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📚And it came about when Jesus had finished commanding his twelve disciples, that he left there to teach and to preach in their cities.The King speaks of Himself and John the Baptist
2 📚Now when John in prison heard about the deeds of Christ, he sent two of his disciples.
3 📚And they said to him, “Are you the one who was to come 📖, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 📚The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 📚And blessed is anyone who does not stumble because of me”.
11:6 Here is another “blessed” to add to the ones in Matt 5:3-11. See also Matt 13:16; 16:17; 24:46; 25:34; Luke 1:45; 11:28; John 20:29; Rev 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. For Old Testament notes on “blessed” and “blessing” see Gen 12:1-3; Num 6:22-27; Ps 1:1; 119:1.⚜
7 📚And as they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 📚But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' houses. 9 📚But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
11:9 Note on “prophet” at Gen 20:11.⚜
10 📚For this is the one about whom it is written, Look, I send my messenger before your face. He will prepare your way before you.
11 📚“Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
11:11 John, great as He was, belonged to the old order of things under the law. The Lord Jesus brought in a new order of things, the spiritual kingdom of God. The least person who is in this kingdom is greater in position and privileges than John, but not greater in character or deeds. Compare John 3:28-30. There John speaks of the Bridegroom (Christ), the bride (those in the kingdom of God), and the friend of the bridegroom (himself). In the life of the bridegroom the bride obviously has a higher position and greater privileges than the friend.⚜
12 📚And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent are taking it by force.
11:12 John the Baptist, by his life and preaching, was a great force in God's hands to stir up the people to repentance and earnest striving to enter God's kingdom. Only those who were determined to enter it at any cost were able to do so. Is it any different now? The careless, those content with mere forms of religion, those lacking in the kind of forceful determination that God gives, will not enter God's kingdom. When God brings people into His kingdom He makes them want it very much.⚜
13 📚For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
11:13 The “Prophets and the Law” mean the whole Old Testament. John was the last in a long line of such prophets, and God's messenger of a new age.⚜
14 📚And if you will receive it, this is Elijah, who was to come.
11:14 John was not Elijah (John 1:19-21), but he came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Notice carefully the wording of this verse. Only if they would “receive it” could it be said that John was the Elijah who was to come (Mal 4:5). But the people as a whole were not willing to accept it, as Jesus clearly states in vs 16-19. So John was not the Elijah who was to come. If he had actually been Elijah, he would have been Elijah whether the people received it or not. In Matt 17:11 Jesus indicates that Elijah is still to come and “restore all things”. John was unable to “restore all things” because of the unwillingness of the people and their leaders.⚜
15 📚He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 📚“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 📚And saying, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We wailed for you, and you did not mourn.’ 18 📚For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
11:18 Later they said the same thing about the Lord Jesus (John 8:48).⚜
19 📚The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is justified by her children”.
11:16-19 People of that day (Jesus probably was referring to the Pharisees and Sadducees) were like willful children playing the games of “wedding” and “funeral”. They complained that John wouldn't dance to their tune, and that Jesus wouldn't weep on demand. They would not receive God's messengers and God's message through them. They rejected everything. There was no pleasing them. Such people “play” at religion. They are fundamentally insincere. If God's man eats, that doesn't please them. If he does not eat, that doesn't please them either. And see the things they said about the one Jesus called the greatest of men and about the Lord Himself.⚜
11:19 See Matt 9:11-13; Rom 5:8. If the Lord Jesus had not loved men who were lost in sin, there would be no hope for anyone. Their accusation rightly understood is actually a high recommendation of Jesus as the Saviour of sinners. The wisdom of God in sending John and the Lord Jesus, and their wisdom in their ministry, was demonstrated by the results they achieved. No complaints from a foolish people could change that.⚜
The King pronounces judgment on certain cities
20 📚Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his miracles had been done, because they did not repent:
11:20 Repentance was a main emphasis of Jesus' preaching, the result He wanted to see – Matt 4:17. See notes at Matt 3:2; Luke 13:1-5. Without it His miracles and teaching would have no lasting effect on the people. It is good to be healed of some dread disease, but it is far better to repent at Christ's feet. It is good to see displays of God's glorious power, but it is far better to turn from sin and obtain His salvation.⚜
21 📚“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
11:21 Korazin and Bethsaida were two towns in Galilee near Capernaum. Tyre and Sidon were two ancient and famous cities on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of Israel. They were cities of the Gentiles, given to idolatry and greed, and God sent judgment on them. See Isa 23:1-5; Ezek 26:1-21; Amos 1:9-10. “Sackcloth and ashes” indicate that they would have repented with deep sorrow. The cities of idolatrous Gentiles would have received Him better than cities of His own people Israel. Compare John 1:11.⚜
22 📚But I say to you, In the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you.
11:22 Note at Matt 10:15.⚜
23 📚And you, Capernaum, 📖 who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell. 📖 For if the miracles which have been done in you, had been done in Sodom, 📖 it would have remained until this day. 24 📚But I say to you that in the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you”.
A short prayer of thanks
25 📚At that time Jesus responded and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to babes.
11:25 Though rejected by men, the Lord Jesus found many reasons to praise God. Here He praises Him for His wise dealing with men. God passes over those who are regarded (and who regard themselves) as people of wisdom and learning (such as the Pharisees and the teachers of the law), and chooses the humble, childlike nobodies of earth and reveals His truth to them. Compare Matt 18:3; 1 Cor 1:19-29; Jam 2:5. A humble, teachable child can understand more of this truth than any intellectual proud of his intellect and unwilling to submit to God. If we are to know the truth, God must enlighten us and shine into our hearts, and give us a mind to learn from Him. Compare Luke 24:45; John 16:13; 2 Cor 4:6; Eph 1:17-18.⚜
26 📚Even so, Father, for it was good in your sight.
The King reveals Himself as the Son of God
27 📚“All things have been handed over to me 📖 by my Father. And 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.
The King promises rest to disciples
28 📚“Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily laden 📖, and I will give you rest. 29 📚Take my yoke on you, and learn from me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:28-29 Now Jesus speaks of how He reveals the Father and to whom. He reveals the Father to those who feel their burden (especially the weight of their sins) and come to Him, to those who are willing to be united to Him, to those who will humbly, meekly learn what He has to teach. Such people, and only such, will come to the knowledge of the one true God. And see what He promises – rest, a rest from self-effort, vain seeking, and the burdens of an empty sinful life without hope. This is not rest from troubles, but rest in troubles. Compare John 16:33.⚜
30 📚For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.
11:30 Compare 1 John 5:3. Trust, obedience and love, and His presence with us are what make His yoke easy and His burden light. Compare Acts 15:10 which speaks of the rules and regulations of the law. Yoked to Christ we find freedom and liberation and peace. His yoke is grace, not law. It is His strength and power, not self-effort on our part. Meekly learning from Him we come to more and more knowledge of God. Christ is both teacher and lesson. To be yoked to Christ is to be joined to one of perfect understanding and kindness and grace and love. How can it be burdensome?⚜