The Gospel of Matthew
John the Baptist and unbelief
Chapter 11
Having sent his apostles to announce the good news of the Kingdom to the Jews, the Lord Jesus returned to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.
John the Baptist was still incarcerated, and sent some of his disciples to ask Him if He was indeed He who was to come, or if they expected another. At first glance, it seems that John the Baptist was starting to be discouraged, and already doubted the identity of the Lord Jesus, despite the clear identification made on baptism. On the other hand, there is the possibility that he wanted them to obtain direct confirmation of the Messiah for their benefit. The secretive way the question was phrased is noticeable..
The answer of the Lord also was not direct, but He ordered them to tell John the signs that he did, in compliance with the prophecies that identified the Messiah who was to come (Isaiah 35:5,6, 53:4 and 61:1). Now the resurrection of the dead is not cited in these prophecies, and consists of a sign that is even more evident of His power.
Then, while they were leaving, He declared the greatness of the mission carried out by John the Baptist, to prepare the people for His coming (fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi 3: 1). Among men, there had never been anyone greater than John the Baptist, who was more than a prophet.
However, the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he! This is a surprising statement. The Lord Jesus was not talking about the character of John the Baptist, but his mission. To be a citizen of the Kingdom of heaven is a privilege greater than being the person who announced the arrival of the Messiah. John did not live to enjoy the blessings enjoyed by believers here on Earth, because Herod killed him while he was still in prison.
The meaning of the expression then made: "from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (v. 12) is not very clear: who took over the Kingdom by force from John the Baptist? In the original, the verb "to do violence" can be both in the present and in the passive, and the senses are different. The passive idea is that the Kingdom is taken violently, like a conquered city. In the present, the meaning may be "experiences violence" or to "force its way".
Generally, it is understood that the preaching of John the Baptist caused a violent and impetuous pressure to arise around the Lord Jesus and His disciples. This is the sense in Luke 16:16 "everyone is pressing into it (the Kingdom of God)". The entire Old Testament, with his prophecies, predicted the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist came to announce the fulfilment of this prediction.
In the prophecy of Malachi, it is announced that Elijah would come as a precursor (Malachi 4:5). If the people had accepted the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, John the Baptist would have assumed the role of Elijah, and the Messiah would have freed the people to make it a powerful nation, as people were expecting. John was not Elijah, as he himself said (John 1:21), but "went before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17).
Not everyone understood this reality, and this is why the Lord says, "he who has an ear, let him hear!" It was necessary to pay close attention to this reality: if John the Baptist was the forerunner, the Lord Jesus was in fact the Messiah of God, and the people should accept Him and obey Him.
However, those people were not willing to hear the testimony of John the Baptist, nor did the irrefutable evidence given by Lord Jesus convince them. It was a rebellious people, which the Lord Jesus compared with children who refuse to be cheerful with the sound of the flute, or sad with the beating of their chests: they said that John had a demon because of his austerity and solitude, and that the Lord was licentious because he ate normally and was very sociable.
The Lord Jesus was the personified wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). Everything He did was in accordance with who He was, no matter the blasphemies and nasty innuendo from the people. The signs, which he did, and the transformation in the character of those who followed Him were indisputable evidence of His divine personality.
The cities of Galilee were very privileged with the presence of the Lord, and privilege brought them responsibility for the treatment they gave Him. The Lord Jesus accused them of not repenting, despite all the signs that He had done among them. That is why Chorazin and Bethsaida, where he was rejected, will be treated with more rigor on judgment day than the cities of Tyre and Sidon, condemned by God because of their idolatry and wickedness, because these would have repented if the miracles performed in the former had been performed in them. There will also be less rigour for Sodom than for Capernaum, which thought it would go to heaven, but will descend to Hades. Sodom would not have been destroyed if the signs made in Capernaum had been done on it.
In addition to these cities, there was another outstanding town in Galilee: Tiberias. After all these centuries, the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida disappeared without a trace, and the exact location of the city of Capernaum is no longer known. However, Tiberias is still in its place, for the Lord did not say anything against it. This is further evidence of the omniscience of Christ, and the inspiration of the Bible.
The Lord Jesus knew that the rejection on the part of these cities was an indication of rejection that would come from the whole nation, represented by its religious and civil government. However, being rejected by "wise and cultured" was not a surprise for Him, so He did not get discouraged or enraged. He knew He would be received throughout the ages by multitudes of humble "babes" willing to have Him as Lord of their lives. For this, He praised God.
Those who are so proud of their position and knowledge that they reject the Gospel of Christ, are not going to find the true wisdom and knowledge that comes from God, because God will hide them from them. However, God reveals them to the little ones, the humble of heart, who want to learn from Him.
The relationship that exists between the Father and the son is beyond our human comprehension, but the Lord Jesus says here "no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Only the Son can reveal the Father to us.
The Lord Jesus finally makes an invitation to "all who labour and are heavy laden". In the environment in which He found himself, where the people were under the oppression of the priests and lawyers of the Mosaic Law, this was an invitation for release from the heavy moral and religious burden they carried. In broader terms, the invitation is made to all who are under the yoke of the enemies of man: the flesh, the world and the devil.
The Lord Jesus, and He alone, is willing to give rest to their souls, and to give the teaching that everyone needs. He is meek and lowly of heart, unlike the rabbis of that time, and the false priests and teachers of religion of our days. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. It should be noted that there is a yoke and a burden.
Yoke is a tool to keep two animals together in their work. It is used here as a figure of life in Christ: He offers to accompany us in our lives, helping us to get through all the experiences that we are facing, making our experience smooth. There are problems, tribulations, works and sorrows in the Christian life, but with Christ, they will be overcome much more easily.
The burden consists of the obligations to fulfil. Many do not want to receive Christ as their Lord and Saviour because they prefer to continue in their addictions and bad habits. However, we will want to live a life of rectitude cheerfully when we really love the Lord, and then we will see how His burden is light indeed.
R David Jones
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1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"
4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning 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 clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he of whom it is written: 'BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER BEFORE YOUR FACE, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.'
11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
16 "But to what shall I liken 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 mourned to you, And you did not lament.'
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."
20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:
21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.
23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.
26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28 Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Gospel of Matthew