ref3WILL

ref3Will



PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS


(A) The parable of the Two Sons gives us a view into the mind of God, in this case what he expects of us. God is expecting us to respond to reasonable requests. Second, the request often is the willingness to work on or in our own soul-nature, the vineyard. Third, he naturally expects us to give an honest answer, and once given to keep our word.

We come to a central issue, that issue being repentance, followed by the dutiful execution on that repenting decision. None of this can be done without the will empowering such decisions. We see both sons demonstrating will: the first who repents and returns to work, the second whose ultimate decision willfully does not back up his word. He does not act.

The context of the parable also gives us another profound discourse, the discourse on spiritual authority. The parable also contains the comparison of the elders, who shunned John the Baptist, to those who responded to John, furthering a repeated theme that even the lowly will go first. The people heard with a pure heart, but for the chief priests they did not hear, did not even follow long enough to see, and essentially dismissed John even in the midst of seeing his good works. By comparison again we could ask who are they to ask about Jesus’ authority, when to the most obvious spiritual demonstration or witnessing of God the elders did not give any real credence?


Versus 23 - 46 gives us the depth of ignorance expressed by the Pharisaical order of the times. They have no comprehension of event. When finally comprehending, their actions become a defense of their own power base. There is no revelation. There is no coming forth based on simple faith. There seems to be no grasp on any level, only the challenges to Jesus.

Verse 46 ends this scripture with, “But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.” The Jesus ministry is growing more so than most people think; he was already known as a prophet by many. Because he discusses John the Baptist Jesus is also associated with John. Having support is one thing, having the support of the people so they will stand up to the Pharisees is another. Jesus is very aggressive, and wherever he goes he “steals turf” from the Pharisee’s territory, and they seem helpless to do anything about it.

The most obvious interpretation of the Two Sons is to understand the parable relative to the group Jesus addresses. Verse 23, “the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching.” They question Jesus’ authority and from whence it comes. Remember that some viewed his work as of the Evil One, and then later that was set aside as his miracle ministry continued, and his teaching ministry began to catch hold. The final charge against him was not being an instrument of evil powers, but blasphemy as the foremost.

Jesus responds to this questioning by offering a conundrum, a kind of riddle which if answered defines the chief priests. He asks if the baptism of John was of heaven or man. If they say heaven, then Jesus would counter with why did you not believe him and support him. If they say not, then there is alienation with the people, who largely believed John a prophet.

Then comes their question concerning Jesus’ legitimacy, his spiritual authority. Looked at from Jesus’ point of view we see whence comes the two sons parable. He seems almost incredulous that they cannot grasp, essentially saying the elders have no spiritual perception. They could not see John and they cannot see him.

The Parable of the Two Sons speaks to reinforce his first proposal concerning John. His intent is clear in his views of these priests and elders, the highly regarded of Bethany, and finishes with a strong indictment, “For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not... repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.” Jesus brings a convicting call to those who cannot hear or see. They will not give evidence by John, nor will they give evidence by Jesus.

Quickly follows the parable of the husbandman and his son, “This is the heir... and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.” This parable refers to usurpation of authority, an authority set up by thieves and brigands, even unto murder. Jesus is calling the Pharisees the brigands who have unrighteously taken over another man’s field, or authority. Jesus infers he is the proper authority.

(1) “ the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Those who act or respond are those who will be blessed, or who come into the kingdom of knowing God. Jesus repeatedly teaches that even though words are important, action speaks louder; that words may be a good beginning, but words are fulfilled with demonstration.

(2) “did not believe him.” Deals with ear for truth, and can you hear truth, as opposed to agreement with own ideas; spiritual truth compared to earthly understanding, or earthly figuring out. “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear”, is repeated throughout Jesus’ message, and that if you do not pay attention you cannot know, you cannot have any true witnessing.

(3) “And even after you saw this”. Jesus scolds the chief priests, for they saw people responding, but were not interested in really finding out why. Also, this type of behavior is used by the Sanhedrin during the religious trial of Jesus. They really did not seek to understand, but only wanted to compare Jesus with what they already thought they knew. Once done, only condemnation could follow.

(4) Psalm 10, A Song of Confidence in God’s Triumph over Evil
(v.2) The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; let them be caught in the plots they have devised. (v.3) For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the lord. (4) The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts (NKJ). This illustrates arrogance and pride.

Mark 7: 21-23. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, (22) thefts... pride, foolishness.
(23) All of these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Jesus continues to point to within as the source of the problem; by reflection he points to within as source for solution, or resolution.

Mk.2: 8 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, he said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? (9) Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you’, or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk?” (NKJ). It is the ‘”heart of a man” that comes into question. It is the reasonings within Jesus perceives; it is the spirit within that witnesses this. Jesus gives us a clear example of the type of perception and knowing entailed in walking in The Way. That everyone is probably more arrogant than they think, and likely more willful within that arrogance than they believe, this is what causes the problem.

(5) Matt. 16: 24, 25. Then Jesus said unto his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” This text can be approached from more than one direction, but in terms of the will some issues are made clear.

First, “If any man will [chooses to] come after me.” This is demonstration of will by choice, finally deciding, a final or resolute choice. Now we have the cost of this choice, which is “let him deny himself,”. That is, you can keep yourself as you now are, or you can give up that self for the more “divine self”, or spirit of God; but, you will have to follow after my teaching (by inference) to do so. More specifically, “and take up his [your own] cross, and [actually] follow me.”

This last requires two different actions for demonstration of your choice. The first is a coming to terms with yourself, the cross (soul-nature) you bear, one that may have shortcomings, and with which you will contend. He does not say so, but we know there were responsibilities the disciples had to assume that they could not at the moment imagine. The second lies within the work itself, the actual following of Jesus as a daily walk.

One demonstration is taking up the teaching (inferred), the other is to walk in the active ministry. Once we have “follow me”, we move the will from choice into commitment, from the will to take up the teaching (as teaching), to the active participation within the ministry (the walk). This active ministry is stipulated for the disciples. “For whosoever will save his life”, or save his spiritual life, “shall lose it.”, or shall lose his life, his life as it currently is, as well as your life as you currently perceive it. That of the earthly life and earthly perceptions of life will now go. Why? Because that choice and commitment (or will) leaves the other behind to take up the new, whether thought of as new understanding, or further, the new life the disciple would be living by being in active ministry. The last, “whosoever will lose his life for my sake”, that is, give up the old life, “shall find it.”, or find the true life which Jesus offers.

(6) Power of the will, final decisions, incontrovertible choices, all show various aspects of the will, and can be seen within the above scripture (Mt. 16: 24, 25). Thence follows commitment into doing, or in this case following Jesus on his ministry. It’s symbolic value should also be considered. To take up the cross also alludes to sacrifice, sacrificing mortal-self so divine-self, or spirit of God, God enlightened-self, can emerge, can come forth, can be born. Identity remains in tact, as Jesus is always Jesus, just as you are always you. After all, he says to follow me. Yet, identity is now transformed with the act of the will, not only with intent, but with the actions that follow, “take up his cross, and follow me.” This tapestry gives vision to a broad range of responses: intent, choice, willingness to proceed, commitment, continued dedication. It does establish choice, and then will leading to commitment, as primary to the spiritual pathway.

(7) Use of will as act of power. Mt. 21: 29 “He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.” Power of the will applied to the power of repentance. Both come together so this right action follows.

(v.46) “But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.” Although this does not appear to directly deal with the will, it does show there is a ‘will at work’ that begins to compound, a ‘will of its own’ might be one way to describe it. We see a schism between religious hierarchy and the common man. The common man cannot have his say. The rumors, the slander, the disagreements, the envy, all contribute in this desire to lay hands on Jesus.

Jesus is given status as prophet. We seem to have the Pharisees in willful disregard to a prophet; and furthermore, a prophet the people receive as prophet, thus, Pharisees taking stand against the people. Such a chaos within the contestment of wills cannot be settled over a cup of tea. For those who walk in The Way it also illustrates that the Jesus ministry was not small or ineffective. Numbers are beginning to count, and the chief priests and Pharisees can no longer do with Jesus as they might please.

(8) Scriptures on the evil generation, evil in the hierarchy, evil upon the land gives us how people were organized to follow rules, but their hearts were not changed. We see God being ritualized, but Jesus tells us that God primarily wants you to love him. There seems to be a fundamental difference in Jesus’ grasp within ritual and society, that “things of the world” providing sanctity or blessing is considered almost absurd from the Jesus point of view. The hierarchy of the day would see Jesus as disrupting social order: twelve men, seven women as disciples, a tax collector as a disciple, mixing rich and poor alike, traveling with women.

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