This abrupt question threw His hearers off their guard. They had followed the parable closely, and now immediately answered, "The first." Fixing His steady eye upon them, Jesus responded in stern and solemn tones: "Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him."

Dette pludselige spørgsmål overrumplede hans tilhørere. De havde fulgt nøje med i lignelsen, og nu svarede de med det samme: "Den sidste!" Jesus betragtede dem roligt og svarede strengt og alvorligt: "Sandelig siger jeg eder: Toldere og skøger skal gå ind i Guds rige førend I. Thi Johannes kom til jer og lærte jer retfærdighedens vej, og I troede ham ikke, men toldere og skøger troede ham; og skønt I så det, fortrød I det dog ikke bagefter, så I troede ham."