Matthew 21:32

32 For John came to you ¹in the way of righteousness, and ²you did not believe him, but ³the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward ⁴change your minds and believe him.

Matthew 21:32 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 21:32

For John came unto you in a way of righteousness
He had a commission from God; he was no impostor; the doctrine he taught was true, and which he faithfully delivered; his life and conversation were unblamable; there was nothing in his credentials, ministry, and conduct, that could justly be found fault with:

and ye believed him not;
to be the forerunner of the Messiah, or the Elias that was to come; nor attended to the doctrine of repentance preached by him, nor were subject to the ordinance of baptism he administered; nor gave any assent, or credit, to the Messiah he so manifestly pointed out:

but the publicans and harlots believed him;
what he said concerning the wrath to come, and the miserable state and danger they were in; and they repented of their sins, and confessed them, and were baptized of him in Jordan; believing the testimony he gave of Jesus of Nazareth being the Messiah, and Son of God:

and ye, when ye had seen it;
the repentance and faith of these persons, and what a wonderful reformation was wrought in them,

repented not afterwards;
of their disobedience, impenitence, and unbelief, after they had seen the effects of John's ministry on these very profligate sinners, and after, the death of John; who, by his constancy, zeal, and faithfulness, had shown himself to be a true, and upright minister of the word; and afterwards under the ministry of Christ, and his apostles, by, whom the same doctrines were preached, and the same ordinances administered,

that ye might believe him;
the testimony he has left behind him concerning the Messiah.

Matthew 21:32 In-Context

30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

33 "Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.

34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.

Cross References

• 1. [Matthew 3:8-12, 15; Proverbs 8:20; 2 Peter 2:21]
• 2. ver. 25; Matthew 11:18
• 3. Luke 3:12, 13
• 4. [See ver. 29 above]