Today's Gospel in Art - The Parable of the Two Sons in the Vineyard

The Parable of the Father and His Two Sons in the Vineyard, by Georg Pencz 1534-35 © Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Gospel of 27th September 2020 - Matthew 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, 'What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, "My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today." He answered, "I will not go," but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, "Certainly, sir," but did not go. Which of the two did the father's will?' 'The first' they said. Jesus said to them, 'I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.'

Reflection on the Engraving

The 16th century engraving we are looking at today is very small, just a bit larger than a postage stamp. It is one of the rare illustrations in art of our parable today. Strangely enough, this parable didn't get depicted in art all that often over the centuries. Maybe the reason is that it isn't the easiest parable to grasp or even to lend itself to pictorial depictions?

Jesus addresses the parable directly to the Jewish leaders who refused to believe in Him. One son says 'Yes father!' when instructed to go to work in the vineyard, but he does not go. The other son says straightaway when asked "No! I don't want to go" when his father instructs him, but later he regrets disobeying his father and does eventually go to work. Jesus then asks the question 'Which of the two sons did what his father wanted of him?', to which the answer is the one that went to work, no matter what either of them said. Jesus thus points the finger at the Jewish leaders. He compares them to the bad son, saying one thing, but doing another. Their shameless hypocrisy was condemned. The other son felt bad for having said no, repented and eventually did go to the vineyard.

So do we make it to the vineyard? Or do we say one thing and do another? We have all been probably more like the son who said yes and then did not go to work…

LINKS

Today's story - https://christian.art/en/daily-gospel-reading/557

Christian Art - www.christian.art