The Gospel according to Matthew
1-2. The ancestry and birth of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.
3-4. Jesus’ ministry begins; John’s baptism, Satan’s temptations, first disciples called.,
5-7. A summary of Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, crowds were astounded.
8-9. An account of Jesus’ healings; the authority of Jesus is questioned and defended.
10-12. Jesus sends apostles on a short-term mission; then continues his own ministry.
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We don’t know what routes the new apostles took through Galilee on their short term mission trip, but in this second half of the chapter, we will learn about where Jesus went “to teach and proclaim his message in their cities” (11:1). But first, Jesus follows up his praise of John the Baptist and his critique of Herod Antipas. He has been talking directly to the crowd around him, and now he challenges them and their commitments.
Jesus is trying to educate them. Unfortunately, his own recent experience with crowds has not been a good one. His ministry tour apparently encountered some critics who booed him off the stage.
11: 16-19. But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
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, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds (or children).
All along Jesus has identified himself as ‘the Son of Man’ following the way that the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel talk about him, then as ‘the Servant of God’ in Isaiah’s vision. In addition, he also identifies as ‘the Son of David’, and the son of David is Solomon. Solomon is known for his great wisdom, a gift from God. So, at times, Jesus appears to be ‘the Wisdom of God’ personified. This is one of those times.
Jesus has compared John and Herod, now he compares himself to John. Rather, he compares the crowd’s reaction to himself and John. He uses the analogy of children on the playground. First one game is suggested, but the other children refuse to play. Then another game is suggested, and still no consensus can be found about what game to play.
The games could be called ‘the Wedding Game’ which involves music and dancing, and ‘the Funeral Game’ which involves singing dirges, and wailing out loud. This may fit with Jesus’ extended analogy about the wedding feast (Matthew 9: 14-15).
The crowds think that John is too much of a hermit, living out there in the wilderness, eating very little (locusts), and demanding a lot (repentance). On the other hand, Jesus is thought to be too much of a libertine, frequenting parties with questionable associates, and forgiving sinners too easily.
On the contrary, Jesus explains the role of John as the latter-day prophet channeling Elijah and Jesus as the Servant of God predicted by Isaiah. Both will prove to be appropriate and timely ministries in God’s larger plan of salvation. Both be vindicated by God in the resurrection.
11: 20-24. Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.”
First, Jesus questions the crowd; what are they really looking for? Just entertaining miracles and free bread? Then, Jesus turns to the cities of his recent mission tour; why didn’t the people repent? Did every person in the town reject Jesus, or just some? Why does Jesus categorize the cities/towns as a whole?
Remember when Abraham asked whether or not God would judge a whole city if there were some righteous people in it? (Genesis 18: 16-33). God knew the difference, and Jesus does too. Still, there is a corporate sense to one’s identity in Biblical times, from Genesis to the Gospels, that we do not share today. However, even when the prophets predicted the fall of Israel and Judah, they assured that God would save a ‘remnant’, and that is why in Jesus’ time there were still Jews living in the land.
Chorazin is about three miles north of Capernaum which is on the north coast of the Sea of Galilee. Bethsaida is east of Capernaum, also along the coast. In this triangle of villages Jesus performed miracles that he expected should convince them of the legitimacy of his message. They may have enjoyed the miracles, but they failed to put two and two together about the message.
Notice that, contrary to what some believe, even the miracles of Jesus were not enough to convince some people to repent and have faith in Jesus (Witherington p. 236). Some people do not interpret the signs properly. Thus, when the Pharisees ask for a sign, Jesus knows their heart and refuses to give them one (Matthew 12: 38-42). In another Gospel, Herod hopes to be entertained with a sign but Jesus is not a professional magician (Luke 23: 6-12).
Paul encountered this problem too, and he hit the nail on the head with his response: “For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (I Corinthians 1: 22-24). It is not signs and wonders that are critical to the acceptance of the Gospel message, but rather a broken heart and a contrite spirit seeking the favor of an all-powerful, yet all-loving God.
Tyre and Sidon have reputations. During the early kingdom, they are mentioned positively as sources of lumber and craftsmen for the building projects of kings David and Solomon. During the later era of the prophets, they were named for judgment and destruction at God’s hand (Isaiah 23, Jeremiah 25 and 27, Ezekiel 28, Joel 3).
Yet, Tyre and Sidon were not destroyed entirely because during Jesus’ time they are still cities along the Mediterranean coast. In fact, in a few chapters, when the leaders of the Jews are questioning him closely, “Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon” (Matthew 15:21). Mark agrees that Jesus “went away to the region of Tyre” where “he entered a house and did not want anyone to know that he was there” (Mark 7: 24). In both cases, a local woman approached him anyway and asked that Jesus cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus performed this miracle. So, clearly, the statements about towns and regions rejecting Jesus must be understood as acceptable hyperbole of the time; there were always some who believed.
11: 25-27. At that time Jesus said, “I thank (or praise) you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 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 anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Jesus is the Son of David, yet greater than Solomon (Matthew 12: 42). In fact, a greater prophet than Daniel is here. Daniel gained wisdom from God and offered a similar prayer (Daniel 2: 19-23; suggested by Witherington p. 237). Although Daniel’s prayer thanks God for giving wisdom to the wise, whereas Jesus is also thanking God for turning things upside down.
Who are the “infants”? Within the context of Jesus’ prayer here, it seems, in the first instance, to be Jesus himself. Jesus is the child of God the Father The Father gave his one and only child all things, including the gift of wisdom. Further, no one knows the Father as well as the One who is in the most intimate relationship with him, that is, the Son.
The last sentence expands on this notion. The Son has been sent here on a mission. Because he knows the Father most intimately, Jesus is privileged to teach those whom he chooses about God. And who does the Son choose? It is the disciples as the first ring of followers, and then all others who respond favorably to his message of repentance of sins for the salvation of the soul. All that is possible because of the character of God himself.
11: 28-30. Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, 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.
Since this is the mission of the Son, Jesus offers this invitation. Perhaps it is not necessary to explain what a ‘yoke’ is, but just in case: a yoke is a frame of wood and leather that is placed around the neck of an ox, or any other beast of burden like a bull or a mule, as a point of attachment for ropes or leather straps. Certain farm implements, such as a plow, were pulled through the field by this arrangement, and they still are in some places. So a yoke implies attachment as well as heavy labor pulling a load.
Metaphorically, a yoke can be any stifling attachment that becomes burdensome to a person, a daily grind that is not easily avoided, like your job, or for some, like their marriage.
So, what is Jesus talking about? The yoke for First Century Jews was their obedience to the Torah. The Law as given to Moses was not meant to be a burden, but rather a guide. Paul says that we were “imprisoned, … guarded, … and disciplined by the law until Christ came so that we might be reckoned as righteous by faith” (Galatians 3: 19-24).
The two competing views, that the Law as a means of salvation versus that the Law as a guide to salvation by faith, became a problem throughout the life of Israel. The prophets often noted that God did not so much desire sacrifices as an obedient heart. As we have read, the Scribes and Pharisees seem to have made life miserable by specifying down to a pinch of spices what is owed to the Temple. The rules tied people up with red tape and provided no relief (Tasker, pp. 121-122).
Instead of rules, Jesus is talking about a relationship. If you are committed to the relationship, then the proper respect, obedience, and behavior can be worked out in love. And that is what Jesus tells us about God; that he is a forgiving God for those who repent, and a God of blessings for those who become faithful followers. A relationship works both ways, and both parties have roles to play and obligations to fulfill. Yet, that is a lighter burden for those who are in love.