"likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir; and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first.” COL 272.1"
"But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."
The EGW passage is a direct quotation from Matthew 21:28-31, making it an explicit allusion.
"And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not."
EGW directly quotes Matthew 21:30.
"In the sermon on the mount Christ said, “Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 . The test of sincerity is not in words, but in deeds. Christ does not say to any man, What say ye more than others? but, “What do ye more than others?” Matthew 5:47 . Full of meaning are His words, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:17 . Words are of no value unless they are accompanied with appropriate deeds. This is the lesson taught in the parable of the two sons. COL 272.2"
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 7:21 in this passage.
"And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"
Ellen White directly references Matthew 5:47 in this passage.
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."
Ellen White directly references John 13:17 in this passage.
"This parable was spoken at Christ's last visit to Jerusalem before His death. He had driven out the buyers and sellers from the temple. His voice had spoken to their hearts with the power of God. Amazed and terrified, they had obeyed His command without excuse or resistance. COL 272.3"
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,"
EGW refers to the event of Jesus cleansing the temple, which is described in Matthew 21:12. The connection is clear and supports the context of the passage.