THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 11:1-19
John’s Questions, Jesus’ Tribute to John
John’s Questions
Matthew 11:1, When Jesus had finished giving (and commanding) instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach (and proclaim) in their cities.
(Commentary Break: Verse one is simply stated and easily overlooked. Jesus has finished giving instructions and continues to fulfill His mission and leads by example, by continuing to teach and preach in their cities!
This is the model and the way for each and every disciple of Christ, but particularly pastors and teachers and anyone else who would brazenly assume the role of a leader. Get out from behind your religious trappings and follow Jesus! (End Commentary Break).
Verse 2. Now while in prison, John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, verse 3, and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or are we to look (and wait) for someone else?” Verse 4. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: verse 5, those who are BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the POOR HAVE THE (GOOD NEWS of the) GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. Verse 6. And blessed is anyone (that is whoever) who does not take offense (and stumble over) Me.”
Jesus’ Tribute to John
Verse 7. As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? Verse 8. But (well then), what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ (houses and) palaces!
Verse 9. But (well then), what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. Verse 10. This is the one about whom it has been written:
‘BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER (BEFORE YOUR FACE), AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’
(Commentary Break: Jesus emphatically states, whether they know it or not, they shall see one who is a prophet, and more than a just a prophet!
Likewise, if you encounter a true prophet of God, your curiosity will turn into fear. You will not encounter the ordinary, but the extraordinary things of God. Your sins will be exposed, you will be humbled, and you will know the fear of God. You will mourn, you will hunger and thirst, and you will find seek and find mercy.
Jesus warns this crowd and gives us perspective of the natural order versus the Devine, our standing as citizens of earth before Christ Jesus and on our position as Christians in His Kingdom. (End Commentary Break).
Verse 11. Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
(Commentary Break: Jesus, in His tribute to John the Baptist, is reminding us that the greatness of men is measured by the divine not a human standard. ‘The prophet, who was more than a prophet’, the herald or the forerunner of the kingdom, was greater in his work, his holiness, his intuition of the truth, than the far-off patriarchs, Abraham, Moses, David or Solomon, and much greater than the conquerors and the destroyers. The Greek gives the comparative, not the superlative.
The death and the resurrection of Christ were indeed great points of the gospel, but to which John could only prophesy of, and not preach of, and declare us things in his time accomplished. So, Jesus explains and warns that the weakest Christian is greater in privileges than the greatest of the Old Testament saints.
We are not to seek to attain earthly glory or status – even when they are beneficial and worthy things, for the best of earthly accomplishments fade to nothingness when compared to the glory and privileges, even the lowest of Christians will attain in the Kingdom of God. (End Commentary Break).
Verse 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force. Verse 13. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. Verse 14. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who (is going to come). Verse 15. The one who has ears to hear, (listen and) let him hear.
(Commentary Break: You might be better served to read a good commentary for the preceding verses (twelve through fifteen). However, it is certainly passive here. Luke’s phrase compels us to understand the reason of the violence is for entrance into the kingdom. The kingdom is not being ill-treated, but it is as if it were being taken by storm (Meyer). The violent, are men using strong force, men whose minds are made up and who do not care what force and power they employ to attain their object. Take it by force, i.e., ‘grasp it for themselves’ like rough and violent bandits seizing their prey. Our Lord is describing the energy with which some souls are pressing in, and using such energy, so their salvation is obtained. There is no thought of hostile purpose in these words. (End Commentary Break).
Verse 16. “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, verse 17, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not (beat your breast and) mourn.’ Verse 18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ Verse 19. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy (wine) drinker, a friend of tax collectors and (irreligious Jews) and sinners!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
(Commentary Break: These words of Jesus are often misunderstood or passed over because of their mysterious sounding nature and complexity. These are metaphors and colloquialisms known by the Jew, and if you were a Jew in that day, you would understand the references used.
It would be easy to assume that these words spoken to the gathering crowd are draped in sarcasm, when actually Jesus is issuing a stern warning. He is rhetorically asking the crowd why would they travel so far in such a desolate place? Did they make this journey only to see the ordinary and mundane, such as a commonplace reed blowing in the wind? What would be the point of travelling into the wilderness when you could see that anywhere? Or perhaps did they expect to see a man wearing royal clothing wandering about the wilderness? Nonsense. They are fooling no one but themselves!
Before continuing, please remember that these are creative, causative, prophetic and instructional words of Jesus. These words apply to you and to me today in the same way they applied to the crowds following Jesus. Grasping what Jesus is saying, teaching, prophesying and instructing is our obstacle to overcome.
Even in our day, crowds of people travel near and far after hearing about a miracle-worker, a prophet or a gifted man of God. They go to great lengths to be amazed, entertained or to receive a prophet’s miracle. Too often, however, when we seek out a prophet of God, we only find that which is very ordinary. But what did you really expect?
But if you encounter a true prophet of God, it will not be a commonplace thing. There will be no inspiring oratory, no magnificent stage presence, no entertainment, no magic.
Jesus uses a metaphor to describe the behavior of both observant and non-observant Jews as miscreant children, saying they are immature, selfish and childish. They are “like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates”, pretending that what is occurring is only a child’s game for their entertainment. But the seriousness and the reality of it is that, “John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and (yet you ‘childish people’ say), ‘He’s possessed by a demon. ’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ (End Commentary Break).
We must not think or behave like immature children through the rituals of “going to church and calling out to our ‘playmates’ seeking to entertain and to be entertained in the name of our religion, complaining when we don’t get what we want or expect.” In other words, we must stop ‘playing church’, and sense the gravity of the task before us as Christians.
“Wisdom is justified by her deeds”, and of us, it will be found out by way of our own deeds! There is no exception.
(End Chapter 11, verses 1 through 19. Next, Chapter 11, verses 20 through 30).
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NEXT: THE BOOK OF MATTHEW – Chapter 11:20-30, Unrepenting Cities, Come to Me
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