text: Very important words in that parable, Kari, are right at the beginning - "Jesus said to the Pharisees...." So many people conveniently miss that important sentence.
  
  The modern day Pharisees love to claim, "But the Son did repent!!" (As with the woman caught in adultery, "But he told her not to sin anymore!!")
  
  Such claims are clearly NOT the core messages of these gospel texts. But then, if you are unmerciful, exacting, judgemental etc.. it's probably easier to invent an alternative, more palatable understanding which lets such people off the hook. They think.