In the parable the son who said, "I go, sir," represented himself as faithful and obedient; but time proved that his profession was not real. He had no true love for his father. So the Pharisees prided themselves on their holiness, but when tested, it was found wanting. When it was for their interest to do so, they made the requirements of the law very exacting; but when obedience was required from themselves, by cunning sophistries they reasoned away the force of God's precepts. Of them Christ declared, "Do not ye 279 after their works; for they say, and do not." Matt. 23:3. They had no true love for God or man. God called them to be co-workers with Him in blessing the world; but while in profession they accepted the call, in action they refused obedience. They trusted to self, and prided themselves on their goodness; but they set the commands of God at defiance. They refused to do the work which God had appointed them, and because of their transgression the Lord was about to divorce Himself from the disobedient nation.

Den søn i lignelsen, som sagde: "Ja, herre," foregav at være tro og lydig, men tiden viste, at hans bekendelse ikke var ægte. Han havde ingen oprigtig kærlighed til sin fader På samme måde roste farisæerne sig af at være hellige, men når de blev vejet, fandt man, at de var for lette. De gjorde lovens krav meget strenge, når det var i deres egen interesse, men når lydigheden krævedes af dem selv, bortforklarede de Guds buds gyldighed ved at benytte spidsfindigheder Jesus sagde om dem: "Deres gerninger skal I ikke rette jer efter; thi de siger det nok, men gør det ikke." De havde ingen sand kærlighed til Gud eller mennesker Gud kaldte dem til at være sine medarbejdere til velsignelse for verden, og de tog vel imod kaldet i ord, men i gerning nægtede de lydighed. De stolede på sig selv og var stolte af deres godhed, men de trodsede Guds bud. De nægtede at udføre den gerning, som Gud havde betroet dem, og på grund af deres overtrædelser var Herren i begreb med at skille sig fra det ulydige folk.