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Matthew 11

And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

The blind receive their sight, 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.

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, 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.

But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What does Matthew 11:16 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 11:16 compares the generation of Jesus' time to children in marketplaces who call out to their friends but remain discontent and unresponsive.

Jesus is illustrating the petulance and indecisiveness of the people surrounding Him, they are compared to children who are not pleased with any game, whether it mimics the joy of a wedding or the lamentation of a funeral.

In the context of the Gospel, Jesus is expressing frustration at the refusal of the people to respond to John the Baptist's call to repentance and to Jesus' own message and miracles.

The deeper meaning suggests a profound disappointment with a generation that neither heeds the stern call to righteousness represented by John nor the message of grace and truth embodied in Jesus.

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Historical Context

This passage comes from the Gospel of Matthew, which is traditionally believed to have been written by Matthew the tax collector, one of Jesus' twelve apostles.

The historical context is 1st-century Palestine under Roman occupation.

This was a time of expectation among the Jewish people for the Messiah who would liberate them.

John the Baptist had been calling the people to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

Jesus, having begun His ministry, was performing miracles and teaching, yet both He and John faced skepticism and rejection from various segments of the population, including the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints might draw various insights from this verse:

Traditional Christian Perspective: This verse emphasizes the hardness of human hearts and the need for spiritual receptivity.

It underscores that neither the ascetic lifestyle of John the Baptist nor the gracious works and words of Jesus could satisfy the unbelieving hearts of the people.

Reformist Perspective: Some may interpret this as a call to continual reformation within religious traditions, suggesting that people must remain adaptive and responsive to the spirits' workings and not become set in their ways.
Liberal Theology: Proponents of this view might see the text as a reminder that religious expressions and structures must connect with people's lived experiences and adapt to cultural changes or risk becoming irrelevant.

Practical Applications

Responsiveness to Truth: This verse can encourage individuals to be open and responsive to truth, rather than dismissive or indecisive.
Self-Reflection: It challenges believers to reflect on their own receptivity to God’s messages, whether they come in the form of reproofs and challenges (like John the Baptist) or in the grace and compassion of Christ.
Understanding Frustration in Ministry: For people engaged in ministry or any form of advocacy, the verse provides a relatable expression of frustration that can be experienced when others do not respond to sincere efforts.

Cross-References

Luke 7:31-32 – “And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?”
Ecclesiastes 7:5 – “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
Jeremiah 6:10 – “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.”

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of the New Testament relevant to this verse include:

"Generation" (γενεά, genea): Referring to a group of people born and living around the same time.
"Children" (παῖδες, paides): Symbolically represents immaturity or the behavior of those who are not taking things seriously.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, in the ancient world, children's behavior was often used metaphorically to communicate a principle or moral lesson.

In the Greco-Roman context, Aesop's fables often featured animals with childlike traits to teach lessons about human nature.

In Jewish tradition, wisdom literature similarly utilized simple life situations to convey deeper moral truths.

Scientific Perspectives

While the verse does not directly relate to scientific understanding, the comparison to children could be interpreted through the lens of developmental psychology, which explains that children's behavior is characterized by spontaneity and changing interests.

In this way, the verse can be seen as a poignant observation of human psychology.

commentaries

Scholarly commentaries on Matthew 11:16 offer several interpretations:

William Barclay: Suggests the people Jesus addressed were like children who could not be satisfied, reflecting the inconsistency and capriciousness of the people's response to God's message.
**Craig S.

Keener**: Points out that Jesus' audience refused to acknowledge both John's and Jesus' approaches to God's kingdom, indicative of their reluctance to respond appropriately to the divine message.

**R.T.

France**: Emphasizes the contrast between Jesus and John's styles of ministry, and the generation's rejection of both, further highlighting the unreasonable expectations of the people and their unjustified dissatisfaction.

Matthew 11

Matthew 11

What does Matthew 11:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 11:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?