Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners

JESUS WAS A FRIEND OF TAX COLLECTORS AND SINNERS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 11:19 19The Son of Man came eating and
drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectorsand sinners.'But
wisdom is provedright by her deeds."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The JustificationOf Wisdom
Matthew 11:19
R. Tuck
John's peculiarity was no oddity; it was the powerarrangedfor him in the
Divine wisdom. The peculiarity of Jesus was no eccentricity;it was the
expressionof that Divine Spirit of wisdom which dwelt in him. Men may
criticize the methods of John and Jesus;the story of the ages fully justifies the
wisdom of those methods.
I. WISDOM USES VARIOUS AGENCIES. "The spiritual unfoldings of
wisdom in the religions world are manifold." John moves you by his fear and
terror; Jesus moves you by his quiet goodness.John's wisdomthunders; the
wisdom of Jesus flows out in mild words. Men "wonder at the gracious words

which proceedfrom his mouth." Through the intellect God appeals to you in
one way; and through sympathy in quite another way. How sweetlygentle is
electricityin the growth of lilies, and in the generationof birds, bees,
butterflies! But in certainconditions it gathers itself up, and flashes in
lightning, accompaniedwith terrible artillery. "Wisdomin John Baptistwas
ascetic andsincere;in Jesus it was freer, gentler, and sweetlysocial"
(Pulsford). We can never fairly judge an agencyuntil we see how it stands in
its relation - what it does, what it is calculatedto do. Then what seems
insignificant and even unsuitable is plainly seento be an inspiration of
wisdom.
II. WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED IN THE ADAPTATION OF ITS AGENCIES.
Estimate fairly what John had to do, and his austerity and severity are fully
justified. Estimate fairly what Jesus has to do, and his friendliness and
readiness to enter into the common spheres of life are fully justified. Wisdom
is justified in all her methods and changes.
III. WISDOM ONLY FALLS TO JUSTIFYITSELF TO A RIVAL
WISDOM. "The children of pride and self-will justify Wisdom in no form.
They puff up their ownconceitby complaining of every mode in which she
presents herself. John comes to them grave enough, earnestas life and death,
smiting at the roots of their hereditary nature; but they say, ' What a gloomy
fellow!' Jesus comes,bland and winning, ready to sit at table with every class
of men; but they say, ' He is fond of a gooddinner and his wine.' So that
neither canJohn break them from their old habits, nor Jesus attractthem to
the Divine-human life." - R.T.

Biblical Illustrator
The Son of man came eating.
Matthew 11:19
Christ and common life
W. S. Jerome.
I. We have here a strong PROOF OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST. "The
Son of man." His oneness withmen; not exempt from the necessities ofour
nature; He was subject to the laws under which we live. No manna fell from
heaven for Him.
II. Christ ate and drank WITH MEN. Notonly as others, but with others. He
was no recluse. Jesus represents the new order, which is a life of liberty,
because a life of love. Religionmust be able to endure the strain of life.
III. Here Christ SANCTIFIED THE COMMON DUTIES OF EVERYDAY.
Nothing is so common as eating and drinking; it is commonplace. The
temptation is to make the hours for meals mere feeding times, or to become an
epicure. Christ's example guards againstthis. He taught the dignity of our
bodies. He who recognizes the body as God's gift will never dishonour its
appetites. The daily meals may be family sacraments cheeredby Christian
intercourse. Christ came to fit men for this world as wellas for the next.
(W. S. Jerome.)
Wisdom is justified of her children

T. Manton.
I. THE DIFFERENT COURSES OF LIFE WHEREIN JOHN AND JESUS
APPEARED.
1. That God sendeth forth His servants with divers dispositions.
2. That men are qualified according to the dispensationwherein God useth
them. John, a preacherof repentance, was austere;Christ, as a giver of
pardon, mild.
3. That men are apt to complain.
1. Exceptagainstwhat is done by God, and whatsoevermethods are used to
reduce them to a sense ofpardon. The censures ofthe two things disliked in
Christ were not just.
1. His diet. All our food should be sanctified.
2. His company.
II. THE REASONS WHY HE CHOSE THIS SORT OF LIFE.
1. BecauseHe would not place religion in outward austerities and
observances.
2. Christ would live a strict, but sociable and charitable life; and did not
observe the laws of proud pharisaicalseparation, but spent His time in doing
good.
3. Christ came to setus an example, and would take up that course of life most
imitable by all sorts of persons.
4. It was fit His form of life should suit with the nature of the kingdom.
5. BecauseChristwould not gratify human wisdom, as He would not gratify
sense, by choosing a pompous life, so He would net gratify wisdom by
choosing an austere life.
6. To show us the true nature of mortification, which consists not in
abstinence and retreat from temptations, but in a spirit fortified againstthem.

III. THE OBSERVANCESWHICH WE MAY BUILD THEREON.
1. We may observe the humanity, goodness, and kindness of that religion
which we profess, both with respectto ourselves and others.
2. That external holiness which consistethin an outside strictness without love
usually puffeth up men.
3. That a free life, guided by a holy wisdom, is the most sanctifiedlife.
(T. Manton.)
A friend of publicans and sinners.
A friend of publicans and sinners
C. H. Spurgeon., Rev. Treffy.
I. OUR LORD PROVED HIMSELF IN HIS OWN TIME TO BE THE
FRIEND OF SINNERS.
1. He came among them.
2. He sought their goodby His ministry.
3. He showedHis patience towardthem by the contradiction He endured from
them.
II. WHAT CHRIST IS DOING NOW FOR SINNERS.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
I. CHRIST A FRIEND. In a friend we anticipate finding sincere attachment,
affectionate concernto promote our welfare, freedomin fellowshipand
communication, unflinching fidelity.
II. THE DUTY WE OWE TO HIM. Friendliness, gratitude, fellowship,
integrity, constancy,

III. THE ADVANTAGES RESULTING FROM THE PERFORMANCEOF
IT. The friendship of Christ affords rich consolation, exhaustless supplies,
requisite instruction, eternalinheritance. Address the enemies of Christ, the
undecided, and His friends.
(Rev. Treffy.)
But wisdom is justified of her children.
Wisdom justified of her children
H. Melvill, B. D.
I. How WISDOM BECOMES JUSTIFIED TO HER CHILDREN. Notice
those respects in which the scheme of Christianity is consideredfoolishness by
the world.
1. A strong natural dislike of Christianity is founded on the meanhess of the
Saviour's life and the ignominy of His death. The Christian's greatstruggle is
with earthly attachments, and he acknowledges withthankfulness the wisdom
of any arrangementwhose direct tendency is to help him in the struggle.
2. They often allege the disproportion of the means to the end. Reasoncannot
decide how much the pardon of a sin must cost. The converted man sees the
heinousness ofsin. He sees that only an infinite sacrifice couldput it away.
3. It is regardedas unsuited to the ends which it proposes to effect, and no
heavier charge could be brought againstits wisdom. The idea of substitution is
said to encourage men in sin; hut where canwe find higher morality and truer
friendship than amongstmen who are trusting in Christ?
II. WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED THROUGHHER CHILDREN TO OTHERS.
This wisdom is so manifest in the effects of Christianity on the lives of its
disciples, that enemies are inexcusable in charging it with foolishness.The
children of God must vindicate the wisdom of religion,
(H. Melvill, B. D.)

Wisdom justified in her children
T. Jackson, M. A.
I. WHAT IS THE WISDOM TO WHICH REFERENCEIS HERE MADE.
Some suppose our Lord to have meant Himself; in Proverbs it is declaredthat
by "Wisdom" God createdthe heavens. The term wisdom is also applied to
the doctrine of the true God. "The fear of the Lord that is wisdom."
II. To SHOW HOW IT HAS BEEN IN ALL AGES EXPOSED TO THE
INDIFFERENCE, CONTEMPT, OR THE MISAPPREHENSIONOF
MANKIND.
1. Deny her doctrines.
2. Forgether commands.
III. How IT HAS BEEN NEVERTHELESS JUSTIFIED IN ITS CHILDREN.
1. In the life of every saint who has arrived in heaven. "A cloud of witnesses"
prove wisdom is justified of her children.
2. Wisdom is justified in all the socialrelationships of life. Is he a husband?
wisdom will have given him a new affection.
(T. Jackson, M. A.)
The world's estimate of religion
Studies.
I. Evangelicalreligionis CHARACTERIZED, AS WISDOM. As it rightly
applies the sublimest knowledge;as it diligently studies the most approved
rule; as it zealously prosecutes the most enduring interest.
II. EvangelicalreligionHAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FOLLY. Its
principles, its feelings, its practices, have been accountedfoolishness.

III. Evangelicalreligionis JUSTIFIED BY THE EXPERIENCE ON ITS
POSSESSORS. Theyreceive her doctrines, avow her service, obeyher
precepts.
(Studies.)
Wisdom justified
T. Manton.
I. WHAT IS THE WISDOM OF GOD IN THE WAY OF SALVATION
PRESENTEDBYTHE GOSPEL? The end of the means.
II. THAT THIS WISDOM IS DESPISEDAND CONTRADICTEDBY THE
CARNAL WORLD.
III. HOW AND WHY IT MUST BE JUSTIFIED BYTHE SINCERE
PROFESSORSOF THE GOSPEL.
1. It must be approved and received by themselves.
2. It must be professedand owned when it is in contempt in the world.
3. This professionmust be honoured and recommended to others by a holy
conversation.Why?
1. Becauseofthe charge that is put upon us to testify for God, and justify His
ways.
2. Wisdom deservethto be justified by us.
3. Those who condemn wisdom by their tongues, justify it in some measure by
their consciences.
4. If we do not justify religion, we justify the world.
5. Christ will one day justify all His sincere followers.
6. Becauseofthe necessityof justifying wisdom in the times we live in.

(T. Manton.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(19) Eating and drinking—i.e., as in the feastin Matthew’s house, or at the
marriage-feastofCana, sharing in the common life of man. The words point
almost specificallyto the two instances just named, and the very form and
phrase recallthe question which the Phariseeshad askedofthe disciples,
“Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” (Luke 5:30).
Wisdom is justified of her children.—Literally, was justified. This is our
Lord’s answerfor Himself and the Baptist to the contradictorycalumnies of
the Jews. Menmight accusewisdom, true heavenly wisdom, on this ground or
that, but she would be, or rather (the tense implying a generalisedfact)is
evermore acquitted, justified, acknowledgedas righteous, alike in her severer
or more joyous forms, by all who are indeed her children, i.e., by all who seek
and love her as the mother of their peace and joy. Like so many of our Lord’s
other sayings, the parable stretches far and wide through the ages. The evil
world rejects all who seek to overcome its evil, some on one pretext, some on
another; but true seekers afterwisdomwill welcome holiness in whatever
form it may appear, cheerful or ascetic,Protestantor Romish, Puritan or
liberal, so long as it is real and true.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
11:16-24 Christ reflects on the scribes and Pharisees, who had a proud conceit
of themselves. He likens their behaviour to children's play, who being out of
temper without reason, quarrel with all the attempts of their fellows to please
them, or to get them to join in the plays for which they used to assemble. The

cavils of worldly men are often very trifling and show greatmalice. Something
they have to urge againstevery one, however excellentand holy. Christ, who
was undefiled, and separate from sinners, is here representedas in league
with them, and polluted by them. The most unspotted innocence will not
always be a defence againstreproach. Christ knew that the hearts of the Jews
were more bitter and hardened againsthis miracles and doctrines, than those
of Tyre and Sidon would have been; therefore their condemnation would be
the greater. The Lord exerciseshis almighty power, yet he punishes none
more than they deserve, and never withholds the knowledge ofthe truth from
those who long after it.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
But whereunto shall I liken ... - Christ proceeds to reprove the inconsistency
and fickleness ofthat age of people. He says they were like children - nothing
pleasedthem. He refers here to the "plays" or "sports" of children.
Instrumental music, or piping and dancing, were used in marriages and
festivals as a sign of joy. See the notes at Isaiah 5:11-12. Compare Job21:11; 2
Samuel 6:14; Judges 11:34;Luke 15:25. Children imitate their parents and
others, and actover in play what they see done by others. Among their
childish sports, therefore, was probably an imitation of a wedding or festal
occasion. We have seenalso (the notes at Matthew 9:23) that funerals were
attended with mournful music, and lamentation, and howling. It is not
improbable that children also, in play: imitated a mournful funeral
procession. One part are representedas sullen and dissatisfied. They would
not enter into the play: nothing pleasedthem. The others complained of it. We
have, said they, takenall pains to please you. We have piped to you, have
played lively tunes, and have engagedin cheerful sports, but you would not
join with us; and then we have played different games, and imitated the
mourning at funerals, and you are equally sullen; "you have not lamented;"
you have not joked with us. Nothing pleases you. So, said Christ, is this
generationof people. "John" came one way, "neither eating nor drinking,"
abstaining as a Nazarite, and you were not pleasedwith him. I, the Son of
man, have come in a different manner, "eating and drinking;" not practicing
any austerity, but living like other people, and you are equally dissatisfied -
nay, you are less pleased. You calumniate him, and abuse me for not doing the

very thing which displeasedyou in John. Nothing pleases you. You are fickle,
changeable, inconstant, and abusive.
Markets - Places to sellprovisions; places of concourse,where also children
flockedtogetherfor play.
We have piped - We have played on musical instruments. A "pipe" was a
wind instrument of music often used by shepherds.
Neither eating nor drinking - That is, abstaining from some kinds of food and
wine, as a Nazarite. It does not mean that he did not eat at all, but that he was
remarkable for abstinence.
He hath a devil - He is actuatedby a bad spirit. He is irregular, strange, and
cannot be a goodman.
The Son of man came eating and drinking - That is, living as others do; not
practicing austerity; and they accuse him of being fond of excess, and seeking
the societyofthe wicked.
Gluttonous - One given to excessive eating.
Wine-bibber - One who drinks much wine. Jesus undoubtedly lived according
to the generalcustoms of the people of his time. He did not affectsingularity;
he did not separate himselfas a Nazarite;he did not practice severe
austerities. He ate that which was commonand drank that which was
common. As wine was a common article of beverage among the people, he
drank it. It was the pure juice of the grape, and for anything that can be
proved, it was without fermentation. In regard to the kind of wine which was
used, see the notes at John 2:10. No one should plead the example, at any rate,
in favor of making use of the wines that are commonly used in this country -
wines, many of which are manufactured here, and without a particle of the
pure juice of the grape, and most of which are mixed with noxious drugs to
give them colorand flavor.
Wisdom is justified of her children - The children of wisdom are the wise -
those who understand. The Saviourmeans that though that generationof
Pharisees andfault-finders did not appreciate the conduct of John and

himself, yet the "wise,"the candid - those who understood the reasons of their
conduct - would approve of and do justice to it.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
2. Now when John had heard in the prison—Forthe accountof this
imprisonment, see on [1261]Mr6:17-20.
the works ofChrist, he sent, &c.—Onthe whole passage, seeon[1262]Lu
7:18-35.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 18,19. Luke hath the same words, Luke 7:33-35. The sense of the words is
this: God hath by his providence used all means to win this people to the
gospel. The doctrine of John the Baptist and Christ was the same, but their
temper and converse was very different: John was an austere and morose
man, Christ was of a more free and familiar conversation;but these men
would neither give the one nor the other a goodword; they reviled both of
them, and rejectedthem both, and the doctrine which they brought.
John came neither eating nor drinking, that is, not as other men ordinarily
do; he was a man that lived most in the wilderness, and fed upon very
ordinary diet, not eating with publicans and sinners, not coming at any feasts,
&c.;and they said of him, He hath a devil; he is a melancholic, hypochondriac
fellow, a kind of a madman.
The Son of man came eating and drinking, he was of a more affable, pleasant
temper, of a more free and less reservedconverse, eating and drinking as
other men (though keeping to the law of temperance)such things as the
country afforded, not refusing to be present at feasts, though publicans and
sinners were there. They said of him, Behold a man gluttonous, and a
winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners: he displeasedthem with the
two greatfreedom of his conversation;from whence, by the way, they may be
better instructed, who place some perfection, or merit, in living like monks

and hermits; by that rule John the Baptistwas to be preferred before Christ.
But Christ could please the Pharisees and lawyers, and their followers, no
more than John did. They could not sayhe was melancholic or morose;but
they blasphemed him to a higher degree, calling him a glutton and drunkard,
and a friend of publicans and sinners. A godly man, let his temper and
converse be what it will, pleasethnone who hateth the truth of the gospel, and
the powerof godliness. If he be reserved, then he is a morose, melancholic
man; if he be of a more free and open converse, then he is a drunkard, or a
glutton; something or other they must have to say againsta man that will not
run with them to the same excessofriot, though they lay to their charge
things that they know not. The business is, they hate the powerof godliness in
them. This instance of these men’s thus treating John the Baptist and Christ,
is of mighty use to strengthen those who meet with the very same things.
But wisdom is justified of her children. There is a greatvariety amongst
interpreters in giving the sense of these words. Some think them spoken
ironically, for the Pharisees wentfor the children of wisdom. Some think them
spokenplainly, and think it should be, wisdom is judged, or condemned, of
her children; but though the word dikaioomai, signifying to justice or do
justice to another, which, according to the merit or demerit of the person, may
be by justifying or condemning, upon which accountit was true here that
wisdom was condemned of those who pretended to be her children, and the
word is so used in other authors, yet we have no such usage ofit in Scripture.
Not to reckonthe various senses others put upon the words, the plain sense of
them seems to be this. It is a proverbial speech, something like that, Ars non
habet inimicum praeterignorantem, Learning hath no enemies but the
ignorant.
1. I, who am the Wisdom of God, am justified by you, who truly believe on
me: you know I am no glutton, no winebibber, no friend of publicans and
sinners. Or;

2. Grace is justified of all that are partakers of it. Godly men that are wise will
own the grace of God in all men, whether they be of John’s temper or of mine,
whether of more austere or more pleasanttempers. Or;
3. The wise counselof God, making use of severalinstruments of several
tempers to win these people unto his gospel, will be justified, that is, acquitted,
defended, praised, adored of those who belong unto God, and are acquainted
with his wisdom and counsels.
Luke saith, The people justified God, Luke 7:29. Some, by the children of
wisdom, understand the scribes and Phariseesthemselves, (who thought
themselves the children of wisdom), or the generality of the Jews, who were
condemned in their own consciences, and could not but in heart justify Christ,
though in their speechesthey condemned him. But Christ never calledthem
the children of wisdom. This interpretation therefore seemethsomething
strained. That which seemeththe most natural is what I before hinted.
Though those that pretend to be the children of wisdom thus speak of John
and of me, yet those who are truly wise will justify me, and also the counsels
and wisdom of my Father in the use of all means to bring them to receive the
glad tidings of salvation, brought to them both by my more austere and
reservedforerunner, and by myself, who have chosen, though a holy and
unblamable, yet a more free and pleasantway of converse with them.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
The sonof man came eating and drinking,.... Meaning himself, who ate and
drank as men usually do, lived in the common way of life, was free and
sociable, wentto feasts, entertainments, and weddings, when he was invited;
and was affable, courteous, and friendly in his deportment, to all men;
and they say, behold a man gluttonous, a voracious man, an epicurean, one
that indulges his appetite to a very greatdegree, and in a scandalous manner;

a winebibber, a common tippler, one that drinks to excess;whom the Rabbins
call (k), who is one, they say, that drinks up his cup at one draught; one that is
given to wine, and is greedy of it:
a friend of publicans and sinners; such as are openly and notoriously wicked;
and loves their company, for the sake oftippling with them; and encourages
them in their revelling and drunkenness; a very black charge this!
But wisdom is justified of her children; either the wisdom of God, in making
use of ministers of a different dispositionand deportment, whereby some are
gained, and others left inexcusable:or the Gospel, in which there is such a
display of divine wisdom, which is vindicated from the charge of
licentiousness, by the agreeable lives and conversations ofthe children of God:
or rather Christ himself, who is the wisdom of God; and in whom are hid all
the treasures ofwisdom and knowledge;who, howeverhe may be traduced by
ignorant and malicious men, yet will be acquitted from all such charges, as
here insinuated, by all the true sons of wisdom; or by such, who are made wise
unto salvation. We may learn from hence, that no sort of preachers and
preaching will please some men; that the best of Gospelministers may be
reproachedas libertines, or madmen; and that they will be sooner, orlater,
justified and clearedfrom all such aspersions.
(k) T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 86. 2. Betza, fol. 25. 2.
Geneva Study Bible
The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man
gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. {4} But {f}
wisdom is justified of her children.
(4) That which the many refuse, the electand chosenembrace.
(f) Wise men acknowledgethe wisdom of the gospelwhen they receive it.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 11:19. ὁ υἱὸς τ. ἀ.: obviously Jesus here refers to Himself in third
person where we might have expectedthe first. Again the now familiar title,
defining itself as we go along by varied use, pointing Jesus out as an
exceptionalperson, while avoiding all conventionalterms to define the
exceptionalelement.—ἐσθίωνκαὶ πίνων: the “Sonof Man” is one who eats
and drinks, i.e., non-ascetic and social, one of the marks interpretative of the
title = human, fraternal.—καὶ λέγουσι, and they say:what? One is curious to
know. Surely this genial, friendly type of manhood will please!—ἰδοὺ, lo!
scandalisedsanctimoniousnesspoints its finger at Him and utters gross,
outrageous calumnies.—φάγος, οἰνοπότης, φίλος, aneaterwith emphasis = a
glutton (a word of late Greek, Lob., Phryn., 434), a wine-bibber; and, worse
than either, for φίλος is used in a sinister sense and implies that Jesus was the
comrade of the worstcharacters, andlike them in conduct. A malicious nick-
name at first, it is now a name of honour: the sinner’s lover. The Sonof Man
takes these calumnies as a thing of course and goes onHis gracious way. It is
not necessaryto reflect these characteristicsofJesus and John back into the
parable, and to identify them with the piping and wailing children. Yet the
parable is so constructedas to exhibit them very clearlyin their distinctive
peculiarities by representing the children not merely employed in play and
quarrelling over their games, whichwould have sufficed as a picture of the
religious Jews, but as playing at marriages and funerals, the former
symbolising the joy of the Jesus-circle, the latter the sadness ofthe Baptist-
circle (vide my Parabolic Teaching ofChrist, p. 420).—καὶ ἐδικαιώθη,etc.
This sentence wears a gnomic or proverbial aspect(“verba proverbium
redolere videntur,” Kuinoel, similarly, Rosenmüller), and the aorist of ἐδικ.
may be taken as an instance of the gnomic aorist, expressive of what is usual;
a law in the moral sphere, as elsewhere the aorist is employed to express the
usual course in the natural sphere, e.g., in Jam 1:11. Weiss-Meyerstrongly
denies that there are any instances ofsuch use of the aoristin the N. T. (On
this aoristvide Goodwin, Syntax, p. 53, and Bäumlein, § 523, where it is called
the aoristof experience, “der Erfahrungswahrheit”.)—ἀπὸ, in, in view of (vide
Buttmann’s Gram., p. 232, onἀπὸ in N. T.).—ἔργων:the reading of [68] [69],
and likely to be the true one just because τέκνωνis the reading in Luke. It is
an appeal to results, to fruit (Matthew 7:20), to the future. Historicalin form,
the statementis in reality a prophecy. Resch, indeed (Agrapha, p. 142), takes

ἐδικ. as the (erroneous)translation of the Hebrew prophetic future used in the
Aramaic original = now we are condemned, but wait a while. The καὶ at the
beginning of the clause is not = “but”. It states a fact as much a matter of
course as is the condemnation of the unwise. Wisdom, condemned by the
foolish, is always, of course, justified in the long run by her works orby her
children.
[68] CodexSinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile
type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.
[69] CodexVaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889
under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
19. But wisdom is justified of her children] Wisdom = “divine wisdom”—God
regardedas the All Wise. Justified = “is accountedrighteous”—“isacquitted
of folly.” Of her children = “by the divinely wise.” The spiritual recognisethe
wisdom of God, both in the austerity of John and in the loving mercy of Jesus
who condescends to eat with publicans and sinners.
The word translated but should be and. Either the adversative force lies
rather in the whole sentence than in the particle, or the Greek καί is put for
the Hebrew connecting particle vau, which is sometimes adversative.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 11:19. Ἄνθρωπος φάγος, κ.τ.λ., a gluttonous man, etc.) They
distinguish Him, as one out of many, by a distinction opposedto that
mentioned in the preceding verse.—τῶντέκνων, children) we have shown, in
the Apparatus,[532]that τῶν ἔργων—works—wasancientlya widely received
reading. Ambrose, on Luke 7:35, says:—“Therefore wisdomis justified of all
her children.[533]It is well said ‘of all,’ because justice is observedtowards all

[i.e. in God’s dealings with all], so that the faithful may be accepted, the
unfaithful rejected. Very many of the Greeks adoptthe reading, ‘Wisdom is
justified of all her works,’because it is the work of justice to observe the due
measure towards the merit of every single individual.” He, however, appears
to mean the codices ofSt Matthew, not those of St Luke, for he is in the habit
of recurring to them from time to time, although he is commenting on St
Luke.[534]—ΑὐΤῆς[535])Valla[536]thinks that this refers to γενεᾶς; but see
Luke 7:35, where there are more remarks on the present passage. Cf. Luke
11:31. [No doubt Christ is the Wisdom meant. The children of Wisdom are
those who suffer themselves to be gatheredby her into her company. It is for
this reasonthat Wisdom is blamed on the ground of too simple and ready
indulgence towards such persons, and she is therefore thus compelled at last
to justify herself. Luke 15:1-2, etc.—V. g.]
[532]In the Apparatus, p. 117, he says—
[533]The first sentence is not quoted by Bengel, but, on referring to the
original. I consideredthe meaning so much plainer with it than without it,
that I took the liberty of inserting it. The passagein Ambrose stands thus:—
[534]Luke, Luke 7:35, adds πάντων. B correctedlater, reads, as the MSS.
alluded to by Ambrose, τῶν ἔργων: so MSS. in Jerome, both Syriac and
Memph. Versions. But Dac Vulg., Orig., Hil. and Rec. Text, read τέκνων.—
ED.
[535]Gen. fem. sing, of αὐτὸς. E. V. renders it her, sc. Wisdom’s. Valla would
render it of it, sc. of this generation.—(I. B.)

[536]LAURENTIUS VALLA, one of the most distinguished Latin scholars of
the fifteenth century. Born in Rome about 1406;became Professorof
Eloquence, first at Pavia, and afterwards at Milan; went to Rome in 1443, and
became canonof St John the Lateran. Died 1457. He published, besides many
other works, annotations on the N. T.—(I. B.)
“Justificata estergo Sapientia ab omnibus filiis suis. Bene ab omnibus, quia
circa omnes justitia servatur; ut susceptio fiat fidelium rejectio perfidorum.
Undeplerique Græcisic habent: Justificata estSapientia ab omnibus operibus
suis; quod opus justitiæ sit, circa unius cujuscunque meritum servare
mensuram.”—(I. B.)
“19)τέκνων) operibus notat Hieronymus in Evangeliis quibusdam legi, in
Comm. ad h. l. sic vero etiam Æth. Copt. Pers. Syr. Videtur Græcus librarius
antiquissimus pro τῶν τέκνων in maxima literarum similitudine, legisse τῶν
ἔργων. Quæ strictura docere nos possit, ex Græco Matthæi Evangelio
deductum esse EvangeliumNazarenorum [an apocryphal gospelso called],
quippe quod hoc loco sine dubio respexitHieronymus. Eundem varietatem, ex
Hieronymo, ut apparet, notavit Hafenrefferus in edit. suâ N. T.”—(I. B.)
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 19. - The Son of man (Matthew 8:20, note) came eating and drinking,
and they say, Behold (ἰδού, simply demonstrative, as in the LXX. of 1 Samuel
24:12;2 Samuel 24:22) a man gluttonous (a gluttonous man, RevisedVersion,
for the Greek, ἄνθρωπος φάγος, merelyreproduced the original Semitic
order), and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners (Matthew 9:10,
note). A friend. The idea of affection, which through common use of the words
has fallen so much into the backgroundboth in the Greek φίλος and our
English "friend," is brought out clearly in the Syriac roh'mo, which is,
perhaps, the very word that our Lord spoke. But; and (RevisedVersion); καί:
i.e. and yet, whatever you may say. Wisdom; i.e. the Divine wisdom, by which
all creationwas made (Proverbs 8:22-31;Wisd. 7:22), and which is the source

of all true understanding (Proverbs 8:12-16), particularly of the will of God
(Wisd. 7:27, 28;comp. Luke 11:49, "The Wisdom of God" speaking in
Scripture). Is justified (ἐδικαιώθη). The aoristis used either as expressing
what is wont to happen (Madvig, § 111, Romans a), or perhaps as expressing
the completenessofthe justi fication, (cf. ἐβλήθη, John 15:6). Nosgen,
contrary to New Testamentusage, under stands ἐδικαιώθη as meaning "is
condemned because ofher works" ("So habensie die Weisheit... um ihrer
Werke willen ve rurtheilt"), but the ordinary interpreta tion holds goodthat
she is acquitted of any error or wrong. Of her children; works (Revised
Version); ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς, with the Sinaitic manuscript and the original
hand of the Vatican, besides some of the versions. The common reading,
τέκνων, has come from Luke. In these words lie the chief difficulty of this
difficult sentence. Of(ἀπό) may be used of agents (comp. James 1:13; James
5:4: Luke 6:18, almostas though it were ὑπό), but it is more natural to
understand it here of the causes orreasons forthe verdict. And ἀπό thus gives
au excellent sense. OurLord says that the Divine Wisdom is justified in the
minds of men from the results she brings about. Of what is he thinking?
Doubtless moral results, and probably those found in the change that might be
seenin the publicans and sinners of which he has just been speaking. The
Divine Wisdom, which appearedto the carelessand unsympathetic so strange
and changeable in her methods, is, notwithstanding, pronounced to be in the
right, because ofthe results of her activity, the men and the women brought
under her influence. These κανιναὶ κτίσεις (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians
6:15) are always the best justification of misunderstood plans. While,
however, this seems the best interpretation of the sentence as recordedin
Matthew, it must be confessedthat in Luke it appears more natural to
understand "her children" as those who justify her; and further, this was
probably St. Luke's own interpretation. For he seems to purposely give an
explanation of the apothegmin the verses (Luke 7:29, 30)by which he joins
the equivalent of our vers. 16-19 to the equivalent of our ver. 11. He there tells
us that all the people and the publicans "justified God," having been baptized
with the baptism of John, but the Phariseesand the lawyers rejectedGod's
plan towards them, not having been baptized by him. Wisdom's children
justified her; others did not. Anyhow, ἔργων would appear to be the more
original of the two terms, for with the explanation preferred above, τέκνων

would be very easilyderived from it. It may, indeed, be due to a more
primitive confusion between ‫ע‬ ֹ‫ב‬ ֹ‫ד‬ ֹ‫ה‬ָ‫א‬ ("her works," cf. Ecclesiastes9:1) and
‫ע‬ ֹ‫ב‬ ֹ‫ד‬ ָּ‫ה‬ָ‫א‬ ("her servants," Hebrew ‫ד‬ ֶ‫ה‬ֶ‫,)א‬ this last word being commonly rendered
δοῦλοι, and, perhaps through παῖδες, even υἱοί and τέκνα (cf. Reseh, '
Agrapha,' p. 277), but even then it is unlikely that the former and harder
reading should be only due to a mistake for the latter. That the harder and
metaphoricalshould be changed into the easierand more literal, even as early
as St. Luke's time, appears much more probable.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
BARCLAY
The AccentOf SorrowfulRebuke (Matthew 11:16-19)
11:16-19 "To whatwill I compare this generation? It is like children in the
market-place, calling to their companions, and saying, 'We piped to you and
you did not dance; we wailed and you did not mourn.' ForJohn came neither
eating nor drinking, and they say, 'The man is mad.' The Sonof Man came
eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look you, a gluttonous man and a wine-
drinker, the friend of tax-collectors andsinners.' But wisdom is shown to be
right by her deeds."
Jesus was saddenedby the sheer perversity of human nature. To him men
seemedto be like children playing in the village square. One group said to the
other: "Come on and let's play at weddings," and the others said, "We don't
feel like being happy today." Then the first group said, "All right; come on
and let's play at funerals," and the others said, "We don't feel like being sad
today." They were what the Scots callcontrary. No matter what was offered,
they found a fault in it.

John came, living in the desert, fasting and despising food, isolatedfrom the
societyof men; and they saidof him, "The man is mad to cut himself off from
human societyand human pleasures like that." Jesus came, mixing with all
kinds of people, sharing in their sorrows and their joys, companying with
them in their times of joy; and they said of him, "He is a socialite;he is a
party-goer; he is the friend of outsiders with whom no decentperson would
have anything to do." They calledJohn's asceticismmadness;and they called
Jesus'sociabilitylaxness of morals. They could find a ground of criticism
either way.
The plain fact is that when people do not want to listen to the truth, they will
easilyenough find an excuse for not listening to it. They do not even try to be
consistentin their criticisms;they will criticize the same person, and the same
institution, from quite opposite grounds. If people are determined to make no
response they will remain stubbornly unresponsive no matter what invitation
is made to them. Grown men and womencan be very like spoiled children
who refuse to play no matter what the game is.
Then comes Jesus'final sentence in this section:"Wisdomis shownto be right
by her deeds." The ultimate verdict lies not with the cantankerous and
perverse critics but with events. The Jews might criticize John for his lonely
isolation, but John had moved men's hearts to God as they had not been
moved for centuries; the Jews might criticize Jesus for mixing too much in
ordinary life and with ordinary people, but in him people were finding a new
life and a new goodness anda new power to live as they ought and a new
access to God.
It would be well if we were to stopjudging people and churches by our own
prejudices and perversities; and if we were to begin to give thanks for any
person and any church who canbring people nearer to God, even if their
methods are not the methods which suit us.
BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATOR

Verse 19
Matthew 11:19
The Son of man came eating.
Christ and common life
I. We have here a strong proof of the humanity of Christ. “The Son of man.”
His oneness withmen; not exempt from the necessities ofour nature; He was
subject to the laws under which we live. No manna fell from heaven for Him.
II. Christ ate and drank with men. Not only as others, but with others. He was
no recluse. Jesus represents the new order, which is a life of liberty, because a
life of love. Religionmust be able to endure the strain of life.
III. Here Christ sanctifiedthe common duties of every day. Nothing is so
common as eating and drinking; it is commonplace. The temptation is to make
the hours for meals mere feeding times, or to become an epicure. Christ’s
example guards againstthis. He taught the dignity of our bodies. He who
recognizes the body as God’s gift will never dishonour its appetites. The daily
meals may be family sacraments cheeredby Christian intercourse. Christ
came to fit men for this world as well as for the next. (W. S. Jerome.)
Wisdom is justified of her children
I. The different courses oflife wherein john and Jesus appeared.
1. That God sendeth forth His servants with divers dispositions.

2. That men are qualified according to the dispensationwherein God useth
them. John, a preacherof repentance, was austere;Christ, as a giver of
pardon, mild.
3. That men are apt to complain.
1. Exceptagainstwhat is done by God, and whatsoevermethods are used to
reduce them to a sense ofpardon. The censures ofthe two things disliked in
Christ were not just.
1. His diet. All our food should be sanctified.
2. His company.
II. The reasons whyhe chose this sortof life.
1. BecauseHe would not place religion in outward austerities and
observances.
2. Christ would live a strict, but sociable and charitable life; and did not
observe the laws of proud pharisaicalseparation, but spent His time in doing
good.
3. Christ came to setus an example, and would take up that course of life most
imitable by all sorts of persons.
4. It was fit His form of life should suit with the nature of the kingdom.
5. BecauseChristwould not gratify human wisdom, as He would not gratify
sense, by choosing a pompous life, so He would net gratify wisdom by
choosing an austere life.
6. To show us the true nature of mortification, which consists not in
abstinence and retreat from temptations, but in a spirit fortified againstthem.
III. The observanceswhichwe may build thereon.

1. We may observe the humanity, goodness, and kindness of that religion
which we profess, both with respectto ourselves and others.
2. That external holiness which consistethin an outside strictness without love
usually puffeth up men.
3. That a free life, guided by a holy wisdom, is the most sanctifiedlife. (T.
Manton.)
A friend of publicans and sinners.
A friend of publicans and sinners
I. Our Lord proved himself in his own time to be the friend of sinners.
1. He came among them.
2. He sought their goodby His ministry.
3. He showedHis patience towardthem by the contradiction He endured from
them.
II. What Christ is doing now for sinners. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
I. Christ a friend. In a friend we anticipate finding sincere attachment,
affectionate concernto promote our welfare, freedomin fellowshipand
communication, unflinching fidelity.
II. The duty we owe to him. Friendliness, gratitude, fellowship, integrity,
constancy,

III. The advantages resulting from the performance of it. The friendship of
Christ affords rich consolation, exhaustlesssupplies, requisite instruction,
eternal inheritance. Address the enemies of Christ, the undecided, and His
friends. (Rev. Treffy.)
But wisdom is justified of her children.-
Wisdom justified of her children
I. How wisdom becomes justified to her children. Notice those respects in
which the scheme of Christianity is consideredfoolishness by the world.
1. A strong natural dislike of Christianity is founded on the meanhess of the
Saviour’s life and the ignominy of His death. The Christian’s greatstruggle is
with earthly attachments, and he acknowledges withthankfulness the wisdom
of any arrangementwhose direct tendency is to help him in the struggle.
2. They often allege the disproportion of the means to the end. Reasoncannot
decide how much the pardon of a sin must cost. The converted man sees the
heinousness ofsin. He sees that only an infinite sacrifice couldput it away.
3. It is regardedas unsuited to the ends which it proposes to effect, and no
heavier charge could be brought againstits wisdom. The idea of substitution is
said to encourage men in sin; hut where canwe find higher morality and truer
friendship than amongstmen who are trusting in Christ?
II. Wisdom is justified through her children to others. This wisdom is so
manifest in the effects of Christianity on the lives of its disciples, that enemies
are inexcusable in charging it with foolishness. The children of God must
vindicate the wisdom of religion, (H. Melvill, B. D.)
Wisdom justified in her children

I. What is the wisdomto which reference is here made. Some suppose our
Lord to have meant Himself; in Proverbs it is declaredthat by “Wisdom” God
createdthe heavens. The term wisdom is also applied to the doctrine of the
true God. “The fearof the Lord that is wisdom.”
II. To show how it has been in all ages exposedto the indifference, contempt,
or the misapprehensionof mankind.
1. Deny her doctrines.
2. Forgether commands.
III. How it has been nevertheless justified in its children.
1. In the life of every saint who has arrived in heaven. “A cloud of witnesses“
prove wisdom is justified of her children.
2. Wisdom is justified in all the socialrelationships of life. Is he a husband?
wisdom will have given him a new affection. (T. Jackson, M. A.)
The world’s estimate of religion
I. Evangelicalreligionis characterized, as wisdom. As it rightly applies the
sublimest knowledge;as it diligently studies the most approved rule; as it
zealouslyprosecutes the most enduring interest.
II. Evangelicalreligionhas been chargedwith folly. Its principles, its feelings,
its practices, have been accountedfoolishness.
III. Evangelicalreligionis justified by the experience on its possessors.They
receive her doctrines, avow her service, obeyher precepts. (Studies.)

Wisdom justified
I. What is the wisdomof God in the way of salvation presentedby the gospel?
The end of the means.
II. That this wisdom is despisedand contradictedby the carnalworld.
III. How and why it must be justified by the sincere professors ofthe gospel.
1. It must be approved and received by themselves.
2. It must be professedand owned when it is in contempt in the world.
3. This professionmust be honoured and recommended to others by a holy
conversation.
Why?
1. Becauseofthe charge that is put upon us to testify for God, and justify His
ways.
2. Wisdom deservethto be justified by us.
3. Those who condemn wisdom by their tongues, justify it in some measure by
their consciences.
4. If we do not justify religion, we justify the world.
5. Christ will one day justify all His sincere followers.
6. Becauseofthe necessityof justifying wisdom in the times we live in. (T.
Manton.)

ALAN CARR
JESUS:THE FRIEND OF SINNERS
Intro: It has been said that a dog is man's best friend. It doesn't seemto
matter what you do to your dog, he just keeps onloving you just the same.
There are times when I am on the outs with everyone in our home, but that
little dog of ours will come and remind me that she still cares. If you had a
million dollars and a dog, you would have a million so-calledfriends and a
dog. If you lose the million dollars and have nothing left, those million friends
would also be gone, but you would still have the dog. He doesn't care about
money, titles, position or privilege. All he asks is for the privilege of being near
his master. If you speak his name, you make his day. If you pet him on the
head, he thinks he is in dog heaven. His love is unselfish and undying. He is as
constantin his love as the sun is in its course acrosshe heavens. I suppose it is
true that among all the animals in God's vast creation, there is no greater
friend to mankind than the dog.
Sadly, most men do not experience that kind of devotion in their human
friendships. Here is what some have said regarding human friendships:
Friendship is but another name for an alliance with the follies and the
misfortunes of others. Our own share of miseries is sufficient: why enter then
as volunteers into those of another?
Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826), U.S. president. Letter, 12 Oct. 1786, to Maria
Cosway.
Friendship is a disinterestedcommerce betweenequals; love, an abject
intercourse betweentyrants and slaves.
Oliver Goldsmith (1728-74), Anglo-Irishauthor, poet, playwright. Mr.
Honeywood, in The GoodNatur'd Man, act1.
Old friendships are like meats served up repeatedly, cold, comfortless, and
distasteful. The stomachturns againstthem.

William Hazlitt (1778-1830), Englishessayist. The Plain Speaker, "Onthe
Pleasure ofHating" (1826).
The most fatal disease offriendship is gradualdecay, or dislike hourly
increasedby causes too slenderfor complaint, and too numerous for removal.
Samuel Johnson(1709-84), Englishauthor, lexicographer. The Idler, no. 23, in
Universal Chronicle (London, 23 Sept. 1758;repr. in Works of Samuel
Johnson, vol. 2, ed. by W. J. Bate, John M. Bullitt and L. F. Powell, 1963).
It seems evident from these quotes that these men think friendship to be a
brittle and weak thing. Thankfully not everyone agrees withthis
interpretation.
The greatestsweetenerofhuman life is Friendship. To raise this to the highest
pitch of enjoyment, is a secretwhich but few discover.
JosephAddison (1672-1719), Englishessayist. Interesting Anecdotes,
Memoirs, Allegories, Essays, andPoeticalFragments, "OfFriendship" (1794).
To the query, "What is a friend?" his reply was "A single soul dwelling in two
bodies."
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.),Greek philosopher. Quotedin: DiogenesLaertius,
Lives of Eminent Philosophers, "Aristotle," bk. 5, sct. 20.
A friend may well be reckonedthe masterpiece ofNature.
Ralph Waldo Emerson(1803-82), U.S. essayist, poet, philosopher. Essays,
"Friendship" (First Series, 1841).
As you journey through life, you will make and lose friends. It is just the way
things are! Thank God for the friends you have and pray for those you don't
have any longer. But, as you travel, remember that there is a Friend who
outshines all the friends you will make, or lose, along life's way. He was called,
"A friend of sinners" by His enemies. I think in all the Bible, there is no
sweetername to given to the Lord Jesus Christ than this. To think that those

who are called the enemies of Godhave, for themselves, a Friend of such
noble stature and quality as Jesus. He is the Friend of the friendless!
When we look into the Word of God, we are met with this word "friend"
many times. In severalof these places, the Bible gives us a definition of just
what a friend really is. Therefore, I would like to apply the acid test of the
Word of God to the Lord Jesus and show you that He is the sinner's Friend!
Notice some traits that prove this truth.
I. Jn. 15:12-13 A REAL FRIEND SACRIFICES
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greaterlove hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoeverI command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants;for the servantknoweth not what his
lord doeth: but I have calledyou friends; for all things that I have heard of
my FatherI have made known unto you. John 15:12-15
A. Perhaps you have had a friend for which you would do anything. Or,
perhaps you have been fortunate enough to have a friend that would do
anything for you. If so, then be glad, for a friend of that degree is a rare thing!
B. These verses teachus the truth that Jesus lovedus so much that He was
willing to die in our place on the cross. Evenwhen were His enemies and lost
in sin, He still willingly died for us, Rom. 8:7; Rom. 5:6-8.
C. (Ill. Many think they need a friend with money, or power, or prestige, or
influence, or a million other things the world places its hopes on. In truth, the
sinner needs a friend who can save him from his sins and keephim out of Hell.
Jesus, and Jesus alone, is that Friend! A thousand others could have died, but
none other could have paid the sinner's due! Jesus died so that sinners might
live in Him! The righteous died for the unrighteous. Jesus proved that He was
and is the sinner's best Friend!)

(Jack Lawlertells this story: "Nearmy office is a storage lockerbuilding. A
shabbily-dressed little man kept his tools and ran his yard maintenance
business from one of them. We spoke daily. One day, he claspedmy arm and
askedif he could talk with me. I was very busy, hesitated, then said, "Yes."
He told me his troubles, tearfully. His wife had left him, his partner had stolen
from him. I tried to encourage him, urged him to turn his problems over to
God, and told him I would pray for him.
"A few days later I was emptying a waste basketinto a large dumpster in
back of my office building. As I leaned over, my glassesfellinto the foul
garbage. Gazing down into the dumpster, I was mortified. Suddenly, my little
neighbor appeared. I told him of my loss. Instantly, he vaulted into the
dumpster, sorted through the garbage, found my glasses andheld them up to
me, smiling triumphantly. I thanked him over and over.
"'It's nothing,' he said. 'You're my friend.'
"The Scripture says we should love one another. Sometimes love requires
sudden, unselfish action."
II. Pro. 17:17 A REAL FRIEND LOVES
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Pro. 17:17
A. One characteristic oftrue human friendship is an undyinglove that
unaffected by problems, misunderstandings or harsh words. It is a love that
transcends all these things and continues to function as if nothing ever
happened. A love like this betweentwo human friends is almostnonexistent!
B. Jesus, onthe other hand, displays this kind of love without wavering!
Notice His promise in Jeremiah 31:3, "Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love." Notice that the term of this love is eternity. There is nothing
which man can do that can alter the love of Godfor him. Even though we are
undeserving and horribly flawed at our best, He loves us with an unchanging,
everlasting love! Ill. Rom. 8:31-39.

C. Jesus is a real Friend because He loves us unconditionally. He places no
limits on His great love for man. If you remember nothing from any sermon
you ever hear in this church, remember this, "Godloves you!"
( Robert Ingram tells of the time when he and his wife first had the
opportunity to go snowskiing. Theywere only going to have two-and-a-half
days on the slopes and hoped to spend the whole time learning how to ski.
When they arrived at the resort, they decided to call some friends who lived
about 150 miles from there. When they told them where they were, the friends
said, "Why don't you come and see us? We're only three hours away." Robert
knew that if they did that it would take up a whole day of their skiing time, so
he rather flippantly said, "No, you're not a six-hour friend." A little while
later their friends calledback to say they had hired a babysitter, were packing
up the car, and would be there to take us to dinner the next evening. Robert
was embarrassedwhenthey closedthe conversationby saying, "You are six-
hour friends for us." What he had intended as a joke turned out to be a
valuable lesson, however. He learned that friendship has a price. His friends
were willing to sacrifice in order to spend time with him. We must have a
similar willingness to sacrifice in order to spend time nurturing our
relationship with God.)
III. Pro. 18:24 A REAL FRIEND IS STEADFAST
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that
stickethcloserthan a brother. Prov 18:24
A. I suppose there have been times when we have all been betrayed by
someone we thought to be our friend. It is never pleasantand the pain never
really goes completelyawayfrom our hearts. But, what a joy it is to find a
friend that doesn't turn and walk awayfrom us when we have hard times, or
when we down.
B. Jesus is a steadfastFriend. There will never come a day when He isn't there
beside us to keepus, guide us and to comfort us. He is a Friend that sticketh
closerthan a brother!

(Ill. A little girl came home after being with a friend and said to her mother,
"Janie was very sad, Mommy, because her kitty died. But I helped her feel
better." When askedwhatshe had done, she replied, "I cried with her." How
wonderful it would be if we as Christians were as perceptive as that 4-year-old
child. She realizedthat sharing her friend's sorrow would do more goodthan
anything else. Sometimes words, eventhose basedon the Bible, are no
substitute for genuine sympathy. When a personsees how much we really
care, only then can our comments bring help and encouragement.)
(Ill. Jesus knows our hurts and He knows how to comfort us in our trying
times - Heb. 4:15-16.)
C. Besides being steadfastin comforting us in times of sorrow, Jesus has given
us His word that He will forever be with us until our journey has ended. Heb.
13:5; Matt. 28:20. What's more, He has send unto us the Holy Spirit who
performs a wonderful comforting ministry in our lives, John 14:16-18.
(Ill. The Holy Spirit is "Another Comforter." This is, He is "allon
paraklhton"." Simply put, "allon" = Another of the same kind and quality,
and "paraklhton" = One who comes alongside of. Jesus is telling the grief
strickendisciples not to fear, because He is sending One just like himself to
walk alongside them as they journey.)
(Ill. Thank God for those friends who will stand by when the going gets tough.
Michelle is a 16-year-oldgirl who lives in Michigan. She has cancer, and she
was facedwith months of chemotherapy. Without those powerful treatments,
she had little hope.
Michelle was apprehensive and afraid, but eachtime she went in to getan
injection, her best high schoolfriend went with her. "I would lie on my back
after those treatments and be emotionally and physically exhausted," she said.
"But my friend would hold my hand and softly repeat, 'You're going to make
it, Michelle. I know you're going to make it.'" While other kids were out
playing ball, going shopping and doing homework, Michelle's friend was
doing what friends do best. She was being steadfast!)
IV. Mt. 11:19; Lk. 19:7 A REAL FRIEND ACCEPTS

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. Matt 11:19
And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be
guestwith a man that is a sinner. Luke 19:7
A. In these 2 passages,people were concernedthat Jesus, who they perceived
to be a holy man, was spending His time hanging out with people of a
disreputable character. Thank God for those people who are willing to love
you, warts and all. I have always been of the opinion that folk can just take me
as I am or they can go on their way. It is a greatthing to find a true friend
that loves you just as you are.
B. This is one of the greatestaspectsofhaving Jesus for a friend. He loves you
just like you are. He doesn't ask you to change before He will love you. He just
loves you - Psa. 103:14.
C. This truth offers no excuse to the person who wants to live a sinful live.
Jesus expects His children to live cleanand do the best they can by His grace.
However, when we fail, and we will, He doesn't throw is aside and look for a
new friend. He does what a friend should do, He reaches downto us in our
time of need and reminds us that He still loves us and that He still cares.
D. He loves us in spite of our failures! We never have to earn His love.
According to the Scriptures, we are "acceptedin the Beloved", Eph. 1:6.
(Ill. This term means that we "fit in." In our selves, we are sinful and dirty.
We could never hope to be worthy of coming into the presence ofGod. But in
Jesus, we "fit in." We are declared righteous and we are acceptedby God,
just as we are! That is an incredible thing!)
V. Pro. 27:6 A REAL FRIEND OFFERS CORRECTION
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses ofan enemy are deceitful.
Pro. 27:6

A. Rare is the friend who will come to you face to face to tell you when you
have made a mistake. A friend who will come to you in love and will tell you
that you are wrong is a friend indeed! It is no friend who will allow you to go
on in evil and not sayanything for fear of hurting your feelings. Realfriends
will reachout in their love for their friends.
B. Jesus is a friend who will correctyou when you are wrong! (Ill. Hebrews
12:6-11)
VI. Matt. 26:50 A REAL FRIEND FORGIVES
And Jesus saidunto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Thencame they,
and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Matt 26:50
A. In any friendship, it is inevitable that there will be times when feelings will
be hurt. Blessedis that friend who has the power for forgive and to forget.
When old wounds are allowedto lie open and fester, then disease is always the
result. A genuine friend may be hurt and offended, but he will quickly put it
behind him in favor of peace and unity. By the way, anyone who refuses to
forgive is no friend, but is an enemy for they will, by their hateful spirit,
destroy both themselves and you.
B. Thank God, Jesus is a friend who forgives!How many times have we
crossedthe line and gone where God has forbidden us? How many times have
we, like the Prodigal, smelling of the world, dirty with the filth of sin, turned
back to Jesus and with a repentant heart told Him how wrong we were?
When we did, we did not find an enemy. Instead, we found a Friend. We
found One who loved us in spite of our wanderings and One who was ready to
stand up in our behalf and plead our case before the bar of Heaven. Thank
God! Jesus is a Friend who forgives - 1 John 1:7-2:1.
C. Let no saint fear to return home. When He does, he find a forgiving Friend
in the Personof the Lord Jesus Christ!
(Ill. One of the all-time greats in baseballwas Babe Ruth. His bat had the
powerof a cannon, and his record of 714 home runs remained until Hank

Aaron came along. The Babe was the idol of sports fans, but in time age took
its toll, and his popularity beganto wane. Finally the Yankees traded him to
the Braves. In one of his lastgames in Cincinnati, Babe Ruth beganto falter.
He struck out and made severalmisplays that allowedthe Reds to score five
runs in one inning. As the Babe walkedtoward the dugout, chin down and
dejected, there rose from the stands an enormous storm of boos and catcalls.
Some fans actually shook their fists. Then a wonderful thing happened. A
little boy jumped over the railing, and with tears streaming down his cheeks
he ran out to the great athlete. Unashamedly, he flung his arms around the
Babe's legs and held on tightly. Babe Ruth scoopedhim up, hugged him, and
sethim down again. Patting him gently on the head, he took his hand and the
two of them walkedoff the field together.Suchunreservedloyalty is what true
friendship is all about. We have such a friend in the person of Jesus Christ. )
VII. John 15:15 A REAL FRIEND IS OPEN
Henceforth I call you not servants;for the servant knowethnot what his lord
doeth: but I have calledyou friends; for all things that I have heard of my
Father I have made knownunto you. John 15:15
A. There are few friends with which you can share your deepestsecrets
without fear of them being spread around like leaves from an autumn tree. It
is a blessing, however, when you find that friend with whom you canbe open
and honest.
B. Jesus is such a Friend! You can tell Him any thing and He will never betray
your confidence - 1 Pet. 5:7. You can lay any burden off onto His shoulders
without fear that He will mock you or run to tell another - Matt.. 11:28.
C. His Friendship is a 2 way street. Just as longs for you to confide in Him, He
is willing to share His truths with you. He has a will for your life and He will
lead you into that truth when you are willing to walk with him as with a
friend, John 13:16. Can you honestly saythat you have an open relationship
with the Lord Jesus?

Conc:Robert Louis Stevenson's tells a story of two sisters in Edinburgh.
These sisters lived comfortably in a rather large one-roomapartment. But one
day they had a sharp disagreement.
As time passed, their angergrew, and they stopped speaking to eachother.
Instead of resolving their dispute or one of them moving out, they both
stubbornly remained in the apartment-- all the while refusing to
communicate. Stevensonwrote, "A chalk line drawn upon the floor separated
their two domains; it bisectedthe doorwayand the fireplace, so that each
could go out and in and do her cooking without violating the territory of the
other. So, for years, they coexistedin a hateful silence." How foolish!
It is a sad thing when we draw off areas of our lives and will not allow Jesus to
enter those areas. He longs to be our friend and if we will lowerour defenses
and let him enter, He will do just that and will come in unto us and will be the
best Friend we have ever had.
Yes, Jesus is the sinner's Friend. But, to what extent that is true in your life is
up to you. I invite you, this evening, to come before the Lord and seek to be
His Friend, He is alreadyyours.
JOHN MACARTHUR
Treating Christ with Criticism and Indifference
Sermons Matthew 11:16–24 2287 Sep20, 1981
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Matthew 11 is our study this morning, and I have been blessedthis week in
preparation of my heart and mind to share with you from this text. There’s so
much here, and such a clear, concise, and important message,that I’ve asked
the Lord repeatedlyin my prayers to use it in a specialway to penetrate
hearts. Matthew 11, and we’re looking today at verses 16 through 24, and
we’re going to take that as a unit. It includes, really, two features, or two
elements, and yet they tie togetherso well that I want to take them as a unit.
Our Lord expectedpeople to respond to His message, andto properly
respond, and so, one of the things that our Lord commonly saidappears in
verse 15 of this chapter. He said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” We
find that in severalother places in the gospelof Matthew. We also find our
Lord saying that even from heavenin Revelationchapters 2 and 3, when in
the letters to the churches, He repeatedly says, “He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear.” In other words, the Lord wants men to properly listen to what He
says.
The revelationof Godis given with a response in mind; the proper response.
And if you remember our last lessonon John the Baptist, you’ll remember
that the Lord is calling on the people not only to listen to Him, but to John as
well. And if they will listen to John, they will listen to Him, for John speaks of
Him. If they had receivedJohn, the forerunner, they would then have received
the one of whom John spoke, and if they had receivedthe one of whom John
spoke, they would have receivedin their hearts the Kingdom, and if the nation
had receivedHim, they would have receivedthe earthly Kingdom as well.
And so, our Lord has called for them to hear, but while calling, He recognizes
that most do not hear; they do not listen. It is basic to biblical truth that men
must respond, that men must react, that men are given a choice when
confronted with the truth of God; to hear it, to believe it, to acton it, or to
rejectit. Now, by the time we come to chapter 11 of Matthew, we have had ten
chapters of the message, tenchapters of the revelation of Jesus Christ. And
now, in chapters 11 and 12, Matthew records for us the various kind of
responses to Christ.

Now, we’ve already seenthat one of the responses is honestdoubt, and honest
doubt was really that response that characterizedJohn the Baptist. He
believed, and yet he had some doubt, and so, the Lord dealt with that in the
first fifteen verses;and now, He’s going to go on to some other responses to
Christ that are much more serious. Honestdoubt canoccur even in the case of
a believer, as it did with John. But He’s going to go on to talk about rejection,
a superficial kind of amazement and fascination.
He’s going to talk about blasphemy in chapter 12. But in our sectiontoday,
He’s going to speak of two other responses to Christ that are very common;
the first is criticism, and the secondis indifference. One talks about what men
do, and one talks about what men don’t do, and a man or a woman can be
damned to hell just as much by what they do not do as by what they do. When
you look aheadto the ultimate greatwhite throne judgment, it is certain that
some people are going to sayas a defense, “Inever did anything.” And that
will be their condemnation: they never did anything.
Now, at the end of chapter 11, and the end of chapter12, mingled in with
these negative responses, are two positive sections, in which the Lord calls for
the right response. And so, in a realsense, this is a very critical sectionof
Matthew’s gospel. Tenchapters of presentationof who Christ is, now calling
for the right response;very essential. Verse 15 really, then, is a callto believe.
It’s a callto hear with faith. But this generation, the generationof our Lord’s
time, would not hear.
And so, He poses a question in verse 16: “But whereunto shall I liken this
generation?” “Icallfor this generationto hear, but they do not hear.” The
majority of them were not interested in listening to Jesus Christ, though His
miracles were, beyond question, convincing that He was from God. “What
will I liken them to?” He says. And then He launches in, really, to these two
chapters, describing all of the negative ways in which His generation
responded to Him. The first one He talks about is criticism.
One of the things that characterizedthem was they were just critical; no
matter what He did or what He said, they criticized it. There was no validity
in the criticism; they were just looking for something to pick on, and there are

people like that today. No matter what the messageis, no matter what is said
or what is done, by the church or those who represent Christ, they will always
criticize it, because they’re not seeking truth. They’re not open to truth. They
will not acknowledgetheir sin.
They are not interested in a Savior, and so they just sit back and criticize.
Now, back to that phrase that begins verse 16 for a moment: “Whereunto
shall I liken this generation?” Thatphrase is a very interesting phrase. That
question is a very interesting question, for in Jewishliterature - in the
Midrash, which is the, sortof the compilation of Jewishtraditional teaching -
that is the most common formula for introducing a parable. Now, all good
teachers know that you have to teachin word pictures, or in analogies,or
similes, or metaphors, or figures of speech, to make people understand things.
And that was true with the rabbis as well, and so they would commonly say
this phrase, “To what is the matter like?” and that is the most common phrase
in Rabbinic teaching for introducing a parable. Or, “How can I liken this
point to something in life that will make it clearto you? What is it like?” And
Jesus is, then, in a very traditional rabbinic way, launching Himself into a
parable. “Whereunto shall I liken this generation?”“How canI illustrate
what this generationis like?”
And then He begins. “It is like children sitting in the market places, 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.’” Now,
stop there. That’s very interesting. At first reading, you probably don’t want
to - don’t understand what it’s saying. Let me help you a little. In the centerof
every town and village was a place calledthe agora in Greek, and the agora
means marketplace, andon the market days, the people would come in.
And they would fill up that open space in the middle of town, with all of their
carts, and their little lean-to stores, and all of their wares, andthey would sell
everything in the marketplace. And it was a favorite place for the children to
play, when they had free hours or when their parents were milling around in
the marketplace, andchildren would inevitably be scurrying through the

marketplace. And, of course, they knew eachother, and so, eventually they
would all come together, and games would begin to take shape.
Now, this would be very much like a public park, or a town square, and in
fact, on the days when the market wasn’tthere, it was a greatwide-open
space, and there would even be more room for the children to play. And
children commonly, as children today, then would play the games that sort of
mimicked the life of their elders. They would copy what their parents did.
And one of the popular games they played was wedding, and another favorite
was funeral - a little harder to imagine - but they liked to play wedding and
funeral.
You say, “Why?” Well, because those were public socialevents. Whenevera
wedding occurred, there was always a parade through town, a great
processional. The bride, the bridegroom, the friend of the bridegroom, and all
of the ladies who were waiting on the bride, and everybody else in the
wedding, they would come through town. And there would come folks along
playing pipes and flutes, and people would be skipping and hopping and
dancing with joy, as they went through the town in this procession.
And so, the children would always see this, and they would know it was a part
of life. Very likely they would get together, and somebody, that very fortunate
little girl, would getto be the bride, and perhaps she would dress herself a
little bit fancy, and she would take the role of the bride. And some little fellow
would get to be the bridegroom, and somebodyelse the friend of the
bridegroom, and some of the ladies who would be attending the bride, and
they would get the whole game going.
And they would be going through town, and somebody who could blow a
whistle or play a little flute would be playing, and they would be calling to
their friends, and say, “Come on and join the procession.” And then, after
they played wedding a little while, they decided to play funeral - which is just
as inevitable as wedding - and it was also public. Forwhenever there was a
funeral, they would lift up the body, and carry the body through the city, and
all the people involved with the family would come along.

And they would hire certain Jewishwomenwho were paid wailers, and they
would come in and wail, and moan, and lament, and the kids would see this.
And so, after they played wedding a while, they got tired of that, and they
decided to play funeral. And so, they would wail, and scream, and they would
beat on themselves. The term that is used means to strike yourselves, and it
was very common in funeral processions that the people would beat on their
chest, and they’d beat on their heads, and hit themselves all over their bodies.
And so, the little kids would just pick this up. They’d maybe put on some
black clothes, and they’d pound on themselves, and as they were playing
funeral, they would cry to their little friends, and say, “Come on, and play
funeral with us.” But do you know what? There were some kids that didn’t
want to play. And that’s why verse 17 says, “We piped, and you didn’t dance;
and we mourned unto you, and you didn’t strike yourselves.” I mean, there
were a bunch of kids in the parable that were just spoilsports, bad sport.
“We don’t want to play your dumb game.” “So, we’llchange our game. You
don’t like wedding, we’ll play funeral” - that’s the opposite extreme. “We
don’t want to play that, either. We don’t want to be involved at all.” Peevish
children. The sadgame, you see, is opposite the glad game, but they aren’t
going to play either game;they just stubbornly don’t want to play. They just
want to kind of sit on the sidelines and criticize - the sheerperversity of
human nature. Now, the principle of the parable is very clear.
There are some people who just don’t want to play, no matter what the game
is, right? No matter how you approachthem, they don’t want to play. They’ll
criticize the wedding, and they’ll criticize the funeral. Nothing satisfies them.
They will always find fault, because they are basically unwilling to participate,
unwilling to be satisfied. Now, Jesus says,“Thatis like this generation. You
just don’t want to play. No matter what the game is, you will not be satisfied.
“You’re like the children who, when calledby their little friends, had no
openness, and no interest, just a bitter, critical, contrary spirit.” Now, look at
verse 18, and here comes the application: “ForJohn came neither eating nor
drinking, and they say, ‘He hath a demon.’” Now, what is that? John came in
a funeral mode. John came austere. Johncame dressedin a camel’s hair

cloak, whichwould have been black. John came eating locusts and wild honey,
having no normal socialrelationships. He lived in the desert.
By all human definitions, he was a recluse and a hermit. He came pounding
awaythe messageofjudgment and fiery condemnation. He talked about an
axe chopping at the root of the tree. He cried out for repentance, and the
demonstration of the fruit of repentance - Matthew 3. I mean, he came in a
funeral mode. He came serious and austere. He lived apart from the normal
relationships of life. He never enteredinto socialactivities at all. He was a
voice crying in the wilderness. And you know what they said of him?
“He has a demon. He is possessed. Imean, anybody who acts that weird is
possessed.” It’s interesting, isn’t it, that at first it says they rejoicedin his light
for a season. Theyhadn’t had a prophet in 400 years, and they could see that
he was great. I mean, he was absolutelythe greatestprophet up until that
time, according to the former passage oflastweek, that he was without equal.
He had the powerof personalityto attractthem. And they baskedin his light
for a little season. Butthe critics among them finally just said, “Ah, he’s
nuts.”
You see, they equated madness, mental derangement, with demon possession,
and they did that, I think, because thatcommonly was true. You remember
the maniac of Gadara, who was possessedwith all of the legion of demons, was
also derangedmentally? He was slicing himself up, cutting himself, running
around naked, living in caves and tombs. And so, they simply reasonedthat
anybody who was as derangedas John, to live like he lived, must be possessed
of a demon. And you see, that would be the worstthing they could say about
him: devil-possessed.
It would have been enoughto say, “Oh, he’s - he’s mentally off,” but there
might have been a little room for sympathy in that. But when they said, “He’s
possessed,” theyjust pushed it as far as they could push it. Instead of seeing
his lifestyle as a rebuke to their indulgence, they just ridiculed him. On the
other hand, look at verse 19. Following John came the Sonof man - and Jesus
uses His human title here. He came in His humanness, “Eating and drinking.”
In other words, He was the opposite of John.

He came and got into the flow of sociallife. He came and had meals with
people, and dwelt in their homes, and attended the socialactivities. He was at
weddings, and He was at funerals, and He was at specialevents, and He was in
the synagogue,and He was in the temple. And He walkedfrom village, to
village, to village, to village. And He was by the sea with the fishers, and He
was in the boat. And He was there where they were, and He was a part of
their life, and He sharedfood and drink with them.
He came in a wedding mode, you see. In fact, in Matthew, chapter 9, the
disciples of John, who were used to this funeral mode, you know, this dirge
kind of thing, came to the disciples of Jesus, and they said, “Hey, why don’t
you fastlike we fast?” And the answerwas, in effect, “Hey, you don’t fastat a
wedding.” In other words, the Messiahis here, this is a celebration. And so,
the Lord, in a sense, came in a very different way than John did, and look
what they said. They said: “Behold, a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a
friend of tax collectors andsinners.”
You see, becauseHe mingled, they criticized that. BecauseJohndidn’t mingle,
they criticized that. By the way, the phrase a gluttonous man is interesting:
anthrōpos phagos. It’s a phrase that uses the term person. It doesn’t even
have any - any dignity at all. He was a glutton of a person. It’s a nondescript
term. He was a glutton of a person, one who ate in excess, one who just sat
around and stuffed food in. And they said He was a winebibber, which simply
means He just drank all the time; one who drank in excess.
By the way, I might mention at this point that what the Lord did drink was
wine mixed with water, as we learned. Broadus, in his commentary, says that
the kind of wine He drank would stimulate about as much as our tea and
coffee. That’s just a footnote. But the point is that He came in the normal flow
of life, and they said He was a drunkard and a glutton. And then, they went
beyond that, and they said - and they put the word friend last in the Greek,
and they said, “Publicans” - or tax collectors – “and sinners, He befriends.”
BecauseHe came mixing with all kinds of hurting, needy people, sharing their
sorrows and their joy, they said He was a rounder. And because Johncame
living in the desert, fasting, despising food, and isolatedfrom people, they said

he was mad and demonic. And the point of the whole deal is that they were
just critical, that’s all. There was nothing that could be done that could please
them. William Barclaysays, “The plain factis that when people do not want
to listen to the truth, they will easilyenough find an excuse for not listening.
“Theydo not even try to be consistentin their criticism. They’ll criticize the
same person and the same institution from quite opposite grounds and
reasons. if people are determined to make no response, theywill remain
stubbornly and sullenly unresponsive no matter what invitation is made to
them,” end quote. And so, our Lord points out that “no matter what we did,
you just wouldn’t play. It was just your peevish, contrary, critical hearts.” It’s
a bad response, because -the end of verse 19: “Wisdomis justified by her
works.”
The best rendering is works here. It is rendered children in Luke 7:35, but
here, it’s works. “Wisdomis justified by her works.” In other words, you sit
back and you criticize no matter what I do or John does;no matter what our
messageis, you criticize. But in the end, the truth will justify itself by what it
produces. You can criticize Christ, but where you’re going to run into trouble
is when you run into the people whose lives He’s changed, right? You can
criticize the church, but where you’re going to have problems is when you
have to explain why the church has had the impact it’s had on the world.
You see, truth or wisdomultimately is justified by what it produces, and that
is an unanswerable argument. The wisdom of John the Baptist, which insisted
on repentance, and the wisdom of Jesus, which insisted on salvation, was
shown to be justified by what it accomplishedin the hearts and the lives of the
people who believed. They rendered the right verdict, they who believed, and
they become the testimony to the truth. Some people are just critical, and you
meet them, and I meet them. They’re not even looking for the truth.
They just want to find everything wrong with Christ and Christianity, and
that’s a tragic response, because in the end, the truth will be justified by what
it produces. You see, these people had a smugness that made them sit in
condemning judgment, and they were wrong. Now, in those verses there’s a
certain gentleness.The rebuke there is mild. When it says, “Wisdomis

justified by her works,” that’s a mild thing. I mean, He doesn’t really crash
down on the generationof critics. But draw a line in your Bible betweenverse
19 and 20, because something happens betweenthose two verses. Something
dramatic happens.
The gentleness is gone when you hit verse 20. There’s almost a line of
demarcationbetweenthose two verses. Something dramatic changes, and
judgment begins to come with fury in verse 20. And this, of course, accelerates
the events that lead to the people crucifying Christ. But there is definitely an
open flow of the wrath of God that comes in the next section. Now, we’ve seen
the response ofcriticism, what men did: they criticized. Now, I want you to see
the response ofindifference: what men didn’t do.
And let me just saythis before I go any further; it is so important for you to
realize that what people don’t do is enough to condemn them. In Matthew
7:26, Jesus said, “The man who hears My word” - or words – “and doeth
them not, is likenedunto a man who built his house on the sand, and the rains
came and the floods,” and you remember, the fall was great. And why was
that man lostin judgment? Because he heard, and did not do. Just not doing it
was sufficient. You see, people do not have to do something to go to hell; they
just have to do nothing to go to hell.
I think about Josiah’s revival. He brought back the Word of Godto the
people, and in 2 Kings 22, he said: “Greatis the wrath of the Lord that is
kindled againstus.” And why is God so wrathful? “Becauseour fathers have
not listenedto the words of this book.” It was what they didn’t do. In Matthew
22, the Lord is likening His Kingdom to a wedding, and sinners are being
calledto the marriage feast, and this is what He says:“Tell them which are
bidden, ‘Behold, I have prepared My dinner: My oxen and my fatlings are
killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.’”
Listen to this: “But they made light of it” - they treated it lightly - “and went
their way, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise.” Life as usual.
They made light of it. Who needs it? And then, in Luke 17:26 and 27, you
have that very fascinating passagewhichsays, “As it was in the days of” -
what? – “Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man.” What is the

parallel? Well, in those days, “Theydid eat, and they drank, and they married
wives, and they were given in marriage, until the day Noah enteredthe ark,
and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”
And the Lord says, “It will be the same way now. They’ll eat, and drink, and
marry, and be given in marriage.” Whatdoes that mean? That means life goes
on as usual, eating, drinking, getting married. Men will just obliviously go on
with the same routine, and you saw it back in Noah’s day. There were some
critics who stoodaround the boat that he was building in the middle of the
desert, about the 110thyear, and said, “The guy is out of his mind. He’s
building a boat in the desert. And he’s talking about rain; what is rain?”
No one had ever seenrain, never had rained - and there were the critics. But
then there were the mass of people who just went on eating, and drinking, and
marrying, and giving in marriage, the routine of life, until it rained. It’s too
late, the door was shut. And the Lord said it’s going to be the same way. Just
indifference, just going on with life as usual. Now, those passagesillustrate the
indifference of men toward God, but not as aptly and as powerfully as does
this passage. So, follow along.
Verse 20, “Then beganHe to upbraid” - it means to reproach, or to speak
condemnation against - “the cities in which most of His mighty works were
done, because they repented not.” The gentleness ofverse 19 is gone now. I
mean, they’ve had ten chapters of revelation. They’ve had the fullness of the
Galileanministry, with all of its myriad of miracles - He banished disease
from Palestine. I mean, they’ve seenenoughto know - forgiving sin, casting
out demons, raising the dead, you name it.
And now, they have not repented, and so He moves to the statementof His
judgment. This is, if you will, the wrath of the Lamb; as gracious as the Sonof
God is in His friendship with sinners, so fierce is He in His denunciation of
those who will not acknowledgetheir sin. It is holy anger; it is holy fury that
you see in this passage. Now, he mentions the cities - Matthew does - in which
most of His mighty works were done. Now, this would be the Galileancities,
where His Galileanministry had takenplace.

The city does not refer to the streets, and the buildings, and the houses, and so
forth; the city refers to the people who lived there. You cannot have streets
and buildings repenting; those are people. But the people do does ultimately
reflectthe cities, and the cities ultimately reflectthe judgment, because they
go out of existence, if God choosesto do that. But he’s talking about the
people, and the reasonHe beganto condemn them was because His mighty
works were done in their presence, but they did not repent.
By the way, the word mighty works is dunamis, which means power works -
works of power- and refers to His miracles. They had seenmiracle after
miracle after miracle, by the hundreds, maybe the thousands, and they
wouldn’t repent, and they wouldn’t turn to God. They were very much like
those in Revelation9:20 and 21, who after the plethora of miracles that occurs
in the tribulation, curse God and repent not. I mean, they didn’t even show
any interest at all. And the Lord’s basic goalin doing these miracles was to
demonstrate His divine nature, and cause them to repent and come to Him.
But they didn’t repent.
Now, listen to this: when men have that kind of privilege and do not repent,
what happens is their guilt becomes aggravated, and they are more severely
guilty than if they never heard at all, or saw atall, a miracle. It is far better,
my friend, for you to know nothing about Jesus Christ, than to know anything
about Him and rejectHim. For there is greaterpunishment - Hebrews 10:26 -
to the one who knows of Christ, and tramples His blood under his feet, than
the one who never knew.
So, I would just suggestto you that if you’re rejecting Jesus Christ, you ought
to turn around, and get out of here, and awayfrom anything that represents
Him, as fast as you can, because you will only aggravate your guilt, which will
deepen the pit of your eternal punishment. And I say that because Godsaid
that, because Godcares aboutyou. The greaterthe privilege, the greaterthe
responsibility, and no cities were evermore privileged than the cities of
Galilee. The incarnate Sonof Godhad walkedtheir dusty roads. He had
taught their favoredpeople.

He had performed His mighty miracles within their villages and towns, and
He had given them overwhelming evidence. But in their indifference, they had
not repented. And Bengel, the commentator of old, is right, when he says,
“Every hearerof the New Testamenttruth is either much happier or much
more wretchedthan the men who lived before Christ’s coming.” The works
that Jesus did should have stopped those people in their tracks - like the
works and the messageofJonahstopped Nineveh in its tracks, and it repented
- but it didn’t. They did not repent.
That’s in the aorist tense;it marks a finality. They didn’t repent. Now, He
singles out two illustrations of unrepentant hearts in the cities of Galilee. First,
verse 21 and 22: “Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee Bethsaida!” And a
woe, by the way, is a curse, a promise of doom, a promise of judgment.
Chorazin was a little village, nestled in the hills two and a half miles north of
Capernaum. Capernaum is right on the shore of the northernmost point of the
Sea of Galilee, in the lovely area of Galilee.
Two and a half miles north of Capernaum was this little village of Chorazin.
By the way, it is now extinct, and there are ruins left there that are given the
present-day name of Charaza, a variation of Chorazin. And then there was
Bethsaida - and these are only examples of all of the villages and towns of that
area, and there were many of them that had the same privilege. Bethsaida is a
little more north and a little more west, out in the plain of Gennesaret, above
the Sea ofGalilee. It was the hometown of Philip, and it was the place that
Andrew and Peteroriginally came out of.
And there, too, He had done His miracles, in that little village. With
Capernaum as His headquarters, those miracles had spread everywhere. In
fact, in John’s gospel, he says that all of the things that Jesus did are not
written here. And then he says, in chapter 21, verse 25, that if all of the things
that Jesus did were written down, all the books in the world couldn’t even
begin to contain them. They had seenmyriads of miracles. They had seenthe
blessedSavior. But look what He says. “Forif the mighty works, which were
done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long
ago in sackclothand ashes.”

In the minds of a - of a GalileanJew, the two most wretchedcities were Tyre
and Sidon - historically. They were in that same area, only over a few miles to
the coast. Theywere the cities of the Phoenicians, and the Phoenicians were
the seafaring people, the commercialpeople, the sailors, the colonizers, in
many ways, of the Mediterraneanarea. And those seaports were everything
that a seaportis. All of the riff-raff, all of the sailors who had been at sea for
months, and even years, brought in their adulterous immoralities and
fornications.
Those two cities were deep in the pit of Baalworship. The cities were immoral
as far as you could imagine; they were Gentile, pagan, heathen societies, and
God destroyedthem. In Isaiah23, and in Ezekiel26, 27 and 28, we learn that
the commercialseamenand the colonizing Phoenicians of those two cities
were proud. We learn that they were greedy, avaricious, cruelpeople. Amos
denounces them in his prophecy - chapter 1, verse 9 - because they actually
captured Jews and sold Jews into slavery.
Joeltells us they sold Israelites to the Greeks. Amos says they sold them to the
Edomites. Jeremiahsays that God will pour out the winepress of wrath on
them - Jeremiah25:22 and 47:4. So, the prophets really denounced the vile
wretchedness ofthose two cities, and they would be literally, in the Galilean
area, a byword for vile places, and that’s why God destroyedthem. They
could be comparedto the wickedBabylon of Revelation17 to 19, commercial
and corrupt, immoral, idolatrous, pagan, pleasure-mad, proud, wicked, and
worthy of extinction.
And yet, our Lord says this - what a jolt: “If the works, which were done in
you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in
sackclothand ashes.” In other words, you are worse than they are. And here
was a smug, self-righteous, moralsociety;Jewishpeople going about their
daily routine; none of the grossness ofTyre and Sidon, and yet they were
worse off. They were unable to perceive Godin their midst. He says that Tyre
and Sidon would have repented, and then He adds “in sackclothand ashes” to
show that their repentance would have been genuine.

Sackclothwas the coarse,black, camelhair, like John the Baptist wore, that
turned black. It was a symbol of mourning, and when you wanted to mourn or
show humility, you put on sackcloth, and then, in an oriental custom, threw
ashes all over yourself. Or else, you could have a big bed of ashes, andjust
dive in and wallow in it. That was anotherway you expressedyour sorrow.
That is not necessarilya biblical custom; that was an oriental one. But Job did
it; in Job42:6, he repented in dust and ashes, and so did Daniel.
In 9, when he prayed that greatprayer to God on behalf of his people in
captivity; he put ashes on himself. So, He’s saying, “Tyre and Sidon would
have genuinely repented if they had seenwhat you saw. Tyre and Sidon didn’t
have your privilege.” Now, for a Jew to be told that he is worse than a Gentile
is the absolute end in that society. It’s little wonder that we begin to accelerate
the movement toward the cross now. And if that wasn’t bad enough, He said
this in verse 22: “But I sayunto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and
Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.”
What is the day of judgment? Well, it could be any day in which God judged,
but He has in mind the greatwhite throne final judgment, when all the dead
of all the ages are brought before the throne of Godto be judged for their
eternal punishment. And He says the judgment of Chorazin and Bethsaida
will be more severe than the judgment of Tyre and Sidon – inconceivable.
Inconceivable because, yousee, the Jews wouldhave agreedwith the
condemnation of Tyre and Sidon, just like the Jewishantagonistin Romans 2
would agree with the condemnation of the Gentiles in Romans 1.
They would have thought, “nothing worse than the Gentiles,” but the Lord
says, “It will be better for them than it will be for you.” That tells us there are
degrees ofpunishment in hell, beloved, and the severerhell belongs to those
who had the Lord Jesus Christ in their midst, and walkedawayfrom Him -
severerthan the most immoral people who didn’t know Him. Now, they were
accustomedto thinking of themselves as safe for eternity, because theywere
Abraham’s seed, and because they kept the traditions, and they lookedwith
contempt on the Gentiles.

And this statementwould have been absolutelybeyond belief to them, “more
tolerable.” There are degrees ofpunishment, mark it. There are degrees of
punishment in hell. It’s all bad, but it goes from bad to worse. Thena second
illustration - verse 23:“And thou, Capernaum” - and it’s a question, really, in
the original - “shall thou be exalted unto heaven? Thou shalt be brought down
to hell.” What a statement. What is He saying? Well, Capernaum was guiltiest
of all, so Capernaum becomes the supreme illustration.
Capernaum was a town - I’ve been to the ruins of Capernaum a couple times.
Lovely, one of the loveliestspots I’ve ever seen. It gently rolls down to the
north shore of the Sea of Galilee, and the little waves ripple againstthat shore.
Capernaum, that little fishing village. Capernaum, where the Lord made His
home during His Galileanministry. Capernaum, where all of the disciples
mingled with the people, and where the Lord did so many miracles. He - He
healed the nobleman’s son. He - He healed the demoniac in the synagogue.
He raised Peter’s wife’s mother. And there were, according to Matthew 8, a
multitude of miracles that He did in Capernaum. And there was the paralytic
that was carriedthrough the roof, that He healed. And there was Jairus’
daughter, and there was the woman with the issue of blood. And there were
the two blind men, and the dumb demoniac, and the Centurion’s servant and
all of these things. Capernaum, where He lived. And Capernaum had this
illusion that they were flourishing, and they were prosperous, and they were
saying, “We’re just going to be exaltedto heaven.”
They were so self-righteous. They were religious. “Shaltthou be exaltedto
heaven?” He says. “Thoushall be brought to hell.” Literally, the Greek says,
“To hell shalt thou go.” Maybe that’s where that profane statement came
from, only in this case,it was proper. There would be a temporal destruction,
yes; but more than that, there would be an eternal punishment on the souls of
the inhabitants. If you were to go to that part of the world today, all you’d
find in Capernaum is ruins, and a few tourists poking around.
You probably couldn’t even find Bethsaida. And when you got to old
Chorazin, nothing but ruins, and probably no tourists at all. They’re gone.
But that is not the severity of the judgment. The severity of the judgment is,

Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners

Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners

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