In the company before Christ there were scribes and Pharisees, priests and rulers, and after giving the parable of the two sons, Christ addressed to His hearers the question, "Whether of them twain did the will of his father?" Forgetting themselves, the Pharisees answered, "The first." This they said without realizing that they were pronouncing sentence against themselves. Then there fell from Christ's lips the denunciation, "Verily I say unto you, That the 277 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."

Blandt dem, der var forsamlede foran Jesus, var der skriftkloge og farisæere, præster og rådsherrer og efter at Jesus havde fortalt lignelsen om de to sønner stillede han tilhørerne spørgsmålet: "Hvem af de to gjorde nu, som faderen ville?" Idet farisæerne glemte sig selv svarede de: "Den sidste." Dette sagde de uden at være klar over at de udtalte en dom over sig selv. Derpå lød følgende anklage fra Jesu læber: "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."