While the disciples went off on their own to preach, Mark 6:12-13 / Luke 9:6, Jesus went on to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee, Matthew 11:1 / Luke 7:18-35. Whilst Jesus was preaching in this area, John the Baptiser, who was still in prison, Matthew 4:12, and put there by Herod, Luke 3:19-20 / Mark 6:17-18, heard about what Jesus was doing, John 3:2, and wanted to confirm that He indeed was the Messiah, Matthew 11:2-3.
We get the full story of John’s imprisonment later in Matthew 14:3-12. Earlier in John’s ministry, he had no doubts whatsoever that Jesus was the Messiah, John 1:29-36 / John 3:27-36, but here, it’s difficult to tell if John was lacking any faith or because he was in prison he just wanted some assurance that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, Genesis 49:10 / Daniel 9:24 / John 6:14.
Notice how Jesus responds to John’s question concerning His Messiahship, He doesn’t outright say yes or no. He simply tells John’s disciples to go back and tell them what they have heard and seen, Matthew 11:4. The miracles which Jesus was performing, such as the blind receiving their sight, the lame are now walking, the lepers have been cleansed, the deaf can now hear, the dead being raised to life and the good news is now being preached to the poor, Matthew 11:5 / Isaiah 29:18-19 / Isaiah 35:4-6 / Isaiah 61:1, are all signs that Jesus is the Messiah, John 20:30-31 / Acts 2:22.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘By a reference to Isaiah 61:1, he declared plainly enough, and yet not too plainly, that he was the Messiah. He worked several miracles in their presence in proof of his Messianic claims, Luke 7:21, and finally sent them back to John with a message in which he expressly mentioned his miracles, and promised a blessing to those who should attach themselves to him. The spectacle of Christ’s miracles must have been particularly impressive to the disciples of John, who performed no miracles, John 10:41.’
Jesus says blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Him, Matthew 11:6.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This verse might be rendered, ‘Happy is he to whom I shall not prove a stumbling block.’ That is, happy is he who shall not take offence at my poverty and lowliness of life, so as to reject me and my doctrine. Happy is the one who can, notwithstanding that poverty and obscurity, see the evidence that I am the Messiah, and follow me. It is not improbable that John wished Jesus publicly to proclaim himself as the Christ, instead of seeking retirement. Jesus replied that he gave sufficient evidence of that by his works; that a man might discover it if he chose; and that he was blessed or happy who should appreciate that evidence and embrace him as the Christ, despite his humble manner of life.’
As John’s messengers go back to tell John what they heard and saw Jesus doing, He turns His attention to the crowd and begins to speak to them about John the Baptiser, Matthew 11:7. He asks a series of questions, concerning the character of John.
Jesus declares that John wasn’t an unstable man in his beliefs, like a reed being swayed by the wind, Matthew 11:7 / Ephesians 4:14. John wasn’t a rich man dressed in fine clothes which were fit for a king to wear, Matthew 11:8. John wasn’t just a prophet, he was more than a prophet, Matthew 11:9 / Matthew 14:5 / Matthew 21:26 / Luke 1:76 / Luke 20:6. He was the very prophet which Malachi prophesied was to come, Matthew 11:10 / Malachi 3:1 / Isaiah 40:3.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
John was the last and greatest of the prophets, foretelling.
1. The near approach of the kingdom of God.
2. That Jesus would take away the sin of the world.
3. That the Jewish nation would be destroyed for rejecting him, Matthew 3:10.
He was more than a prophet in that he did not merely foretell the Messiah but presented him to the people and identified him. He was greatest also in his proximity to Christ, which is the final, ultimate test of greatness.
Jesus declares that there ‘has never’ been a greater ‘man’ than John the Baptist, Matthew 11:11 / Job 14:1 / Job 15:14 / Job 25:4.
Gray, in his commentary, says the following, concerning ‘the least in the kingdom’.
‘Matthew 11:11, has reference to John’s relation to the Kingdom. The least in the Kingdom of heaven when it shall be set up upon earth, shall be greater than John could be before that time. The words do not speak of John in the moral sense, in which he was as great as any man born of woman, but in this dispensational sense.’
Jesus says 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, Matthew 11:12.
Kercheville, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Matthew 11:12.
‘The vast majority of people did not realize who he was and what great work had been assigned to him by the Lord. If the people understood who John was, they would have listened to him. But since the beginning of John’s ministry, Jesus says that the kingdom has suffered violence and the violent are trying to take it by force, Matthew 11:12. Rather than submitting to the kingdom, they are violently trying to take the kingdom for themselves. This is why John is in prison. Instead of submitting to the message, they are rejecting the message and killing the messengers. They are practicing violence instead of obedience. John, the greatest person to walk the earth except Jesus, was in their midst and they violently rejected him.’
McGarvey, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Matthew 11:12.
‘Jesus here pictures the kingdom of heaven as a besieged city. The city is shut up, but the enemies which surround it storm its walls and try to force an entrance. The gates of Christ’s kingdom were not opened until the day of Pentecost, Acts 2, but men, hearing it was about to be opened, sought to enter it prematurely, not by the gates which God would open, but by such breaches as they sought to make in its walls.’
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Instances of such violence are: 1. Some tried to make him king by force, John 6:15. 2. The mother of James and John sought to obtain secular appointments for her sons in the kingdom, Matthew 20:21. 3. Some supposed the kingdom would appear immediately, Luke 19:11. 4. The apostles quarrelled over who should be the greatest, Luke 22:24-30. 5. The apostles themselves seemed anxious for it to be done ‘at this time’, Acts 1:6. Furthermore, they envisioned a restoration of rule to Israel!’
McGarvey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The people were full of preconceived ideas with regard to the kingdom, and each one sought to hasten and enjoy its pleasures as one who impatiently seizes upon a bud and seeks with his fingers to force it to bloom. The context shows that even John the Baptist was then seeking to force the kingdom.’
The prophets and the law both told the Jews that John would come, Matthew 11:13 / Malachi 4:4-6. Jesus tells the crowd that if they are willing to accept it, they would understand that Elijah was to come, Matthew 11:14 / Matthew 17:10-13 / Mark 9:11-13. John wasn’t Elijah, despite some claiming he was raised from the dead, John 1:21, John would come in the spirit and power of Elijah, Luke 1:17. Jesus encouraged the crowd to listen very closely to what He had just told them, Matthew 11:15 / Matthew 13:9 / Mark 4:9 / Luke 8:8 / Revelation 2:7.
There’s no doubt that Jesus loved children and later He will tell us we must become like them to enter the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 18:1-6, because God’s kingdom belongs to the children, Matthew 19:14. It’s interesting here because Jesus now compares that generation to unruly children, who are misbehaving in the marketplace, Matthew 11:16.
It appears that this generation was playing games, while some wanted to play happy wedding songs, but they were considered too happy, others wanted to play sad funeral songs, but they were considered too unhappy and mournful, Matthew 11:17.
Gill, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The allusion is to Jewish children, who having seen their parents and friends at their festivals and weddings, some play upon the pipe, and others dance to them, mimicked the same in their diversions; and also having observed, at funerals, the mourning women, making their doleful ditties, and others answering to them, acted the part of these persons, expecting their fellows would make their responses but did not.’
John’s life was one of self-denial and yet the people said he had a demon, he was a madman, Matthew 11:18. In contrast to John, Jesus tells the crowd what the people are thinking about Him. The Son of Man came eating and drinking and yet they called Him a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners, Matthew 11:19.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following
‘The following criticisms were directed against Christ.
1. He was called a glutton.
2. He was called a winebibber.
3. They said he cast out demons by the prince of demons, Matthew 9:34.
4. They called him Beelzebul, Matthew 10:25.
5. They called him a sinner, John 9:24.
6. They said he had a demon, John 7:20.
7. They said he was a Samaritan, John 8:48.
8. They charged him with violating the sabbath, Matthew 12:2.
9. They referred to him as a ‘deceiver’, Matthew 27:63.
10. They accused him of friendship with publicans and sinners, Luke 15:2. In that last calumny, they overreached themselves, because what they intended as slander is, in fact, the glory of our Lord, namely, that he is a friend of publicans and sinners.’
Notice that wisdom is personified as a she, Matthew 11:19 / Proverbs 1:20–33 / Proverbs 8:1-9:12. Wisdom would tell people that both John and Jesus were carrying out the will of God and teaching God’s will to the people.
It’s a heart-breaking thought that Jesus preached and taught in these cities and even performed many miracles, Luke 4:23 / John 20:30-31 / John 21:25, but still they refused to repent, Matthew 11:20, hence, why Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith. Jesus demonstrated His miraculous powers in Chorazin and Bethsaida, Matthew 11:21, although we have no records of that happening, John 21:25.
Jesus says they had more of an opportunity to repent than the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, Matthew 11:21 / Isaiah 23:7-18 / Ezekiel 26:14 / Ezekiel 27:1-11 / Ezekiel 28:1-10. Sackcloth and ashes were worn when a person was repenting, they were a sign of submission to God, Isaiah 58:5 / John 3:5.
Jesus appears to imply that some people’s punishment will not be as bad as others, Matthew 11:22. Whatever, we understand Him to mean here, it’s clear that all who end up being punished, will feel it and know they are being punished, Matthew 11:22. An eternity in hell is surely punishment enough, despite the sin a person may have committed.
McGarvey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘When the time came for evangelizing the Gentiles, Tyre and Sidon accepted the gospel, and verified the words of the text, Acts 21:3-6 / Acts 27:3.’
Smith, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The greater understanding and light that a man receives, the greater will be the judgment of that individual. And so when God does judge, it will be according to the understanding of the knowledge that God has given. According to the grace they have been exposed to, will be the degree of judgement by which they will be judged.’
Jesus lived in Capernaum and performed many miracles whilst preaching and teaching, Matthew 4:13. It was a favoured city because Jesus lived there, but Jesus tells them they will go down to Hades, Matthew 11:23.
Once again, we read Jesus saying that it will be more bearable for the city which was destroyed by God, Sodom, Genesis 19:24-25 / Genesis 19:34 / Ezekiel 16:48-49, on Judgment Day, than it will be for Capernaum, Matthew 11:24.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In themselves the words might simply mean that Capernaum shall cease to be a city and become desolate, as it is at present; but the context suggests that the condemnation of its unbelieving inhabitants in the Day of Judgment is also alluded to.’
Hagner, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This passage vividly illustrates the simple truth that the greater the revelation, the greater the accountability, Romans 2:12-16.’
Henry, in his commentary, says the following.
‘In these verses, we have Christ looking up to heaven, with thanksgiving to his Father for the sovereignty and security of the covenant of redemption and looking around him upon this earth, with an offer to all the children of men, to whom these presents shall come, of the privileges and benefits of the covenant of grace.’
Jesus praises God that the ‘hidden things’, Matthew 11:25, that is, the Gospel message which the apostles have preached has been understood and gladly received by the simple and unlearned people, that is, the little children, Matthew 11:25. The so-called wise and learned are the scribes and Pharisees who thought they were wise and learned but they were the ones who actually rejected Jesus’ message, 1 Corinthians 1:19 / 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 / 1 Corinthians 2:8 / 2 Corinthians 3:14.
The Father was pleased that the simple and unlearned had the Gospel revealed to them, Matthew 11:26. Jesus was given authority by the Father, and He declares the only way to know the Father, John 1:18 / John 6:46 / John 10:15, is through Christ, His Son, Matthew 11:27 / John 14:6 / John 7:29 / John 10:15 / John 17:25 / 1 Timothy 2:5.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Having just called the Father ‘Lord of heaven and earth,’ Matthew 11:25, He now declares that the same authority belongs to Himself because all created things have been committed to Him by God. This supreme authority over the universe which was committed to Him at the creation was exercised by Him to some degree even during the humiliation of His life on earth, John 3:35 / John 13:3 / John 17:2, and was fully restored at His resurrection, Matthew 28:18, with all the glory pertaining to it.’
Jesus’ invitation to the crowd was simply to come to Him, Matthew 11:28 / John 6:35-51 / John 7:37, all who were weary and burdened and He will give them rest, Jeremiah 6:16. The invitation goes out to everyone who is tired of the stresses and worries of this world. The invitation goes out to all who are in need of some real rest, Matthew 11:28 / Matthew 5:3 / Matthew 23:4 / Acts 15:10 / Galatians 5:1 / 1 Peter 5:6-7.
Notice that in order to receive this blessing a person must ‘come’, Matthew 11:28, and then they must ‘take’, Matthew 11:29. This implies that these promises don’t just happen, a person must make the first move in order to receive them. Notice also that they must ‘learn’ from him, Matthew 12:29. Jesus is the supreme example for our lives and if we want to be free from stress and anxiety, we must follow His example. If we want to have a heart of gentleness and humility, we must learn from Him in order for us to have rest for our souls, Matthew 12:29 / Jeremiah 6:16 / Psalms 46:10.
Jesus’ yoke wasn’t like the yolk which was a heavy burden for the oxen to carry when they were ploughing the fields, Matthew 11:30. The teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees were like this, Acts 13:39 / Acts 15:10 / Romans 3:28 / Romans 8:4 / Hebrews 7:19.
Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.
‘My yoke does not consist of a multitude of burdensome ordinances like that of the Law and the Pharisees. It can hardly be called a yoke at all, it is so light. True, there are certain ordinances which every Christian must observe, but they are few and simple. The essence of My religion is that men should be humble, and meek and loving and tender-hearted as I am, not hard and proud like the Pharisees. Practise these things, and you will find your lives easy, your religion a joy, and your souls at rest.’