Jesus was into cursing cities that rejected him

Jesus was into cursing cities that rejected Him
Edited by Glenn Pease
MATTHEW 11:20-24
20Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty
works were done, because they repented not: 21Woe unto thee,
Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which
were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would
have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say unto you,
It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of
judgment, than for you. 23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted
unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works,
which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would
have remained until this day. 24But I say unto you, That it shall be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than
for thee.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
A Lament Over WastedPrivileges
Matthew 11:20-24
W.F. Adeney

Jesus is already approaching the sadder stage of his brief ministry; already to
the eye of sense it begins to look like a failure. To some it was a failure. The
seed had fallen by the wayside, and the birds had carried it away. A similar
lament to that of Christ might well be uttered over many regions of favoured
Christendom.
I. THE GREATNESS OF THE PRIVILEGES. NO places on earth had been
more privileged than these Galileean towns. Here Jesus had lived and worked;
here his greatest miracles had been performed, and every miracle was an
object-lessonsetting forth before the eyes of men the blessings ofthe kingdom.
1. Privileges of knowledge. The inhabitants of these cities had heard the gospel
from the very lips of the Saviour. They had seen the spirit of his life and the
laws of the kingdom in everything he did. They who dwell in Christian ]ands
have privileges denied to the heathen. Still more have the children of a
Christian home. If we have known Christ from our childhood, have been
trained in Christian truth, have seen the work of Christ in the society in which
we have lived, ours is the condition of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.
II. THE NEGLECT OF THE PRIVILEGES. These cities had heard, but they
had not heeded. They had seen, but they had not followed. The gospel had
come to their doors, but the foolish people had not received it into their
hearts. The explanation of this indifference is given in the earlier verses of the
chapter. The negligent people were unsympathetic - they were like listless
children sitting in the market-place. Their condition is representative of that
of multitudes in our own day. The labours of the Church are expended on
them in vain. They have had the truth of Christ's gospel preached in their ears
time after time. Yet to them it is nothing. Their very familiarity with the
words only seems to render them callous to the meaning. They could pass an
examination in religious knowledge with credit; some of them have done so,
and have won high places and carried off prizes. Yet they are utterly
indifferent to Christ. Here is an appalling condition! It is due to the hardening
effect of sin or to the deadening that comes with wilful worldliness. If men and
women will absorb themselves in questions of money-making, amusement,
and fashion, they cannot receive Christ or feel the blessedness ofhis gospel.

III. THE MELANCHOLY DOOM OF THOSE WHO WASTE GREAT
PRIVILEGES. The cities are to be cast down. The prophecy of Christ has
been literally fulfilled. All three cities have disappeared, and have left scarcely
a ruin behind. Or at least there is a dispute as to what ruins may be identified
with them, and Capernaum in particular has occasioned much trouble to the
map-makers. The neglect of Christian privileges cannot continue for ever. He
who has buried his talent will most assuredly be called to account for it. Then
the doom will be proportionate to the privileges neglected. The vices of the
three cities of Galilee may not have reached the hideous blackness of the
wicked cities of the plain, nor the notorious corruption of Phoenicia. But the
greater privileges will be thrown into the scale and will weigh it down.
Decorous, respectable people who enjoy Christian privileges and neglect them
will be more heavily condemned than the most degradedheathen. - W.F.A.
Biblical Illustrator
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsatda!
Matthew 11:20-24
The damnation under the gospelmore intolerable than that of Sodom
M. Barker, M. A., H. Melvill, M. A.
I. THERE SHALL BE A DAY OF JUDGMENT.
II. IN THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT SOME SINNERS SHALL FARE
WORSE THAN OTHERS.
III. IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT THERE WILL DE A DISTRIBUTION
OF SINNERS; PUNISHMENTS ACCORDING TO THE EXACT RULES
OF JUSTICE.
IV. IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IT WILL BE MORE TOLERABLE FOR
SODOM THAN CAPERNAUM. These two cities may be considered under a
threefold distinction.

1. Nominal.
2. Local.
3. Moral.
V. THAT THE WORST OF THE HEATHEN WHO NEVER HAD CHRIST
PREACHED TO THEM SHALL FARE BETTER IN THE DAY OF
JUDGMENT, THAN THOSE THAT CONTINUE IMPENITENT UNDER
THE GOSPEL. Why?
1. Because impenitency under the gospel hath more of sin in it, than any sin of
the heathen. It is without excuse. Cannotplead ignorance.
2. Impenitency under the gospel is a resisting the loudest calls of God to
repentance, The heathen called to repentance by natural conscience, creation;
now by the Holy Spirit. Higher motives are laid before sinners.
3. There is the highestcontempt of God in it
(1)of His authority:
(2)of His goodness:
(3)of His threatening.
4. This impenitency is a disappointing of God in His end.
5. This impenitency hath much folly in it, as well as sin.
6. Impenitency under the gospelshows greaterwilfulness in sin.
7. Impenitency under the gospel is attended with the greatest resistance of the
Spirit.Wherein the greaterintolerableness willconsist?
1. Such will suffer greatertorments from their own consciences.
2. More than others from the devil and his angels.
3. Christ Himself will appear in greaterseverityagainstsuch.

4. Witnesses will rise up against these more than other
sinners.APPLICATION.
1. We may hence learn what to judge of the heathen who have not heard of
Christ.
2. The greatest favour and privilege to a people, may be the occasion of the
greatestevil.
3. How ineffectual the best outward means are of themselves to bring a people
to repentance.
4. What little reason men have to boast of their knowledge of gospel privileges,
when these may turn to their surer condemnation.
5. To awakenus who have gospelfavours above most people under heaven.
(M. Barker, M. A.)
I. DOES GOD GRANT TO ALL MANKIND A SUFFICIENCY OF MEANS
OF REPENTANCE.
II. Is IT ANY CONTRADICTION TO HIS GRANTING A SUFFICIENCY
TO ALL, THAT IN THE HIGH EXERCISE OF HIS SOVEREIGNTY HE
GRANTS TO SOME SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. — He gave time to Chorazin
and Bethsaida what He granted not to Tyre and Sidon. When I read that Tyre
and Sidon would have repented with the same means of grace that were given
to Chorazin, I naturally inquire whether the means actually afforded to Tyre
were sufficient. Then I ask if Tyre only wanted additional means, how could it
consist with the justice of God's dealings to have refused those means? Lay it
down as an axiom that the Judge of all the earth must do right. We forget that
Chorazin and Tyre were under different dispensations, one under light of the
gospel, the other in darkness of heathenism; one would be judged by the
standard of revelation, the other not. And what is there incredible in the
supposition that the means afforded to Tyre, in order to obedience, were as
ample as those given to Chorazin for raising her to the loftier elevation which
the gospel demanded? Means must be judged in connection with this end, and
in this connection could their difference or equality be decided. If one man be

required to lift one thousand tons, and another only one, it is obvious the arm
of either must receive strength before it could accomplish the task. But they
do not need the same strength. Tyre had as much help as Chorazin in view of
her duties; less is required of the heathen. There are mysteries about the
doctrine of election But why does not God give to each of us grace as His
omniscience sees will be effectual? But has not God given us enough to render
our condemnation just? We have sufficient for our salvation. Means must be
kept within certain limits. Means which exceeded them not in Chorazin,
would not in the case of Tyre. The means consistent with responsibility in
Chorazin might have destroyedit in Tyre.
(H. Melvill, M. A.)
The dangerof impenitence where the gospelis preached
J. Tillotson, D. D.
I. I observe from this discourse of our Saviour, THAT MIRACLES ARE OF
GREAT FORCE AND EFFICACYTO BRING MEN TO REPENTENCE.
II. THAT GOD IS NOT OBLIGED TO WORK MIRACLES FOR THE
CONVERSION OF SINNERS.
III. THAT THE EXTERNAL MEANS OF REPENTANCE WHICH GOD
AFFORDS TO MEN, DO. SUPPOSE AN INWARD GRACE OF GOD
ACCOMPANYING THEM. sufficiently enabling men to repent, until by
obstinate neglect and resistance we provoke God to withdraw it from the
means, or else to withdraw both the grace and the means from us.
IV. That an irresistible degree of grace is not necessary to repentance, nor
commonly afforded to those who do repent.
V. That the sins and impenitence of men receive their aggravation, and
consequently shall have their punishment proportionable to the opportunities
and means of repentance which those persons enjoyed and neglected.

VI. THAT THE CASE OF THOSE WHO ARE IMPENITENT UNDER THE
GOSPEL IS OF ALL OTHERS THE MOST DANGEROUS, and their
damnation shall be the most severe.
(J. Tillotson, D. D.)
The sentence ofChorazin
C. Girdlestone, M. A.
We can conceive some inhabitant of these Jewish towns demanding with
astonishment how the heathen could be preferred in their stead. The Almighty
Judge, in apportioning rewards and punishments regards not the actual
amount of profligacy and virtue, but also the means of improvement enjoyed.
He could see in Tyre and Sidon, debased as they were, a disposition not
indifferent to those proofs of Divine revelation which to Bethsaida and
Chorazin were exhibited in vain. He judges according to that hidden temper,
not by the acts done. He judges of a degree of faith never actually called into
existence.
I. THE first conclusion to be drawn relates to the future condition of those
millions of men, who depart this life in ignorance ofa Saviour's name.
II. The probability of our being mistakenin our views of the future judgment.
III. Warning against drawing hasty conclusions from anything which we can
interpret as a manifest interference of Divine Providence for the punishment
of sin.
IV. Such is the sentence against ourselves if we know these things and do them
not.
(C. Girdlestone, M. A.)
The woe of Capernaum
J. R. Woodford, M. A.

While Christ was unmoved at the foreseen decay of Capernaum, He wept at
the thought of the desolation of Jerusalem; a sign of His perfect manhood that
He should thus have most sympathy with those who were His countrymen.
I. WHAT IS IMPLIED BY THE RENUNCIATION OF CAPERNAUM AS
EXALTED UNTO HEAVEN. The Bible finds man in a garden, it leaves him
in a city; intimating that the highest kind of life is social. We are not to regard
the accumulation of men into great communities as an unmixed evil. It may be
a source of temptation; it is also the means of drawing out some of the holiest
charities of the soul, some of the noblest endowments of the mind. It is this
selfexaltation which is the snare of evVVV man who is one of a great
community. The concourse of men has a tendency to put God at a distance.
Hence arises an independent spirit. If we would lead a life safe from the
casting down of shame and care, we must keep before us the thought of an
ever-present, personal God. Distraction of mind makes men wretched. This is
produced by absence of religious obedience. Men are worn out with the
eternal strife to reconcile impossibilities. In putting our life under God, lies its
own safe exaltation.
II. But it is not only the being independent of God which our Lord charges
upon Capernaum; He speaks of it as being in AN ESPECIAL DEGREE
INSENSIBLE TO HIS OWN WONDER-WORKING POWER. Here Christ
appears to lay bare another fault to which large and flourishing communities
are peculiarly liable, viz., insensibility to distinct religious impressions. This
shows itself by the small proportion of people who attend public service or
partake of the Lord's Supper. Not difficult to see the reason why this should
be the besetting sin of those who live in large cities.
1. The personal insignificance of each individual in this place is a snare. One
man is nothing the mighty throng.
2. There is never wanting in a vast population the support of others.
3. In living amongst large numbers, we become acutely suspicious of being
deceived and misled. We learn to distrust our best feelings. Not more mighty
works were done in Capernauru than in our own streets if we have hearts to
receive them. All that savours of the supernatural in religion, finds men

apathetic. For a little while we catch a glimpse of what is, we know what it is
to believe; and then the cold black flood of worldliness and unconcern rolls
back and the solemn union grows indistinct and fades away. The spirit of
insensibility possesses us again. Then awaits that man a fall more disastrous
than ever overtook any earthly city — not the casting down of walls, but the
undermining of every high resolve, the decay of every unselfish principle, the
ruin of every goodly hope.
(J. R. Woodford, M. A.)
The sin and danger of abusing religious privileges
E. Cooper.
It is a sin of the deepestdye.
1. A greatcontempt and affront are castupon God.
2. It shows a man's determined hardness of heart.
3. Let us considerthe privileges we enjoy in this favoured land.
(E. Cooper.)
Judgment on Capernaum
McCheyne.
I. CAPERNAUM WAS EXALTED TO HEAVEN because of Christ's
preaching and performing so many miracles there.
1. Here He performed most of His miracles.
2. Here Jesus preached.
3. Here Jesus prayed.

4. Here the Holy Spirit descended, for conversion of souls. So Scotland has
been exalted to heaven.
(1)By the preaching of the gospel.
(2)By the pouring out of the Spirit.
II. CAPERNAUM REPENTED NOT.
1. Some would not go to hear.
2. Some went for awhile.
3. Some followedHim all the time, but did not repent.
III. CAPERNAUM WAS BROUGHT DOWN TO HELL.
1. According to justice.
2. According to truth.
3. In the nature of things.
(McCheyne.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(23) And thou, Capernaum.—This city had already witnessed more of our
Lord’s recorded wonders than any other. That of the nobleman’s son (John
4:46-54), of the demoniac (Mark 1:21-28), the man sick of the palsy (Matthew
9:1-8), of Peter’s wife’s mother and the many works that followed (Matthew
8:1-14), of the woman with the issue of blood, and of Jairus’s daughter
(Matthew 9:18-26), of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13), had all been
wrought there, besides the unrecorded “signs” implied in Luke 4:23. In this

sense, and not in any outward prosperity, had Capernaum been “exalted unto
heaven.” All this, however, had been in vain, and therefore the sentence was
passed on it that it should be “brought down to hell,” i.e., to Hades, the grave,
not Gehenna. The words point, as the next verse shows, to the ultimate
abasement of the guilty city in the day of judgment, but the words have had
an almost literal fulfilment. A few ruins conjecturally identified mark the site
of Capernaum. Not one stone is left upon the other in Chorazin and
Bethsaida.
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 great malice. Something
they have to urge against every one, however excellent and holy. Christ, who
was undefiled, and separate from sinners, is here represented as in league
with them, and polluted by them. The most unspotted innocence will not
always be a defence against reproach. Christ knew that the hearts of the Jews
were more bitter and hardened against his miracles and doctrines, than those
of Tyre and Sidon would have been; therefore their condemnation would be
the greater. The Lord exercises his almighty power, yet he punishes none
more than they deserve, and never withholds the knowledge of the truth from
those who long after it.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And thou, Capernaum - See the notes at Matthew 4:13.
Which art exalted to heaven - This is an expression used to denote great
privileges. He meant that they were especially favored with instruction. The
city was prosperous. It was signally favored by its wealth. Most of all, it was
signally favored by the presence, the preaching, and the miracles of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Here he spent a large portion of his time in the early part of his

ministry, and in Capernaum and its neighborhood he performed his chief
miracles.
Shalt be brought down to hell - This does not mean that all the people would
go to hell, but that the city which had flourished so prosperously would lose its
prosperity, and occupy the "lowest place" among cities. The word "hell" is
used here, not to denote a place of punishment in the future world, but a state
of "desolation and destructions." It stands in contrast with the word
"heaven." As their being exalted to heaven did not mean that the "people"
would all be saved or dwell in heaven, so their being brought down to "hell"
refers to the desolation of the "city." Their privileges, honors, wealth, etc.,
would be taken away, and they would sink as low among cities as they had
been before exalted. This has been strictly fulfilled. In the wars between the
Jews and the Romans, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, etc., were so
completely desolated that it is difficult to determine their former situation. See
the notes at Matthew 4:13. It is not to be denied, also, that he threatened
future punishment on those who rejected him. The truth inculcated is, that
those who are especially favored will be punished accordingly if they abuse
their privileges.
If the mighty works ...had been done in Sodom - See the notes at Matthew
10:15. Sodom was destroyed on account of its great wickedness. Christ says if
his miracles had been performed there, they would have repented, and
consequently the city would not have been destroyed. As it was, it would be
better for Sodom in the day of judgment than for Capernaum, for its
inhabitants would not be called to answerfor the abuse of so greatprivileges.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
23. And thou, Capernaum—(See on[1263]Mt4:13).
which art exalted unto heaven—Not even of Chorazin and Bethsaida is this
said. For since at Capernaum Jesus had His stated abode during the whole
period of His public life which He spent in Galilee, it was the most favored
spot upon earth, the most exaltedin privilege.

shall be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done
in thee, had been done in Sodom—destroyedfor its pollutions.
it would have remained until this day—having done no such violence to
conscience, andso incurred unspeakablyless guilt.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Matthew 10:24".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And thou Capernaum,.... This city is singled out from all the rest, and spoken
to particularly, because ofits peculiar advantages:
which art exalted unto heaven; which has respect to the very great privileges
this place enjoyed, it being the city where Christ chose to dwell, and for a time
fixed his abode in; where he first began to preach, and where such a train of
miracles were done; a particular enumeration, of which has been before
given: as also it may refer to the situation of the place, which was very high
and lofty, so that it seemed to reach unto heaven; for the account that R.
Benjamin Tudelensis (n) gives of it is, that
"Capernaum, which is, by interpretation, "the village of comfort", at first
sight looks to be , "a place higher than Mount Carmel".''
And Nonnus on John 6:59 calls it, which the interpreter renders, the land of
"Capernaumfounded on high". But notwithstanding all this,
shalt be brought down to hell; meaning, it should be attended with very
humbling providences, be reduced to a very low condition, see Isaiah 14:15 be
destroyed and laid waste, as a city, as it was in the times of Vespasian; and the
inhabitants of it not only punished with temporal, but everlasting destruction;
for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in
Sodom, it would have remained until this day. The sense of these words is the
same with that of Matthew 11:22 only this may be observed, that whereas
Capernaum was superior in privileges and advantages than the other cities,
and yet acted the vile and ungrateful part it did; so that its impenitence and

unbelief were the more aggravated; hence a still viler set of men are pitched
upon, even the men of Sodom, to make the comparison of them with: for as
wicked as the men of that place were, who were so infamous for their
unnatural lusts; yet if they had enjoyed such a ministry as Christ's, and had
had such miracles wrought among them, for the attestation of the doctrines
taught them, in all human probability they would have repented of their
flagitious crimes; at least in an external way, in such a manner as to have
escaped that dreadful judgment, which laid their city, and several adjacent
ones, in ashes; and so would have continued a city until this day. The phrase
remained is Jewish, and is used of Sodom by the Rabbins, who say (o), that
"Abraham was "ninety nine" years of age when he was circumcised, and then
was the overthrow of Sodom; which was "fifty one" years, after the
generation of the division (of the people and languages), and near "fifty two"
years;but "Zoar remained" one year, "afterSodom remained".''
According to the Jews, it stood but fifty two years at most (p): and they have a
notion, that Sodom and Gomorrha will be built again in the future state (q),
or world to come, the times of the Messiah.
(n) Itinerarium, p. 37. (o) Juchasin, fol. 8. 1.((p) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 11. 2. &
Gloss. in ib. Jarchi in Genesis 19.20.(q) ShemotRabba, sect. 15. fol. 101. 3.
Geneva Study Bible
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down
to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done
in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 11:23. he diversity in the reading μὴ or ἡ ἕως, etc., does not affect
the sense. In the one case the words addressed to Capernaum contain a
statement of fact by Jesus; in the other a reference to a feeling prevailing in
Capernaum in regard to the facts. The fact implied in cither case is distinction
on some ground, probably because Capernaum more than all other places was

favoured by Christ’s presence and activity. But there may, as some think
(Grotius, Rosen., De Wette, etc.), be a reference to trade prosperity. “Florebat
C. piscatu, mercatu, et quae alia esse solent commoda ad mare sitarum
urbium” (Grot.). The reference to Tyre and Sidon, trade centres, makes this
not an idle suggestion. And it is not unimportant to keep this aspect in mind,
as Capernaum with the other two cities then become representatives of the
trading spirit, and show us by sample how that spirit received the Gospel of
the kingdom. Capernaum illustrated the common characteristic most signally.
Most prosperous, most privileged spiritually, and—most unsympathetic, the
population being taken as a whole. Worldliness as unreceptive as counterfeit
piety represented by Pharisaism, though not so offensive in temper and
language. No calumny, but simply invincible indifference.—ἕως οὐρανοῦ, ἕως
ᾃδου: proverbial expressions for the greatest exaltation and deepest
degradation. The reference in the latter phrase is not to the future world, but
to the judgment day of Israel in which Capernaum would be involved. The
prophetic eye of Jesus sees Capernaum in ruins as it afterwards saw the
beautiful temple demolished (chap. Matthew 24:2).
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
23. Capernaum] See map. Although Capernaum was truly exalted unto
heaven in being our Lord’s “own city,” the thought is rather of self-exaltation.
The expressions recall Isaiah 14:13-15. Capernaum has exalted herself like
Babylon—like Babylon she shall be brought low. Possibly too Capernaum was
on a height at Tell Hum or Khan Minyeh. This would give force to the
expressionin the text.
According to the Sinaitic and Vatican MSS. this verse should be read:
“Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? Thou shalt be brought
down to hell.”
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 11:23. Καπερναοὺμ, Capernaum) This city had been more highly
blessed than Chorazin and Bethsaida, but from its sin became more

miserable. It is therefore compared with Sodom, not with Tyre and Sidon.—
ἓως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, even unto heaven) For the Lord from heaven had come to
dwell there, and in bringing Himself, had brought heaven thither.[537]—
ὑψωθεῖσα, exalted) In the sight of God, of Christ, and of the angels.—ᾅδου,
hell) Which is lowest in the nature of things.—ἔμειναν ἄν, they would have
remained) Instead of having been destroyed. Great is the effect of the
conditional form.[538]The same verb occurs in John 21:22.
[537] For specimens of this exaltation, see John 2:12; John 4:47; Matthew 4:13
to Matthew 13:53; John 6:24; Matthew 17:24.—Harm., p. 301.
[538] For they, in that case, either would not have perpetrated the enormities
which they did, or else would have repented of having committed them: in
which case they would not have been destroyed, either then or
subsequently.—V. g.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 23. - And thou, Capernaum (Matthew 4:13, note), which art exalted
unto heaven; Shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? (Revised Version); Μὴ ἕως
οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; i.e. Shalt thou be raised high in public estimation, as thou
thinkest, who art so proud of thy share in the busy and gay life on the
lakeside? Shalt be brought down to hell; thou shalt go down unto Hades
(Revised Version). The change of voice in the two clauses (ὑψωθήση...
καταβήσῃ) may imply that if thou 'art indeed raised, it will be by Another;
but if thou fallest, it will be by thyself. Observe that our Lord's words are an
adaptation of Isaiah's address to the King of Babylon (Isaiah 14:13-15). For if
the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom
(transposed in the Revised Version, as in ver. 21), it would have remained
until this day. In this verso the stress lies on the effect of the moral attitude; in
ver. 21, on the moral attitude itself.

Precept austinresources
GREG ALLEN
"What Have You Done with Jesus'GreatWorks? "
Matthew 11:20-24
Theme: To behold Jesus' great works, and yet not respond with repentance, is
to bring even more severe judgment upon ourselves.
(Delivered Sunday, April 23, 2006 at Bethany Bible Church. All Scripture
quotes, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New King James Version.)
We continue our study of Matthew's Gospel this morning. And as we do, we
come to a passage in this Gospel that marks a turning point in Jesus' public
ministry. It's a shocking and serious turning point. In fact, I read one
commentator that said you can draw a big dark dividing line between the
nineteenth verse of Matthew 11, and the twentieth verse - and that "[T]ruth
flows down to opposite oceans fromthis point".1
The transition between verse 19 and verse 20 involves a dramatic change in
the way Jesus spoke to those who beheld Him in His public ministry. He turns
from expressing Himself as the meek and lowly "Teacher", to expressing
Himself as the strong and stern "Judge" of all those who rejected His
teaching.
And what was the key reason for this change? It was because of the fact that,
even though people saw Jesus' miracles and listened to His teaching, they did
not repent because ofwhat they saw and heard.
* * * * * * * * * *

Let's take the time to consider the context of this morning's passage. Jesus
had been introduced into the scene by John the Baptist - the bold preacher
whose message was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew
3:2). Then, after John was thrown into prison, Jesus Himself took up that very
same message; saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (4:17).
He went all over Galilee, teaching and preaching this message - and
establishing His identity as the promised King by the fact that He healed "all
kinds of sicknessesand all kinds of diseasesamong the people" (4:23).
As we have studied the flow of events in Matthew's Gospel together, we've
seen that Jesus - as the promised King of the Jews - taught the principles of
His kingdom in what we call "the Sermon on The Mount" (Matthew 5-7). And
then, after He had finished preaching that great sermon and came down
among the people and into Capernaum, He validated His identity by
performing one wondrous work after another. He healed a leper with but a
word (8:1-4). He healed a centurion's servant from a distance - with nothing
more than a command (8:5-13). He raised Peter's mother-in-law from a sick-
bed (8:14-15); and then spent the evening healing all who came to Him at
Peter's house (8:16-17).
Jesus displayed His superiority over the natural forces of this world by
commanding a storm at sea to be still (8:23-27). He displayed His authority
over the spiritual realm by casting demons out of the two demon-possessed
men of the Gergesense (8:28-34). He even displayed His authority to forgive
sins through the healing of a paralyzed man among many eyewitnesses (9:1-8).
His miracles became more and more public - healing a sick woman in the
midst of the crowd that pressed in on Him (9:20-22); raising the daughter of
the synagogue ruler from the dead as a crowd followed Him (9:18-19, 23-26);
restoring sight to two blind men by the side of the road as crowds beheld Him
(9:27-31); and giving voice and hearing to a deaf and mute man that the
crowds had brought before Him (9:32-34).
But we begin to detect the rumblings of rejection. Though the crowd said, "It
was never seen like this in Israel!" (9:33), the Pharisees said, "He casts out
demons by the ruler of the demons" (v. 34). They saw His works; but they
were not responding as they should.

Then, in Chapter 10, He chooses His twelve apostles and sends them out to the
cities of Israel to heal in His name, cast out demons in His power, and to
proclaim Him before His people. But He was not received; and His call to
repentance was not responded to. Even after all that He did before them -
even after all that they saw - they still did not obey His fundamental call;
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Finally, in front of the people of His own home town - Capernaum - Jesus
spoke of John the Baptist; and then declared:
"But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the
marketplaces andcalling to their companions, and saying:
'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.'
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and
a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified
by her children" (Matthew 11:16-19).
And that brings us to this morning's passage. You can consider the verses that
I just read to be the end of one way Jesus dealt with those who resisted Him.
You can consider the passage I'm about to read to be the beginning of another
way. And you can consider there to be a dark, bold line drawn between them.
From this point on, Jesus changes His basic emphasis from that of a gentle
Teacher to that of a righteous Judge. He begins to speak differently. Matthew
writes;
Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had
been done, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you,
Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in
Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of

judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will
be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to
you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of
judgment than for you" (Matthew 11:20-24).
* * * * * * * * * *
There is a question that I'm often asked. Perhaps you have been asked it too.
Perhaps you have asked it yourself. "What happens to people in far-away
lands who do not get to hear the gospel? What about those who never get a
chance to hear about Jesus and believe on Him? What is God's plan for
them?"
That's a good question. And I'm not sure that we can really know the answer
to full satisfaction. I am comforted by the affirmation that the Bible makes;
"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25). I may not
know in a complete way what God's plan will be on the day of judgment for
those people in other lands who haven't heard the gospel. But I know that God
is a merciful and good God; and I am confident that, when all the facts are in,
He will prove to have judged all people throughout the world in a way that is
just and fair - according to the light they had, and what they did with it. No
one will be able to accuse Him of injustice.
I believe that this passage - to some degree - reminds us of that fact. And
what's more, I DO know - with absolute certainty - one aspect of God's plan
for those in far-away lands who have not heard about Jesus. That is, that you
and I must work to get the gospel message to them and make sure they do get
the opportunity to hear!
But this passage, it seems to me, answers another question - one that most
people aren't so eager to ask. It seems to me that the Lord is forcing upon us
the question: "What happens to people who have had lots of opportunities to
hear the gospel? What about those who receive an abundance of opportunities
to hear about Jesus, to respond to His call, and to receive His saving grace -
and yet, in the end, refuse to respond to the opportunities as they should?
What about those who clearly perceive who Jesus is, who clearly hear about

His mighty works, and who are clearly taught His call, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand" . . . and yet, who still do not to repent? What is
God's plan for them?"
I don't very often hear people asking that question; do you? And to be honest,
when it comes to our own culture, it is a far more relevant question than the
other! Well; the Lord answers it for us in this passage; and His answer is a
surprising and sobering one indeed! Here, the King of kings and Lord of lords
teaches us that, to behold His great works, and not respond with repentance,
is to bring even more severe judgment upon ourselves than if we had never
heard at all!
* * * * * * * * * *
Now I hope you know me well enough to know that these aren't the kind of
themes I enjoy preaching on. I do so, not because I delight to; but because, if I
didn't, I would not be true to God's word. But to gain a proper perspective of
this very hard rebuke from the lips of our Lord - among one of the hardest
rebukes, I would say, in the Bible - let's first go back and consider carefully
what proceededit.
Jesus came to His own people, knowing in advance that they would not receive
Him or His message. He even told His disciples, before He sent them out,
"You will be hated by all for My name's sake" (Matthew 10:22). So much of
His instructions to them concerned the fact that they would be persecuted,
and hated, and rejected for their association with Him. And of course, here in
this morning's passage, we see that He finally condemns His own people for
their rejectionof Him.
But even though He knew of this rejection in advance, we need to notice that
He didn't begin His public ministry to His own people by bringing a sever
rebuked down upon them. Instead, He began - not with rebukes and
harshness - but with mercy. He healed them, and taught them, and was good
and gentle toward them. When He looked out upon them, He was moved with
compassion for them; "because they were weary and scattered, like sheep
having no shepherd" (Matthew 9:36). And when we glimpse ahead in the
story, we find that even when He finally drew near Jerusalem - the city of

people who would then crucify Him - He looked over it and wept (Luke 19:41-
44).
Jesus was compassionate. He never compromised His fundamental message of
the call to repentance. But He always first issued that call in the context of
mercy; and not first in the harshness of a rebuke. His rebuke was proceeded
by much mercy and grace.
I believe there's a lesson for preachers in this. Sometimes, we preachers are a
little too eager to bang on the pulpit and shout out rebukes. But this causes me
to think that we should be very careful about doing that! Shouting and
banging is not the way our Saviorand Lord first presents Himself.
I think there's a lesson in this, in fact, for all of us who seek to obey His great
commission, and to present the message of the gospel to this world. We
shouldn't hesitate to rebuke the sin of hardness toward the gospel, and of
unrepentance toward sin, when it's time to do so. But our Lord's example
teaches us that the time to do rebuke is after a good measure of grace and
mercy and compassionhad been first put into action.
That's our Savior's way with sinners. Let it be our way too.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now; let's consider this passage. What do we learn about those before whose
eyes our Savior's greatworks are displayed?
I see five key principles in this passage.And the first is that . . .
1. THE INTENTION OF THE DISPLAY OF HIS GREAT WORKS IS
REPENTANCE.
Look at how Matthew begins. "Then He began to rebuke the cities in which
most of His mighty works had been done . . ." Those initial words mark-out
for us that a new time had come. Something new began to be done that had
not been happening before; and that is that He began to rebuke the cities in
which His mighty works had been done.

He rebukes those cities that had a great and rare privilege - that is, that Jesus
had walked bodily in them and publically did many great and mighty works
in the midst of them. And the reason that He rebuked them is because they
saw all these things, they did not repent because ofwhat they saw.
* * * * * * * * * *
I'd like to take just a moment to explain that word "repent". We tend to have
an idea that comes to mind when we hear that word; and it's usually an idea
that involves a radical change of behavior - a radical turning away from sin. I
believe that a change of behavior is included in the idea of "repent"; but I
believe that the word - as it's being used in this verse - means much more than
just that.
The word itself, in the original language is the result of putting two Greek
words together - meta , which means"with"; and nous , which means "the
understanding", or "the mind", or "the attitude of heart", or even "the
opinion". The combination of those two words gives the idea of "understand
after" or "with"; and thus, the word metanoeõ came to mean "to change
one's mind" or "understanding" or "attitude of heart" or "opinion". It
usually involved the idea of "remorse" or "regret" for having had the wrong
thinking in the first place.
"Repentance", then, certainly involves the idea of a change of action - a
change on the outside. But it first of all involves a change of attitude - a
change on the inside. I think a good clue to the intention of this word is found
in the invitation Jesus gives just a few verses away - in verses 28-30. He says,
"Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My
burden is light."
I suggest that "to repent" - in this context - means much more than simply
changing one's behavior. It means that, from the heart, you have seen who
Jesus is and what He is like. You have come to understand that - by His
glorious works - He has proven Himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of
the world. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. And now, understanding

that truth, you cease from trying to live independently of His rightful lordship
over you. You take Him up on His invitation; and you "come to Him" as a
sinner who is laboring and heavy laden under the burden of your own sin;
and trust in His cross as the payment for those sins. Instead of trying to go
your own way, you "take His yoke upon you" instead - which is an expression
of willing submission to His lordship over your life; and you "learn from
Him" - which is an expression of a willingness to become His disciple and to
be taught by Him how to live.
In short, "to repent" would mean that you change your mind toward Jesus.
You cease to be independent of Him; and you surrender to Him from the
heart; and you become one of His totally devoted followers. You cease to make
yourself the central, controlling authority of your life; and you yield your life
to His lordship. Obviously, this will involve a change of action. You will, by
necessity, have to turn away from sin. You will change in your behavior. But it
is, first and foremost, a change of mind - a change of attitude.
* * * * * * * * * *
Jesus performed many works and miracles before the people of His own land.
And they enjoyed the benefit of it. They marveled at His works. The flocked
around to watch them occur. But they didn't change their minds about Him.
They didn't repent of their independent attitudes of heart. They didn't cease
from counting on their own righteousness to earn God's favor. They didn't
turn from their own ways, and from their own thoughts, and from their own
independent spirits; and they didn't come to Him as Savior, or take His yoke
upon themselves as their Lord, and they didn't seek to learn from Him how
He wanted them to live.
I have come to learn that the same thing happens in church. Some people can
attend church for years. They can know and love and sing all the old hymns.
They can enjoy the fellowship. They can watch with delight the things that
God does in the lives of others. They can even grow to know the Bible well.
They can behold His marvelous and great works - both in hearing them
taught, and in seeing them displayed before their very eyes. And yet, they can
do it all without ever surrendering themselves to the Lord Jesus. They can

look at it all with a disconnected interest - as if from afar - and still remain the
same on the inside. They can enjoy being "consumers" of the good things that
church has to offer; and yet never truly repent from within the heart..
And as this morning's passage teaches us that the intention of Jesus' mighty
works being displayed among people was to bring them to the place of genuine
repentance - that they would change their minds toward Him, allow Him to
save them, and become His obedient followers from then on. The purpose - the
intention of it all - is repentance!As Titus 2:11-14 tells us;
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave
Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify
for Himself His own specialpeople, zealous for goodworks (Titus 2:11-14).
So let's be honest about the situation. Have you come to the point in your life
where you have truly experienced a heart-felt "repentance"? Have you
"changed your mind" about Jesus Christ, and are you now surrendered to
Him as your Savior and Lord?
If not, then you have spent all this time encountering Him in the pages of
Scripture and in the preaching of the gospel, and have badly missed the whole
point! May God lead us to respond to the mighty works of Christ with
genuine"repentance"!May we obey His clearcall: "Repent. . .!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Now, look at what Jesus goes on to say in His severe rebuke. He says, "Woe to
you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were
done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long
ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre
and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you" (vv. 21-22).
Chorazin and Bethsaida were cities along the northern shore of the Sea of
Galilee - not far from Capernaum, where Jesus lived and ministered. He had
apparently done mighty works in those cities - even though we have no record

of them in the Scriptures. The Bible suggests to us elsewhere that there were
many works that Jesus did which are not recorded for us in the Gospel
accounts (John 20:30); and perhaps these works in these two cities are among
them.
These cities were privileged. Jesus walked in them in person; and performed
works - mighty works - in them. But these cities also received a sever rebuke
from the Savior because the people living in them did not repent as a result of
those works. And so, Jesus compares these cities with two other cities -
notorious cities in the Old Testament times as proverbial enemies of the
people of Israel2. Jesus lets the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida know that if
the same works that had been done in them had been done in Tyre and Sidon
instead, those two notorious cities would have repented! They would have
repented long ago and would not have become considered the notorious
enemies of Israel that they were known as in history. In fact, they would have
repented to the greatest possible extremity - that is, to repent in "sackcloth
and ashes"3.
Now perhaps, when Jesus spoke these words against Chorazin and Bethsaida,
the people of Capernaum were listing in and nodding their heads. Perhaps
they thought of their city as an esteemed and elevated city - far above the
cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida; because Jesus Himself lived in Capernaum
and performed so many of His works there. The citizens of Capernaum were
proud of being able to claim that Jesus was their own "celebrity" citizen.
They imagined that they were sure to be exalted to heaven. After all, on the
sign along the road that said "Welcome to beautiful Capernaum"; it said in
bold letters below, "Hometown of Jesus - the worker of many mighty
wonders!"
But Jesus then turned to them and said something utterly unexpected; "And
you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades;
for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it
would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you" (vv. 23-
24). Far from destined to being exalted to heaven, Capernaum was doomed to

be cast down to hell! Jesus had performed those mighty works before their
very eyes;and yet, they did not repent because ofwhat they saw.
In fact, Jesus gives them the greatest shock of all. He mentions Sodom - a city
notorious to the extreme in the Old Testament for its wickedness; a city that
came to be proverbial because of of how God destroyed it for its sinfulness4.
And He lets the people of Capernaum know that if the same mighty works
that had been done in their city had been done in Sodom instead, Sodom
would have remained as a city even to that very day - instead of having been
destroyedby God.
* * * * * * * * * *
The key theme in all of this is the failure to respond to the call for repentance.
And the first principle we've seen is that the intention of those displays of
Jesus' mighty works among His own people was that they would then respond
with that very repentance that was calledfor.
Well; they did not. And this leads us to consider a few other principles that we
find in this passage. We see, forexample, that . . .
2. THE CHOICE OF WHO IT IS THAT BEHOLDS HIS WORKS IS A
MYSTERYOF GOD'S SOVEREIGN GRACE.
Do you notice in this that, as the divine Son of God, Jesus knows perfectly how
other people groups in other times would have responded to His mighty
works? He says that if those works had been performed long ago in the
ancient, pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth
and ashes. It would have resulted in a marvelous spiritual revival.
And what about Sodom? God had once made the promise that if only ten
righteous people could have been found in it, He would not have destroyed it
(Genesis 18:32). But the only righteous people that could be found were Lot
and his tiny family. And today, the ruins of Sodom cannot even be found. And
yet, Jesus lets us know that if His mighty works had been performed in that
wicked city, the people living in it then would have been spared destruction;
and the city of Sodom would have remained even until the day Jesus spoke
these words.

As the Son of God, Jesus knew perfectly how those people, living centuries
before that time, would have responded to His works! And yet - in the wisdom
of the Father - the very works of Jesus that would have led them to repentance
were not revealed to them. Instead, those same works were revealed to people
who would not repent. What a mystery of God's sovereigntythis is!
I believe that the only way that we can understand this is by what Jesus says
next;
At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven
and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and
have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your
sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows
the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son,
and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him (Matthew 11:25-27).
It's not for us to ask why Christ isn't revealed more often to people who will
respond. That's a matter of God's sovereign choice. Instead, we need to realize
the fact that His mighty works have been revealed to us. And once we do, the
question becomes, "What a privileged time I live in! I know of His works! But
what have I done with the fact that Jesus' mighty works have been revealed to
me? Have I responded with true repentance? Have I trusted Him?"
* * * * * * * * * *
A third principle is that . . .
3. THE IMPACT UPON US WHEN WE BEHOLD HIS WORKS IS WHAT
REVEALS THE CHARACTER OF OUR HEARTS.
Chorazin and Bethsaida saw His works. Capernaum saw them too. They had
an advantage over all of the cities and people groups that have existed in
history, because they actually saw Jesus and beheld His mighty works with
their own eyes and in their very midst. Others who did not see what they saw
would have repented if they had. But these who saw what others were not
granted to see did not repent.

The character of one's heart is not revealed by the having the privilege of
seeing the mighty works of Jesus with one's own eyes. Today, it's not the
possession of many Bibles and an abundance of the preaching of the gospel
that reveals our character. Rather, its the impact those things have on our
hearts that makes the difference and reveals the truth about us. These cities
thought that they were elevated to the heavens because of what they were
privileged to see; but Jesus let's them know that they stand condemned - not
because of what they saw, but because of what they did not do BECAUSE of
what they saw.
Later on in this Gospel, Jesus willsay;
"The men of Nineveh [that ancient, wicked city to which Jonah was sent] will
rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they
repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
The queen of the South [that monarch of ancient Ethiopia who heard of
Solomon and sought out his wisdom] will rise up in the judgment with this
generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here (Matthew
12:41-42).
These never saw Jesus' mighty works. They saw lesser works of God - through
Jonah and Solomon. And yet, they responded with genuine repentance and a
true seeking after God because of what they saw. And their response to what
they saw revealed the character of what was truly in their hearts. And yet,
those of Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum who had a clearer blessing
from God - the blessing of seeing the mighty works of Jesus firsthand - did not
respond with genuine repentance. Their response revealed the character of
what was in their hearts.
You and I have the testimony of Jesus in an even clearer way than they did.
What does our response revealto be the condition of our hearts?
* * * * * * * * * *
A fourth principle is that . . .

4. THE VERDICT UPON THOSE WHO DO NOT REPENT AT HIS
WORKS IS ONE OF "WOE".
Jesus uses a word that sounds like what it means - " Ouai !" It means "Alas!"
or "Woe!" It's an expression of deep sorrow and compassion. Jesus is saying,
"How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How terrible it will be for you,
Bethsaida!" The Living Translation has it, "What horrors await you . . .!"
What a chilling thing for anyone to say; but how much more chilling when it
is the Sonof God who says it!
And to Capernaum - who thought that it was "exalted to heaven" - He says,
"And you . . . will be cast down to Hades . . ." Far from exalted to the highest
place, it would be instead thrust down to the lowest! And when we realize that
these words are spoken in the context of Capernaum receiving greater
judgment than Sodom - the city that was utterly destroyed by fire and
brimstone falling upon it from the very heavens - we can only say, "What
horrible judgment is it that awaits Capernaum at the day of judgment? What
unspeakable woe?"
This underscores the dreadful seriousness of failing to respond to the works of
Jesus as we should. Those works reveal His identity and His authority. To not
respond with repentance from sin, and with a sincere trust in Him, is to
disregard the Judge of all the earth - and then to be destined to stand before
Him in judgment!
* * * * * * * * * *
And that leads us to a final principle . . .
5. THE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO BEHOLD HIS WORKS, BUT DO NOT
REPENT,IS A MORE SEVERE JUDGMENT.
Jesus says to Chorazin and to Bethsaida, "But I say to you, it will be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you." And He
says to Capernaum, "But I say to you, that it shall be more tolerable for the
land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." And the reason is
because Tyre and Sidon and Sodom could not repent! They never heard. But

Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum heard much - and saw much - and
yet, never repented.
Do you realize what this means? It means that, of course, that the Judge of all
the earth will do what is right and just toward those who sinned but never
heard. But it also means that He will do what is right and just toward those
who heard and refused to repent! It means that the experience of Jesus'
presence without, repentance of heart, brings a greater damnation upon the
soul than will be experiencedby those who sinned but never heard.
This means that there will be those who this world now admires and applauds
for their outward show of religion; but who will then be a cause of
inexpressible astonishment and horror in the day of judgment - because, in
spite of all their outward religion, they did not and would not repent in their
hearts.
It means that there will be those on that great day of judgment who knew of
Jesus mighty works - but who did not repent when they could - who will then
wish that they had been among those who had never heard at all!
* * * * * * * * * *
And so, I hope you can see that the real question to ask is not, "What about
those who never get a chance to hear about Jesus and believe on Him?" The
real question that the Lord makes us ask this morning is, "What about those
of us who have lots of chances to hear - but who refuse to do what we should
do with what we hear, and repent from the heart?"
You and I, you see, stand in an even greater place of advantage than the
people who heard Him speak these words. The truth of who Jesus is and what
He has done has been presented to us in a far more clear way than even those
who heard Him speak these words; because we have those things recorded
and explained fully for us in the pages of Scripture. What will you do with the
mighty works ofJesus that the Scriptures tell us about?
The best thing to do is make sure - make very sure - you have responded to
the offer He has made after issuing the words of this sharp rebuke;

"Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My
burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).
To obey those words from the heart - that's a true response ofrepentance!
1Donald Grey Barnhouse, His Own Received Him Not, But . . . (New York:
Fleming H. Revell Co., 1933), p. 77; cited in Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold The
King: A Study of Matthew (Portland, OR: Multnomah Press, 1980), p. 155.
2See Isaiah23;Ezekiel26-28;and Amos 1:9-10.
3See 2 Sam. 13:19;Jonah 3:6; Esther 4:3; and Jeremiah 6:26.
4See Genesis 18-19; also Matthew 10:15; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:12; Romans
9:29; 2 Peter2:6; and Jude 7.
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Copyright © 2006 BethanyBible Church, All Rights Reserved
Matthew 11:20-30: “Jesus Pronounces ‘Woes’ On The Cities That Rejected
Him, Praises The Father For Revealing The Truth To Babes, Then Appeals
To All Who Are WearyAnd Heavy-Laden To Come To Him”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:

1.1. In this next section of the book of Matthew Jesus begins to address
those who had come to Him and received His teaching as well as those who
had rejectedHim and His message
1.1.1. He pronounces ‘woes’ upon the cities and areas which did not repent
and follow Him after seeing His miracles and hearing Him preach
1.1.2. He praises the Father for the ones who had received and understood
His teaching and ministry, and these disciples He calls ‘babes’ in their
relationship to the world
1.1.3. Jesus then cries out to all who are weary and heavy laden to come to
Him, for they shall find rest for their souls
2. VS 11:20-22 - "20 Then He began to reproach the cities in which
most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you,
Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre
and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in
sackcloth and ashes. 22 "Nevertheless I say to you, it shall be more tolerable
for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you"" - Jesus
pronounces woes upon the cities which saw the great light of His works and
preaching and yet did not repent of their sins and turn to God
2.1. Tyre and Sidon were known as an area and cities where there was
the greatest of wickedness, and the people who lived in these cities were not
Jewishby nationality or practice but were idolatrous and greedy heathens
2.1.1. In the Old Testament we see that due to the wickedness of Tyre that the
'King of Tyre' is condemned and then is spokenof as being Lucifer himself
2.1.2. Tyre and Sidon were in the area of Phoenicia which is west and north of
Galilee, and because these cities were shipping ports right on the
MediteraneanSea much vice passedthrough them

2.1.2.1.In Ezekiel 28:12-18, Ezekiel records a prophetic condemnation of the
'King of Tyre' and then because the king was so evil he begins to attribute the
'King of Tyre' as being Lucifer himself, "12 "Son of man, take up a
lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord
God,"You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13
"You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your
covering: The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx, and the
jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald; And the gold, the
workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you
were created They were prepared. 14 "You were the anointed cherub who
covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You
walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 "You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created, Until unrighteousness was found in you. 16
"By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And
you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God.
And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of
fire. 17 "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted
your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you
before kings, That they may see you. 18 "By the multitude of your iniquities,
In the unrighteousness of your trade, You profaned your sanctuaries.
Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you,
And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you""
2.1.2.1.1.It could be that Jesus was actually speaking of the demonic power
that had dominion over those particular cities, and not the king of the area
himself
2.2. Chorazin and Bethsaida on the other hand were cities nearby
Capernaum in Galilee where Jesus and his disciples performed healing, cast
out demons, and preached the gospel. Being half-breed Jewish people by
descent, these people were not nearly as wicked as the idolatrous and greedy
people of Tyre and Sidon
2.2.1. Philip, Andrew, and Peter were from the city of Bethsaida, so the
people of Bethsaida should have learned from the testimony of the changed

lives of these three men, repented of their sins, and believed that Jesus was the
Messiah
2.2.2. Bethsaida was on the east side of the Sea of Galilee, and Chorazin was
on the westside just a little north of Capernaum
2.3. Though Chorazin and Bethsaida were comprised of half-breed Jews
who were somewhat idolatrous, these cities were not outwardly as wicked as
the people of Tyre and Sidon. However, Jesus says that they were much more
wicked than Tyre and Sidon, for if He had performed the works in Tyre and
Sidon which He performed in those cities, the people of Tyre and Sidon would
have repented in sackclothand ashes.
2.4. There are four principles that are gleaned from studying these
verses:
2.4.1. The degree of wickedness of any people is judged by the degree of light
in which they have
2.4.2. People will be judged in the day of judgment based upon the amount of
light that they have
2.4.3. In the future day of judgment of the wicked people who are not God's
people there will be degrees of eternal punishment and suffereing which will
people receive
2.4.4. People who have died in the past who are not God's people will be
resurrected to face the judgment seat of Christ (the Great White Throne
Judgment) in order to receive an eternalpunishment for their sins
3. VS 11:23-24 - "23 "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to
heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred
in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24
"Nevertheless I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of
Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you."" - Jesus condemns the city of
Capernaum for not repenting after having seen such great light from Christ's
ministry

3.1. Capernaum in Galilee was the base of Jesus's ministry up to this
point and the greatest portion of Jesus' ministry and miracle working had
been performed there, therefore the fact that the general populace of Galilee
had not repented as a result of Jesus' ministry made them in God's sight the
most wickedof cities
3.1.1. Capernaumwas the Galileancity on the westside of the Sea of Galilee
3.2. The city of Sodom had been so wicked that when the angels had come
to visit Lot that the men of the city surrounded Lot's house demanding to
have sex with Lot's visitors, and eventually the Lord destroyed Sodom and
Gomorah by fire and brimstone. However, Jesus tells them that had the
miracles that were performed in Capernaum been performed in Sodom that
the people would have repented and thus the city would never have been
destroyed.
3.3. We see from these verses that even though the people of a city might
have been destroyed because of their wickedness, there still remains an
eternal punishment which they shall receive when they are resurrected and
stand before the Great White Throne of judgment
3.4. The question we ought to ask ourselves is, ‘What have I done with the
light which I have receivedin my life?’
4. VS 11:25-26 - "25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I praise
Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things
from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. 26 "Yes, Father,
for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight"" - Jesus praises the Father for His
wisdom in revealing the golden gems of spiritual truth and wisdom to those
who were humble and of low esteemamongstmen
4.1. To have revealed the precious gems of truth to the elite religious
leaders in Jesus'day would have been to castpearls before swine

4.1.1. This is what Jesus exhorted His disciples not to do in Matt. 7:6, "6 "Do
not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest
they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces""
4.1.2. As I have mentioned before, if you give a pig a bath and place expensive
cloth on it and even put a golden necklace around its neck, the pig will
eventually just go right back to wallowing in the mud because it still has the
nature of a pig. This is just the way the Pharisees and religious leaders of
Jesus'day were, they had no appreciationof the finer things of God
4.2. God tends to always choose as His servants and ambassadors people
whom the world would least expect to be so because in this way no one can
look at what God does through their lives and attribute it to them, their
intelligence, or their ingenuity.
4.2.1. Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 1:26-29 that there were not many of the highly
esteemed men in his day who became saved and worshipped with the body of
Christ, and this is something that has been true in every generation on earth,
"26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has
chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen
the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the
base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are
not, that He might nullify the things that are, 29 that no man should boast
before God"
4.2.2. God wants to get all of the glory for the things that He does through His
servants and thus He calls the men and women whom He calls
5. VS 11:27 - "27 "All things have been handed over to Me by My
Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know
the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him""
- Jesus tells them that He alone and those to whom He reveals Him, know the
Father

5.1. Jesus knew that He was the one and only unique begotten Son of
God, and though the full revelation of it had not occurred, the Father had
already handed all authority and power in heaven and upon earth to Him
5.1.1. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, however He is still waiting for
that time when the Father will hand all things over to Him to reign in the
fullness of His glory and power upon the earth. This will occur during His
Millenial Reign, after the 7 year Tribulation Periodof the book of Revelation
5.1.2. In Matt. 28:18 when He spoke what has become to be known as the
Great Commission, Jesus said that all authority and power had been handed
over to Him by the Father, "18He told his disciples, "I have been given all
authority in heavenand earth""
5.1.3. In 1 Cor. 15:25-28 Paul expounded some more about the exact details of
God's having put all things under Christ's authority, "25 For He must reign
until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be
abolished is death. 27 For He has put all things in subjection under His feet.
But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is
excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 And when all things are
subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who
subjectedall things to Him, that God may be all in all"
5.1.4. In Eph. 1:20-22, Paul related how Christ's having been given all
authority meant that He sat at the right hand of the Father, i.e. on His throne
reigning with Him, "20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the
place of honor at God's right hand in heaven 21 far above all rule and
authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in
this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection
under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church"
5.1.5. In Phil. 2:10-11, Paul wrote about the fact that every tongue would one
day confess that Jesus is Lord and that every knee would one day bow before
Him, "10 that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on
earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"

5.1.6. In 1 Peter 3:22, Peter relates how that even all angels and powers had
been subjected to Him when He ascended up to heaven to rule upon heaven's
throne, "22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after
angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him"
5.2. Jesus teaches here that He alone reveals the Father to men, and thus
there is only one way to the Father and that is through Jesus Christ
5.2.1. In John 14:6, Jesus taught His disciples that He was the way, truth, and
life and that no came to the Father but through Him, "6 Jesus *said to him, "I
am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but
through Me""
6. VS 11:28-30 - "28 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-
laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from
Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your
souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light"" - Jesus calls out to the
wearyand heavy laden to come to Him that they might find rest
6.1. Those who come to Christ come to Him because of a need, for until
there is a real need in a person's life he will never turn to God
6.1.1. One person once said to me that he believed that a person only turns to
the Lord when there is nowhere else that he could turn
6.2. People have tried to determine just whom the 'weary and heavy-
laden' were whom Jesus addressedin these verses:
6.2.1. Some have said that it was those who were under the burden of trying
to keepthe law of Moses perfectly
6.2.2. Some have said that it was those who were under the burden of their
consciencesunder the weightof sin which people experience
6.2.3. Some have said that it is those who are burdened down by the trials and
tribulations of life apart from God's providential care

6.3. I believe that the answer is all of the above and more, for Jesus is the
answer to all of man's problems I believe, and I have seen many many things
bring a person to the Lord
6.4. Spurgeon once preached about the approachableness of the Lord and
of His many pleadings to sinners to come to Him for salvation and the healing
which He alone can bring, “If this suffice not, let me here remind you of the
language of Christ, He proclaims his approachability in such words as these,
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.” Ye horny-handed sons of toil, ye smiths and carpenters, ye ploughers
and diggers, come unto me, yea, come all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. And again, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me
and drink.” He invites men to come; he pleads with them to come; and when
they will not come he gently upbraids them with such words as these, “Ye will
not come unto me that ye might have life.” And, again, “O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a
hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.” It is not “I
would not,” but “ye would not.” Why, the whole of Scripture in its invitations,
may be said to be the language of Christ, and therein you find loving, pleading
words of this kind, “Come now, and let us reason together: though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.” “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” All our blessed
Lord’s sermons were so many loving calls to poor aching hearts to come and
find what they needed in him. I pray that the Holy Spirit may give an effectual
call to many of you tonight. It would glad the heart of the Redeemer in the
skies if you would come to him for salvation, for you may come, since there is
no barrier between you and the Savior of men. What is it keeps you back? I
repeatit with tears, whatis it keeps you back?”
6.4.1. The verses here reveal that man has a free will and choice to receive
Christ as Lord and Savior, yet many refuse to do so, but not without much
pleading and tears from the Lord

6.4.2. Those who refuse to receive Christ as Lord and Savior in this life will
one day stand before Christ Great White Thone of Judgment and they will
only be able to blame themselves for not responding to the message which God
made abundantly available and accessible to them, were they willing to
receive it
6.5. Jesus reveals here that salvation comes through receiving His yoke
upon yourself, and this implies allowing Him to be Lord over your life
6.5.1. Living your life for yourself and just doing whatever you want to do
makes for a life that is a hard and difficult path
6.5.1.1.Alllostpeople ‘wearyand heavy laden’ under the tyranny of their sin
6.5.2. However, allowing yourself to come under Christ's yoke does not make
life a burden, rather far from it, for when His yoke is upon us we cast our
burdens upon Him and He sustains us, and thus His burden becomes light and
His yoke is easy
6.6. Salvation also involves becoming a follower of Christ after His yoke
is placed upon us, and thus Jesus invites men to salvation to come and to
'learn from Him'
6.6.1. As we learn about the Lord and learn from the Lord about ourselves
and about life itself, it is then that we gradually become to be made
emotionally stable and whole in Christ
6.7. There is no need to fear allowing Jesus to be Lord over your life, for
He says that He is 'gentle and humble in heart'
6.7.1. Being the good shepherd, His desire is for the health and welfare of His
sheep, over whom He exercizes the bestof care
6.8. One of the great blessings of coming to salvation is that we come to
have 'rest for our souls'
6.8.1. Non-Christians can't experience this, for in Isaiah 48:22, Isaiah wrote
that there is no peace for the wicked, " 22 "There is no peace for the wicked,"
says the Lord"

Tribute to the Forerunner of the Kingdom, Part 3: God's Sovereignty and the
Free Offer Part 1
Series:Matthew
Sermon by J. Ligon Duncan on Feb1, 1998
Matthew 11:20-30
Print
Our Father, we thank You for this word. It is a mysterious word. Its truths
are deep and wide. We need the help of Your Spirit to understand it and to
embrace it. So we ask, O Lord, that You would open our eyes; teach us the
truth of Your word. What we can understand, help us to understand. What
we cannot, help us to humbly receive because it is from Your lips, trusting
that You will show us one day. In the mean time, may our hope be built upon
the word, and may You draw sinners to Yourself by Your word through the
work of Christ. We ask it in Jesus'name. Amen.
This week we turn to this final section of Matthew chapter 11, and we find in
these words one of the clearest expressions of God's sovereignty and man's
responsibility, side by side, found in all of scripture. Where in Scripture do
you find a better example of God's sovereignty in salvation, and our
responsibility in salvation stated in so few words in one passage almost
simultaneously.
Well, here today, we have such a passage, and it's an excellent passage to
prepare us for the missions conference. We're going to look at it for two
weeks, not only because there's so much here, but because the passage itself
naturally divides into two sections. The first section we'll treat today in verses
20 through 24, where the Lord Jesus denounces these cities for their

impenitence. The second section is where the Lord Jesus gives a tender
invitation to all who are wearyand heavy laden to come to Him.
But I want you to see that both of these go together. Both of these reveal to us
the majesty of Christ, because we've said all along that the real theme of
Matthew chapter 11 is not the greatness of John the Baptist, or the wickedness
of Chorazin and Bethsaida, or even the wonderful invitation to salvation
presentedin the end. The real theme of Matthew 11 is the majesty of Christ.
And we see the majesty of Christ in His person in this passage. The majesty of
Christ in judgment; the majesty of Christ in being the Savior of sinners. And
neither of those themes takes away from the other. We never sacrifice one
attribute of God in order to emphasize another. That's one of the majesties of
God, that all of His attributes are mutually complimentary, even these two
which seem very difficult to recognize and reconcile in our own mind. So let's
look, then, at the teaching of this passage, bearing in mind that our theme is
still the majesty of Christ. There's much truth to learn here, but I'd like to
point your attention to two or three things.
I. We must realize the danger of ignoring the gospelof grace.
First of all, look in verse 20 where we see Jesus' denunciation, His reproach
against these cities for their unbelief. We learn in that verse that we must
realize the danger of ignoring the gospel of grace. Jesus sends out a very clear
warning in his words there. Look at them: “Then He began to denounce the
cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.”
Let me say, before we say a word about what the Lord Jesus said to these
people, let me just remind you that Jesus had been preaching in these cities
for a long time. Capernaum had been His home base. His disciples had
preached in this region on their first missionary effort. But long before they
went out, Jesus had been preaching, tenderly imploring them to turn to God,
calling them into the gracious kingdomof heaven.
So the Lord Jesus' words of condemnation here are not the words of someone
who's flying off at the handle. They're not the words of an impatient Lord.
This man has been imploring them for months and months on end, and their
response has been indifference, or their response has been to reject the Lord

Jesus Christ and to label Him as a devil and as a heretic. And it is in that
context that the Lord pronounces these words of reproach. He had been
preaching patiently to them for a significant period of time before He brings
his words of reproach. And so, His strong words are not reflective of hot-
headedness, or of sinful impatience, but they are born of deliberate pastoral
concern. It's very important for us to remember this.
I remember reading a tract by a dear colleague of mine where he talked about
seminary students who are bristling with biblical bombs and bullets, waiting
to dive bomb the nearest unsuspecting congregation. That's not what the
Lord Jesus is imploring us to do here. After patient preaching, now, the Lord
Jesus is going to rebuke out of a pastoral concern these people who have not
responded to the gospel.
Understand the Lord Jesus' concern. The focus of his concern lies in their
lack of response to the gospel. The Lord Jesus doesn't say, ‘You people here
in Bethsaida and Chorazin, you're immoral. I mean, the people of Tyre and
Sidon, they're moral people, but you people are immoral.’ That's not what
the Lord Jesus said. He said, ‘You didn't respond to My gospel.’ That's the
criticism that He brings against these people. He's not going to tolerate
indifference to His gospel. The Lord Jesus is not very politically correct.
We live in a day where it's okay to believe the gospel as long as you don't
expect somebody else to. If you've been in a college dorm room as a student,
you may well have had the experience of someone seeing your Bible on the
nightstand, and they say, “Well that's okay for you. You read your Bible.
That's fine. Just don't you start bringing any of that stuff over on my side of
the room.” Or they say, “That's fine. You can get up and you can go to
church on Sunday morning. That's fine. Just don't you wake me up on the
way out. You can believe that, but just don't impose that on me.” But the
Lord Jesus Christ demands a response to His gospel. He expects everyone in
cities where He and His disciples are preaching to respond to His gospel. He
will not allow them to say, “Well, I'm gonna be on the fence. Well, that's okay
for you, but that's not what's good for me.” He demands a response to His
gospel and there's so much application of this truth packed up in this chapter

that we could spend the whole day looking at it together. But let me just point
to three or four things.
First of all, notice the words of Jesus to these people. He is very clear in His
rebuke. In fact, He is going to tell Capernaum in just a few verses, ‘You're
going to hell.’ That's exactly what He's going to say to Capernaum. ‘You're
headed to hell.’ You don't hear that kind of criticism in many pulpits these
days. You don't hear those kinds of reproaches and criticisms and
denunciations in today's pulpits. When I first came to First Presbyterian
Church, I had some wonderful opportunities with saints who have been in this
congregation a long time, and they shared with me experiences from their
childhood and all the way up to the more recent days. And many of them told
me that they remembered Dr. Hutton leaning over the pulpit at the corner of
Yazoo and North State, and saying on occasions, “You're going to hell.” You
don't hear that very often today from pulpits. Even in evangelical pulpits you
don't hear denunciations and rebukes that are that clear. Perhaps, perhaps
that is because the inhabitants lack the Spirit of Jesus. Perhaps it is because
they care more about what their congregation can do for them, than they care
about the eternal wellbeing of their congregation.
The Lord Jesus does not use these hard words to be mean. He doesn't use
these words to tear people down. He is trying to shake them out of their
indifference because He loves them so much. He loves them so much He
doesn't care whether they get angry with him. And we need folks who will
care about us more than they care about what we think about them. We need
those folks who will administer to us the wounds of a friend. That's a scary
thing to have to do. Counselors and ministers and friends have to do it all the
time. After many hours of patient listening, of empathetic understanding, of
coming along side, there may come that time when we have to say to our
friend, “There is a glaring flaw that I must tell you about in your life if I am to
be a real friend to you.” And we know that it may cost us our friendship to do
it, but we do it because we love one another; not because we're mean spirited;
not because we want to tear someone down; but because we love them so
much we're willing to risk losing their love for us. That's how much we love
them. The Lord Jesus Christ is trying to shake these people awake,
spiritually, in the words that He says to them.

I want you to notice here, also, that the Lord Jesus expects a faithful response
to His message. This message of grace that He is preaching cannot be ignored.
You can't say, “Ho hum. No big deal.” You cannot say to this message,
“That's fine for you, but it's not for me.” His demand that all respond in faith
to the message of the kingdom is an indication both that He is divine and that
the message that He preaches is urgent. Indifference is no different than
rejection as far as the Lord Jesus is concerned. You can be apathetic about
the gospel message, and that will get you to the same place that rejection of
the gospel message will get you to. Indifference and rejection of the gospel
messageare twin sisters. They're the flip side of the same coin.
Notice also, that the very reason that the Lord Jesus uses His strong language
is to shake people out of their indifference and into an awareness of their
condition. The people of Bethsaida and Chorazin and Capernaum were
probably relatively moral compared to the people of Tyre and Sidon.
Relatively moral people. That may have been one of the things that was
keeping them from hearing the gospel. They didn't feel that bad. They didn't
think that they were in that bad of shape. They had not discovered that they
were sinners who needed a great Savior. And perhaps that made them
impervious to this gracious messageofthe kingdom that Jesus was preaching.
And the Lord Jesus uses this language to shake them into awareness of their
condition, and secondly to emphasize the seriousness of the matter. The Lord
Jesus is not trifling with them and He doesn't expect to be trifled with. He is
using this language deliberately and pastorly to teach them of the urgency of
their situation.
And I want to remind you also in verses 20-24, as you compare it to verses 25-
30, what a balanced picture of Christ we have here. This is a Christ who
loves, but this is also a Christ with the courage to condemn when it's time to
condemn. Often times you get a picture of Christ today as some sort of a
glorified Red Cross worker. He's the Peace Corps guy who's shown up. He's
working in Iraq. That's fine. He's just there to help folks. He's not there to
say anything about where we are spiritually or anything else. But this Christ
is both loving and sovereign, and He brings condemnation against those who

reject the gospel of grace. It's a beautifully balanced picture of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is not to be trifled with, even though He is the Christ of love.
II. We must realize the danger of refusal to repent under the gospelof grace.
Notice also, in verses 21 and 22, we see Jesus pronounce woes against these
unrepentant cities. And we learn there that we must recognize the danger of
refusal to repent under the gospel of grace. We must realize the danger of
refusing to repent under the gospel of grace. Jesus says, “Woe to you
Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre
and Sidon which occurredin you, they would have repented long ago.”
Notice again, the sin which these cities, the people of these cities, are charged
with is not breaking the moral law. The Lord Jesus didn't come in and say,
“You know, you people are bad citizens.” He didn't come in and say, ‘You
know, you people are not moral people. You're not upstanding people. You
people are debauched like those pagans up in Tyre and Sidon.’ The Lord
Jesus doesn't come in and say, ‘You people are a bunch of open, rampant, vile
lawbreakers.’ He comes in and He says, ‘You did not repent when you heard
the gospel.’ The Lord Jesus' charge against them is that they've refused to
embrace the gospelin their heart and in their lives.
And Jesus adds sting to this accusation by saying that the pagans from Tyre
and Sidon, they would have embraced Christ if they had had the same
opportunities. I mean, the Lord Jesus is definitely tweaking their noses here.
I mean, these are good Jewish folk. They've heard the Law and the Prophets,
and they are probably much more moral than the people up the road in Tyre
and Sidon, those Gentiles who are without the law. They probably don't do
the things that those people do up there. It would be like coming to Jackson
or Vicksburg in about the year 1862 and preaching a fiery sermon in which
you said, “If the messages that had been preached in Jackson and Vicksburg
this year had been preached in New York and Boston, they would have
repented. But you people in Jackson and Vicksburg haven't listened to the
gospel.” That's sort of the effect it would've had. “Wait a minute. What are
you talking about? We're a lot better than those people are.” So the Lord

Jesus is trying to wake them up from their slumber and see the seriousness of
rejecting His gospel.
The circumstances, by the way, are directly applicable to us, because we have
more light than Tyre and Sidon did. And we have more light than Bethsaida
and Chorazin and Capernaum. We have the very gospel of salvation entrusted
into our hands. Most of us have grown up hearing the gospel preached even if
we didn't grow up in a Christian home. We have had continual contact from
people who preach faithfully the basic truths of the gospel; and if we have not
embraced those things, then we are in precisely the same circumstance that
Jesus is dealing with in these cities. He's speaking to fine, moral, upstanding
citizens, who've grown up on the Law and the Prophets, but they've never
embracedthe gospelof grace, salvationby grace alone.
We have tremendous spiritual advantages, but have we embraced Christ?
Have we not just believed about him, but have we followed him? Is He our
priority? That is why Jesus speaks about repentance to these people. You
might have expected Him to say, ‘Woe to you because you didn't believe in
Me!’ But He doesn't say that because He knew that there were a lot of people
out there who would have said, ‘Oh, I believe in Jesus. I believe that He's a
great prophet. I believe that He's a great teacher. I believe He's a man
touched by God, who has the power of miracles.’ They believed all sorts of
things about Him. They didn't believe that He was the son of God and Savior
of sinners.
And so He says, “I want to know if you've repented.” In other words, “I want
to know if your life has been changed by your faith in Me.” Has your heart
and your life been radically changed? Have you experienced the life change
that only the Holy Spirit can bring about in the life of a man or a woman? It's
an inward and an outward change. It's connected with our belief and trust in
Christ. He says, “I want to know if you've repented.” If that hasn't
happened, then the gospel has not come in power in your life. He's asking
moral people to ask themselves this question. Have I really embraced the
grace of Christ? Or am I trying to do good all the way to heaven? Am I
trying to earn my salvation by my morality, by my upstanding position in the
community? Or have I embraced the fact that I am a sinner, and there's only

one Savior who can save me, and grace is the way that God has chosen to save
me? The Lord Jesus is asking these folks to ask that question.
III. We must realize the consequence of refusal to repent under the gospel of
grace.
Notice again, in verses 23 and 24, He goes on to make a threat of judgment
against Capernaum. We see His words there. He asks a question to the folks
in Capernaum. “Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?” And the
implied answer is, “No.” There He teaches us that we must realize the
consequence of refusal to repent under the gospel of grace. Jesus, again,
appeals to these folks' relative sense of religiosity. You know, they think,
“Well, Sodom is proverbially wicked. We're okay. We're not bad in
comparison. Besides we have a very active chapter of the Moral Majority
here in Capernaum, and we're a very moral people.”
And He says to them that they will be condemned because they have not
accepted the gospel. He is telling these citizens that they are ripe for judgment
because they are indifferent to the gospelof grace.
And I want you to note that He stresses the fact that their sin is against the
gospel, and He simultaneously pricks their consciences by mentioning Sodom,
precisely because these are moral people. It'd be like coming to the folks here
in Jackson and saying, “You know what? You know those immoral people in
Hollywood, and those immoral people in Las Vegas, and those immoral people
in Washington? Well, they would've repented before you did.” He's stinging
their consciences. He's causing them to have the hair on the back of their
neck raised up and say, “Wait a minute! What are you talking about?”
Because He wants them to realize that the issue is they have not embraced the
gospel.
The issue is not whether they are comparatively better than the people who
are in Sodom. The issue is whether they have embraced the gospel; whether
they have been embraced by grace, and they're saying, the Lord Jesus is
saying, in fact, that Capernaum is guiltier than Sodom, because Sodom didn't
have the light that Capernaum had. These are difficult words that Jesus says.
He pulls no punches because He loves them. Before we apply those words of

truth, let me just mention, isn't it amazing the interplay between God's
sovereigntyand man's responsibility that we already see in this passage.
I want you to notice at least three things which raise the issue of God's
sovereignty and man's responsibility in verses 20 though 25. First of all, isn't
it interesting that Jesus reminds us here that not everyone has the same
exposure to the gospel. The folks in Bethsaida and Chorazin and Capernaum
had more exposure to gospel inducements than did the people in the Old
Testament in Sidon and Tyre, and in Sodom and Gomorrah. They had more
opportunities in these cities where Jesus was preaching to hear the gospel than
did these people to hear the prophets of the Old Testament. “That's not fair,”
somebody says. Jesus said it. I didn't say it. I didn't write it. Calvin didn't
write it. Jesus said it. That's the way it is. They had more opportunities.
Listen to what Matthew Henry says, “Some places enjoy the means of grace
in greaterplenty, power, and purity than others.” That is just the way it is.
Secondly, notice that Jesus indicates that some would have repented if they
had more light. Now, boy, if that isn't a mental tongue twister, I don't know
what is. Get what Jesus is saying here. He is not saying that there would have
been, that the reason that some people don't repent is because they don't have
as much light. He's not saying that. He is, however, saying, as a figure of
speech, He's raising the question, “Why do some people repent and others
don't?” Now that again, is a question that involves the sovereignty of God and
the responsibility of men.
And then finally, in verse 25, you'll see thirdly that the Lord Jesus suggests
that God the Father has actually hidden repentance from some people, even
though Jesus invites all to come to Him. Now let me just stress again, Calvin
didn't write that passage. Jesus spoke that passage. The issues of sovereignty
and responsibility are just there in the Bible, and we only ignore them if we
want to ignore the Bible. We're not ignoring somebody's manmade theology
when we ignore those words, we're ignoring the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's
why we're going to think about that a little bit next week when we come back
together.

But let me apply these words of verses 23 and 24 that we've just looked at.
Sitting under the gospel is an awesome thing. It's an awesome privilege and
it's an awesome responsibility. Listen to what Matthew Henry once said,
“The stronger inducements we have to repent, the more heinous is our not
repenting, and the severer will the reckoning be.” That's precisely what Jesus
is saying. When we are exposed to the gospel week after week after week, and
if we do not embrace it in our hearts and lives, we increase our condemnation.
When I first came to Jackson, I had the privilege of meeting with some area
businessmen for a Bible study on a regular basis. This was a wonderfully
encouraging thing because though we were different, we had different jobs,
and it was frankly kind of nice to get together and hear someone else's
problems. It put my own problems in perspective. And they helped me with
good common sense advice and we got to study the word together. It was a
very encouraging thing. But we read through Thomas Brook's book, Precious
Remedies Against Satan's Devices, and when we were reading that book, I
came across something I'd never seen in a preface to a book before. Thomas
Brooks, at the very end of his introduction to his book, asks you not to read it.
I had never seen that in a book before. I mean, usually an author wants
royalties, and he wants people to read his book, and he wants people to brag
about him. And Thomas Brooks says, “One last thing, don't read this book.”
What in the world does he mean by that? Let me share with you what he
says, “Know that it is not the knowing nor the talking nor the reading but the
doing man that will at last be found the happy man. Reader, if it be not
strong upon your heart to practice what you read, don't read this book. For
to read it would be to increase your condemnation.” We thought long and
hard before we chose that book as our first book to study together, because we
knew that reading it together would expose us to rich gospel truth which made
a demand on our lives.
J. C. Ryle has said, “Let us settle in our minds that it will never do to be
content with merely hearing and liking the gospel. We must go further than
that. We must actually repent and be converted.” We must actually lay hold
on Christ and become one with Him. And until then, we are in awful danger.
It will prove more tolerable to have lived in Tyre and Sidon and Sodom than

Jesus was into cursing cities that rejected him

Jesus was into cursing cities that rejected him

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