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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 11:4 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 11:4 is a verse located in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

In the context of this verse, Jesus is responding to the disciples of John the Baptist.

John, who is imprisoned at the time, has sent his disciples to Jesus to inquire if He is the expected Messiah, or if they should wait for someone else.

Jesus does not give a direct yes-or-no answer.

Instead, He references the miracles and teachings He has been showing to the people as evidence of His messianic identity.

The implication is that the deeds themselves, which are the fulfillment of messianic prophecies, testify to who He is.

The deeper meaning suggests an emphasis on faith through the reception of Jesus’ actions and words.

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Historical Context

This verse is set during the period of Jesus' earthly ministry, around the first century in what is now Israel and Palestine.

John the Baptist, who had been a forerunner to Jesus and had baptized Him, was imprisoned by Herod Antipas due to John's condemnation of Herod's marriage to Herodias.

Messianic expectations were high during this time, and many were looking for a liberator to free them from Roman rule.

However, Jesus’ actions and teachings often confounded these expectations by pointing to a different kind of messianic kingdom.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, various interpretations arise.

One perspective is that Jesus is fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy, thus enforcing the idea of Him as the expected Jewish Messiah.

Another view suggests that Jesus is teaching about the reign of God that is characterized not by political power but by the miraculous restoration of individuals and society.

His message often pointed towards an inward transformation and spiritual healing as primary, rather than the external overthrow of oppression.

Practical Applications

The practical application of Matthew 11:4 can be seen in how individuals today can discern truth.

Rather than looking for grandiose signs or simple verbal affirmations, Jesus suggests that actions, specifically, acts of compassion, healing, and preaching the good news, serve as evidence of God's work.

Christians may see this verse as encouragement to show their faith by their deeds.

Moreover, it suggests that believers should look to the works of Christ as the foundation for their belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

Cross-References

Isaiah 35:5-6: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped."
Isaiah 61:1: "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek."
Matthew 11:5: "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."
Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

Language Study

In the original Greek, the word for "show" is "ἀπαγγείλατε" (apangeilate), which means "report back" or "declare." The phrase "those things which ye do hear and see" underscores the sensory evidence of Jesus' messianic ministry.

The message is to observe and communicate the miracles and messages they were witnessing, which served as tangible proofs of Jesus’ authority and divine mission.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparatively, in other ancient religions and myths, the validation of divine beings or heroes often involved demonstrations of power or miracles.

In Greek mythology, for instance, characters such as Hercules performed great feats to prove their divine lineage.

In the context of Judaism, prophets were known to perform signs from God as verification of their calling and message; Moses and Elijah are classic examples (Exodus 4:8; 1 Kings 17:24).

Jesus' use of miracles as signs aligns with these cultural expectations yet differs in its focus on compassion and spiritual liberation.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the miracles mentioned in the text , healing the blind, deaf, lame, and other ailments , are viewed with skepticism as they defy natural laws as understood by modern science.

However, some studies in psychoneuroimmunology and psychosomatic medicine explore the idea that belief and mental states can influence physical health, suggesting a complex relationship between belief, mental health, and physical healing.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators have varying interpretations of Matthew 11:4.

Some, like John Calvin, emphasize Jesus pointing to His works as fulfillment of prophecy.

Albert Barnes notes the miracles themselves serve as credentials of Jesus' divine authority.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges highlights the importance Jesus placed on His deeds as a response to John's question.

Additionally, modern scholars like N.T. Wright suggest Jesus was bringing a new understanding of what it means to be Messiah - not a political or military leader, but one who brings healing and hope to the downtrodden.

Matthew 11

Matthew 11

What does Matthew 11:4 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 11:4 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?