.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
what	Τί Ti	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — nominative singular neuter
think	δοκεῖ; dokei	G1380	compare the base of G1166 (δεικνύω)) of the same meaning · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
ye	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
A certain man	ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos	G444	from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι)) · noun — nominative singular masculine
had	εἶχεν eichen	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular
two	δύο, duo	G1417	"two" · adjective — numeral, indeclinable
sons	τέκνα tekna	G5043	a child (as produced) · noun — accusative plural neuter
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
he came	προσελθὼν proselthōn	G4334	to approach · verb — second aorist active participle, nominative singular masculine
to the first	πρώτῳ prōtō	G4413	foremost (in time · adjective — dative singular neuter
and said	εἶπεν· eipen	G2036	to speak or say (by word or writing) · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
Son	τέκνον, teknon	G5043	a child (as produced) · noun — vocative singular neuter
go	ὕπαγε hupage	G5217	to lead (oneself) under · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person singular
work	ἐργάζου ergazou	G2038	to toil (as a task · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person singular
to day	σήμερον sēmeron	G4594	on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed) · adverb
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
my	μοῦ moû	G3450	of me
vineyard	ἀμπελῶνι ampelōni	G290	a vineyard · noun — dative singular masculine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard…
1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour…
1 Corinthians 10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
Mark 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and…
Luke 15:11-32 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
Matthew 17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the eart…
Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, an…
Luke 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 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--for true religion is a practical thing, a "bringing forth fruit unto God."

John Gill on Matthew 21:28

But what think you?.... See Gill on Matthew 18:12. a certain man had two sons. This is a parable; the design of which is to show the hypocrisy and deceit of the Scribes and Pharisees, in pretending to works of righteousness, and not doing them; and to reprove them for their disbelief and rejection of John's ministry; and to make it appear, that the worst of sinners in the Jewish nation were preferable to them; and that many of them were, and would be, happy, when they would be miserable. By the "certain man", in the parable, God is designed; who, though he is not a man, nor to be represented by any human form; yet, as man is the image of God, he is therefore, in an improper and figurative s…

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John Calvin on Matthew 21:28-32

Matthew 21:28-32 Matthew 21:28-32 28. But what think you? [29] A man had two sons, and, coming to the first, he said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. 29. And he answering said, I will not; [30] but afterwards he repented, and went. 30. And coming to the other, he spoke in the same manner. But he answering said, I[[go,] Sir, and went not. 31. Which of the two did what his father wished? [31] And they say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say to you, That the publicans and the harlots will go before you into the kingdom of God. 32. For John came to you by the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but the publicans and the harlots believed him. And you, when you…

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Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 21:28–end

Three parables expose the guilt of those who had rejected the Messiah and forfeited their privilege as God’s chosen people. The new people of God are only those who embrace the Messiah. 21:28-32 This parable continues the point about John’s significance.

The Church Fathers

Thus much prefaced, the Lord brings forward a parable, to convict them of their irreligion, and show them that the kingdom of God should be transferred to the Gentiles. He speaks to the Gentile people first, through their knowledge of the law of nature; Go and work in my vineyard; i. e. What you would not have done to you, that do not you to others. (Tobit 4:16.)
— Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Whence we may gather, that in this parable the Lord spoke to such as promise little or nothing, but in their works shine forth; and against those who promise great things but do none of these things that they have promised. Notwithstanding, the Jews are not shut out that they should never enter into the kingdom of God; but, when the fulness of the Gentiles shall have entered in, then all Israel shall be saved. (Rom. 11:25.)
— Origen of Alexandria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

(Verse 28) What do you think? A certain man had two sons; and going to the first, he said: Son, go today to work in my vineyard. Hi sunt duo filii, qui et in Lucae parabola describuntur, frugi et luxuriosus, et de quibus Zacharias propheta loquitur: Assumpsi mihi duas virgas: unam vocavi decorem, et alteram vocavi funiculum, et pavi gregem (Zach. XI, 7). Primo dicitur Gentilium populo per naturalis legis notitiam: Vade, et operare in vinea mea: hoc est, quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris (Tob. IV).
— Jerome, Commentary on Matthew

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Ecclesiasticism · Jewish, to be overthrown — Jewish, to be overthrown
Hypocrisy · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Parables · Parables of christ: Two sons — Parables of christ: Two sons
Vineyard · Parables of — Parables of
Vineyards · Members of the family often wrought in — Members of the family often wrought in
Works · .The two — .The two

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).