The first son as the Gentiles
Theophilus is opening his commentary on Matthew 21:23 and 21:28–32, explaining that the first son in the parable represents the Gentiles, whom God called first.
It is untimely to unfold the deeper things to deceitful people who do not come to learn (Matthew 21:23).
A man had two sons, and the first son is the Gentiles, whom God the common Father called first. For he sowed the teachable and natural law in their minds and gave the visible creation as heralds, but the good order of their soul was poured out onto wood and stones. For they said to the wood, “You are my father.” Therefore they did not endure being hindered, for they said, “We do not know the Lord.” So these, having regretted it later, went away into the vineyard (Matthew 21:28–32).
Greek
1 Mt 21, 23 Τοῖς δολεροῖς μὴ προσιοῦσιν εἰς τὸ μαθεῖν ἄκαιρον ἀναπτύσσειν
τὰ βαθύτερα.
2 μτ 21, 28–32 Ἄνθρωπός τις εἶχεν δύο υἱοὺς καὶ ὁ μὲν πρῶτός ἐστιν τὰ ἔθνη,
οὓς ὁ θεὸς ὁ κοινὸς πατὴρ πρώτους ἐκάλεσεν· τὸν γὰρ διδακτὸν καὶ φυσικὸν νόμον
ταῖς διανοίαις ἐγκατασπείρας ἔδωκε κήρυκας τὰ ὁρώμενα, ἀλλ' ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῶν
εὐταξία συνεχύθη ἐπὶ ξύλα καὶ λίθους· «εἶπαν «, γὰρ «τῷ ξύλῳ· πατήρ μου εἶ σύ «.
διὸ οὐκ ἠνέσχοντο κωλυόμενοι· εἶπον γὰρ οὐκ οἴδαμεν τὸν κύριον. οὗτοι οὖν
μεταμεληθέντες ὕστερον ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα.