Matthew 21:28-32

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time, year A.

This week’s Gospel is short, and on the face of it, straightforward. Jesus asks the “chief priests and elders” to judge between two brothers – one who refuses his father’s bidding, then does it anyway; the other who acquiesces, but then fails to do the task.

The chief priests and elders favour the first brother, the one who refused his father, but did his bidding anyway. It is possibly worth pointing out though, that this might not have been so obvious a choice as we might assume. In a culture where personal “honour” was so high on the agenda, to be shamed by the refusal of your own child to do your bidding was an egregious failing. There exist, apparently, ancient manuscripts of this text which have the second brother (who showed respect to his father in public, with no intention of doing his bidding) as the one chosen by the elders as the more acceptable one.

All of which brings into question the purpose of this story. Traditionally I think it has been presented as “what you do counts more than what you say”. Clearly, the second version I have described does not lend itself to this interpretation. And I wonder, when Jesus asked the question, if he was maybe genuinely curious, uncertain of which answer he would be given.

Perhaps the story is not about the good brother/bad brother at all. Perhaps it is about the possibility of “changing your mind””, an invitation – an opportunity for the elders to change their minds. They rejected John, and appear to be rejecting Jesus – they can be like the first brother, rejecting him publicly, but quietly listen to his word and follow his teaching. That opportunity is still open to them.

There may also be some in the crowd of followers (maybe the tax collectors and prostitutes that Jesus refers to as entering the kingdom of GOD) who might recognise themselves in the second brother – honouring Jesus in public, but unable to conform to some of his practice. Would they feel endorsed, or challenged by this parable

Is Jesus intending the instruction of the “father” to represent Jewish law, or could it be Jesus’ own teaching; are the refuseniks the elders, or the prostitutes and tax-collectors.

Questions

1) What occasions have you experienced when “saying the right thing” has been the best way forward, even if you don’t intend abiding by it.

2) How would you feel if someone used this as justification for their apparent inconsistency/hypocrisy?

3) When have you changed your mind in matters of faith? How did that feel?

4) How can we invite people (ourselves?) to change their mind without undermining them?

5) When is it “too late” to change your mind?