CHAPTER 11
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. Matthew 11:1
Commentators feel sure that this verse should be connected with the previous chapter.1 So far in Jesus’ ministry, he has encountered only brief hostility (9:3), but chapters 11 through 13 will see this hostility steadily rise. Jesus was simply not the kind of Messiah that some people had expected.2
“When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” (11:2-3). It was even possible that John had some misgivings about Jesus. Some may wonder how John got in prison. John had preached strongly on righteousness and had called upon everyone to repent. However, at that time Herod Antipas, tetrarch of the Galilee, traveled to Rome and seduced his brother’s wife. He returned to Galilee and promptly dismissed his own wife and then married her. John rebuked Antipas publicly and it was never safe to rebuke an eastern despot. Antipas then threw John into prison.3
According to the historian Josephus, John was placed in the prison at Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea (Josephus. Antiq. 18.5.2.). We can only imagine how horrible it was for John to be shut up in prison. He was a man of the outdoors and the wilderness. It may have been that he had never lived in a house. What an ordeal it must have been to have his only light coming from the narrow prison window.4 The full story of his imprisonment and murder will be told later in 14:3-12.
Jesus was not what many in Israel were expecting, and that might have been partly true for John. The Bible scholars of Israel had failed to understand their own prophets. The prophets had spoken of a suffering Messiah who would redeem Israel, but Israel was looking only for a conquering political Messiah who would defeat the Romans. The question he asked in this verse is interesting. The Greek word for “someone else” has the meaning “another of a different kind.” 5
Commentators have tried many ways to explain the actions of John. Surely, the fact that he was languishing in prison had some bearing on his question. After all, Jesus had preached the deliverance of captives and John was still in prison (Lk. 4:18). He was probably getting impatient for Jesus to begin his judgment and his release of prisoners.
Several other ideas have been submitted by the scholars. Some have felt that John was asking the question for the sake of his own disciples, most of whom had not come to appreciate Christ.6
Pfeiffer and Harrison say, “…he may have wondered whether an additional Messianic figure needed to appear, such as Elijah (cf. Mal. 4:5; Jn. 1:19-21).” 7 He might have wondered if Jesus was perhaps, like himself, a kind of forerunner.8
It seems the best explanation is that John had experienced some down days in prison and his faith had gotten a little weak. After all, the great Elijah himself had gone through a time of doubt and discouragement (1 Ki. 19:1ff.). Jesus’ answer in verse 6 seems to indicate that John was in such a despondent period.
“Jesus replied, ‘Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” (11:4-5). No doubt, Jesus was seeking to remind John of several Old Testament passages, like Isaiah 26:19; 29:18-19; 35:5-6; and 61:1. Even while the disciples of John watched, many astounding miracles were worked by the Lord (Lk. 7:21). Apparently, even the dead were raised (Lk. 7:11-15). All this meant nothing to the religious elite who were intent upon misinterpreting the scripture for their own selfish purposes, but it should have meant a lot to John who loved the word of God. France sighs about Israel’s great misunderstanding saying, “…the miracles…were not a part of the common Messianic expectation.” 9
This good news was even preached to the poor. In almost every system of religion the poor are forgotten. The Pharisees, far from helping the poor, were actually preying upon them (Mk. 12:40). Barnes says, “…the ‘poor’ have always been overlooked by Pharisees and philosophers.” 10 The great preacher Spurgeon once said that an unbelieving generation can turn food into poison.11
“Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” (11:6). The Greek word for stumble (skandalisthēi) is taken from the bait stick of an animal trap.12 The idea is to stumble or trip up. This was a gentle warning for John to stay strong in his faith and not to stumble because of his doubts. Pett says of him, “…for great prophet that he was, even his understanding was limited by his background and expectations.” 13
THE GREATNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?” Matthew 11:7
Barker & Kohlenberger say, “John had often borne witness to Jesus, now Jesus bears witness to John.” 14 Because of its regular overflows there were many canes or reeds along the Jordan River. In its context here, the reed swayed by the wind was no doubt a picture of a weak and pliable person. John was not such a person. His rugged independence had attracted a large following.15 He was not afraid to rebuke the king or the powerful religious establishment in Jerusalem.
“If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces” (11:8). Barnes says of the words for fine clothes: “The kind of raiment here denoted was the light, thin clothing worn by effeminate persons. It was made commonly of fine linen, and was worn chiefly for ornament…This kind of clothing was an emblem of riches, splendor, effeminacy, feebleness of character.” 16 The king and all of his courtiers would likely have worn and prized such finery. In the high fashion world such clothing is still sought out today.
“Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet” (11:9). John was not just a prophet. He was a very special prophet. He was the first prophet the Jewish people had seen and heard in over four hundred years. He was greater than all the previous prophets because it was his task to introduce the kingdom of God and the Coming King.
“This is the one about whom it is written: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you’” (11:10). This is a quote from Malachi 3:1 (cf. Isa. 40:3). A great amount of preparation had to be undertaken before the Messiah could appear. There had to be a lot of repentance. The spiritual road had to be smoothed out with the high places of pride brought down and the low places of doubt and depression had to be filled up (Isa. 40:4; Lk. 3:4-6). It was a difficult and painful task that would require a lot of rejection and suffering for John. It was undoubtedly through John’s preaching that many thousands of people immediately followed Christ when he first appeared in public.17
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (11:11). Of all the prophets and of all the people who had ever lived, none was greater than John. It was as if John stood on a mezzanine between the earthly realm and the heavenly realm. He was greater than all who were below him, including the greatest of the prophets, but he was lower than all those who would be born of the Spirit. John had never seen the Cross and its redemption. He had not known the full revelation of God’s great love.18 He knew about repentance but he knew nothing of the total forgiveness through the blood of Christ. Pfieffer and Harrison say, “John was the friend of the bridegroom, but the disciples became the bride (Jn. 3:29).” 19
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it” (11:12). This has been called one of the most difficult verses in Matthew. There has been great debate over the Greek verb biazomai (subjected to violence). It can be taken as positive or negative. In the positive sense it can be translated as the NET Bible has it: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.” This sounds like one has to be forceful to inherit the kingdom (and this is really true of course).
The verse can also be taken in the negative as the NIV has it above. Several other translations make this sense of the verse (NAS, ESV, NKJ). Perhaps the NLT renders this sense best: “And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.” Morris comments: “It is much more likely in such a context that Matthew understood the words of the opposition of the evil rather than the progress of the good.” 20
Barclay comments about what Jesus may have said: “Always my kingdom will suffer violence; always savage men will try to break it up, and snatch it away and destroy it; and therefore only the man who is desperately in earnest, only the man in whom the violence of devotion matches and defeats the violence of persecution will in the end enter into it.” 21
“For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come” (11:13-14). When the early Jewish Christians spoke of the Prophets and the Law, it was their way of speaking of the whole Bible.22 The section not mentioned but sandwiched in between was the Writings.
Jesus said if the people could but accept it John was the Elijah to come. Of course, the people were not willing to accept John or his message. In a very real sense John was the Elijah to come (cf. 17:12), although he did not think he was (Jn. 1:20-25). However, because Israel did not accept him, Elijah is still to come in the last days (Mal. 4:5-6). Today the Jewish people always put out a chair for Elijah at each of their Passover celebrations and invite him to come. They sing Hebrew songs about Eli-ya-hu ha-navi (Elijah the prophet). Wiersbe remarks that if the people had received John’s message the prophecies would have been fulfilled literally and Israel would have received her Messiah. Instead, they had to be fulfilled in a spiritual sense in the lives of Jesus’ followers (cf. 17:10-13).23
“Whoever has ears, let them hear” (11:15). Jesus uses this particular challenge on several occasions in his teaching (e.g. 13:9, 43; Lk. 8:8; 14:35). It is interesting that when the Risen Christ speaks to us in the Book of Revelation, he uses the very same expression (e.g. Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9). We can know by this that it really is our Lord speaking to us.
UNCOOPERATIVE HEARERS
To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: “We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” Matthew 11:16-17
Ancient marketplaces were often quite large as some open markets are today in Israel. Children probably played while their parents shopped. They apparently played wedding games and even funeral games. It seems that some of the children were stubborn and peevish. When some started the wedding song others sat with their arms crossed or else they wanted to mourn. When the leaders started the funeral dirge perhaps the stubborn ones started dancing.
Such ridiculous and uncooperative behavior was not only seen in the little children but in some of the adults who listened to John and Jesus. John essentially played the dirge and Jesus played the wedding song. They got about the same results from their listeners. Barclay says, “They called John’s asceticism madness; and they called Jesus’ sociability laxness of morals. They could find a ground of criticism either way…The plain fact is that when people do not want to listen to the truth, they will easily enough find an excuse for not listening to it…” 24 All this reminds us a little bit of what goes on in some churches.
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds” (11:18-19). This is the only text that charges John with having a demon but there are several texts where the same people charge Jesus with the identical thing (cf. 9:34; 12:24). It was impossible for the leaders to deny the power of John and Jesus so they claimed that their authority rested in the evil one.25 Simply, the leaders of Israel were determined to oppose the kingdom of God no matter what form it took.
Here, wisdom almost takes on a personification (cf. Lk. 11:49).26 Real wisdom in the end produces wise people and good results. The so-called “wisdom of this world” produces disastrous results in people’s lives. In the Old Testament there were several books including Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes called “wisdom literature.” These books instruct us in the way of righteousness with the goal of producing wise and righteous people. Today, we know that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus (Col. 2:3). When we walk after him, his wisdom will be proven and evident in us.
WOE TO UNBELIEVING CITIES
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. Matthew 11:20
In this section Jesus is dealing with the three cities where most of his miracles were performed. These cities are Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida, and are often called “The Evangelical Triangle” because they are grouped closely together (cf. comment on 4:17). They were all within 5 miles of each other. While Bethsaida and Capernaum are on or near the coastline of the Sea of Galilee, Chorazin is a very steep climb to an elevation of well over 300 feet (100 m.). When we consider that Capernaum is 680 feet (207 m.) below sea level, the climb up to Chorazin would have been close to 1000 feet total. While the distance from Capernaum to Chorazin would have been a little under three miles (4.8 km.), it would have been a hot climb with the sun reflecting on the black basalt stones and with summer temperatures reaching to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 C.). We can know from all this that Jesus was quite a strong person physically for he probably made this trip many times.
These cities heard the gospel often and saw numerous miracles but they still did not repent and turn from their sins. Repentance, of course, was a change of mind that was immediately followed by a change of action.27 The ministries of both John and Jesus were focused upon bringing forth repentance among the people.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you” (11:21-22). Today Chorazin is a ruin on the hillside and a designated Galilee tourist site. The city flourished in the New Testament era and was famous for the production of grain crops. We do not have record of any miracles performed in the town but Jesus did numerous things that were not recorded (cf. Jn. 21:25).
Many think that Bethsaida was originally a small fishing village at the mouth of the Jordan River. It was the original home of Peter, Andrew and Philip (Jn. 1:44). However, there has been much discussion about its true location. We know from history that Herod Philip raised the city to the rank of a polis in the year AD 30/31. He renamed it Bethsaida Julias in honor of the wife of Caesar Augustus. Today, its ruins sit on a hill to the east known as et-Tel and is some 1¼ miles (2 km.) from the sea. This city is now the official tourist site of Bethsaida, but many think it is too far from the water to be the biblical city.
We do have some recorded miracles in Bethsaida or its vicinity (cf. Mk. 8:22ff.). One of the great miracles of loaves and fishes seems to be connected somehow with the area of Bethsaida (Lk. 9:10ff.).
Jesus exclaims “Woe!” to these cities because they did not repent after seeing all his miracles. The expression “Woe!” is not some cry of grim vengeance but it is more an expression of regret or a cry of “Alas!” because of the judgment to come.28 In the coming judgment the wicked Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon (cf. Isa. 23:1-18) will fare better than Chroazin and Bethsaida. Had they seen the miracles of Jesus and heard his preaching they would have repented. We know that when Jesus later traveled to these cities a Canaanite woman fully believed and her daughter was healed (Matt. 15:21ff.). In Acts 21:3-6; 27:3, we note that churches later existed in these cities. Therefore, they would have repented in sackcloth at the preaching of Jesus. Sackcloth was a cheap cloth often made of camel hair and worn under other garments in time of grief.29
“And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you” (11:23-24). It is almost unthinkable, but the King of the Universe came and chose to live in the little city of Capernaum (cf. 4:13ff.). What an honor! That alone should have lifted Capernaum above all the cities of the earth, but it was not to be.
No doubt, Jesus did much preaching and teaching in the city. He also worked many miracles there (cf. 8:5-17; 9:2-8; 18-33; Mk. 1:23-28). When a resident of the city went to the shuk to buy apples he might have seen Jesus there performing a great miracle of healing. However, the resident probably said “Now that is really nice!” He then paid for his apples and returned home essentially unaffected. The political and religious bias of the Capernaum synagogue and its leaders probably did much to dampen the Jesus enthusiasm in the city.
Because God visited the city and the people did not acknowledge it, Capernaum would not be honored but would go down to Hades (cf. Isa. 14:15; Ezek. 26:20; 28:8). Hades corresponds to the Hebrew Sheol or the abode of the dead. According to the rabbis, Sheol was divided into two parts, for the righteous dead and the wicked dead.30 We can hardly think that Capernaum went down to the righteous part.
Jesus even tells us that on the Day of Judgment exceedingly evil Sodom will fare better than Capernaum (cf. 10:15). Had Sodom heard the preaching of Jesus and witnessed his miracles the ancient city would have repented.31 Keener brings out the standard that is evident here. “The principle that those who had more light were judged more strictly appears in the Old Testament (cf. Amos 3:2; Jonah 4:11).” 32 Clarke adds: “It will be more tolerable for certain sinners, who have already been damned nearly four thousand years, than for those who, live and die infidels under the gospel!” 33
THE REST THAT JESUS GIVES
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Matthew 11:25-26
Commentators remark that the style of this section is very similar to the style of the Fourth Gospel. It reveals that Jesus did at times teach in this style.34 Throughout the Bible we find that the people who understand God’s truth are the babes, the simple, the humble and the unlearned.35 The worldly wise and haughty are always turned away. Isaiah says, “All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace” (Isa. 54:13). It behooves us to humble ourselves and become like little children so that the precious word can be engrafted into our lives (Jam. 1:21).
“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (11:27). Before the Risen Christ ascended to heaven he proclaimed: “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18). Literally, the Father has placed everything into the hands of his Son. Therefore, Jesus is the only avenue open to humanity so that people might know God. This statement is the height of exclusivism! There is absolutely no way to God except through Christ. Only the Son can reveal the Father. “The whole sum of divine truth is transmitted from Father to Son (cf. Jn. 5:20).” 36 Jesus came to earth to tell us and show us what God is like. Jesus declares: “…I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6).
We must understand the biblical concept of “knowing.” It is certainly not some casual acquaintance. France says, “‘Know’ in the Old Testament is much more than a mental acquaintance; it is an intimate relationship.” 37
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (11:28-30). This is one of the greatest and most blessed invitations in the New Testament. Our world is filled with people who are weary and burdened. Sometimes even Christians get weary and burdened and must return quickly to the Lord. Guthrie says here, “The rest promised is not mere idleness but means a new yoke for service…” 38
The Jewish people were quite familiar with the heavy yoke of the law (23:4; cf. Acts 15:10). Really, no one could bear it, not even the teachers who placed it on the necks of their students. In New Testament times oxen were yoked together. Their yoke was heavy and made of wood. The wooden yokes were roughed out and then fitted to the beast. It was smoothed out so that it would not gall the neck of the ox. Jesus actually may have made such yokes in his Nazareth carpenter shop.39 The yoke did not prevent work but it made the work more pleasant and manageable.40 It also made it possible for one oxen to work together comfortably with another one. Morris says, “The word for burden is a diminutive, which helps bring out the thought that his service is pleasant.” 41
Jesus speaks of being gentle and humble. These two things were not considered virtues in the Greek world. They were thought to be only qualities for the lowly and for slaves. However, gentleness and humility became highly prized in the kingdom of God.42 These two qualities do bring rest to our spirits.
The prophet Jeremiah gives us another picture of this very thing. In 6:16 he says, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…’”