Matthew 11:7–19
Jesus emphasised something. It can happen when people hear the word of God. They can be very foolish. They can have no understanding.
In Matthew 11:7–9, Jesus reminded those who were listening to him about something. They had recognised that John was a prophet. They were right about this. He dressed like a prophet. He did not want people to deal with him in a special way. If he did, he would have dressed differently. He would have worn clothes that were fit for the palace. John spoke like a prophet too.
The Jews had a belief. It was this. One day God would start something that was new with his people. No new prophet would come until then. Then a final prophet would appear. After that, God would appear. He would begin to develop his kingdom. (Read Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6.) They were sure that John was a prophet. So, they expected God to establish his kingdom then.
Then Jesus said another wonderful thing. God had spoken to Malachi. In Malachi 3:1 he said, ‘I will send someone with a message that is from me. He will prepare the way before me.’ Malachi spoke about the final prophet. This prophet would announce the appearance of God. The people thought that John was that final prophet. John had pointed to Jesus. Jesus said that this was exactly what Malachi had taught. So, Jesus was claiming to be God. He was claiming too that God had become a Man! He confirmed that John was that final prophet.
The Jews expected something else. God would establish his kingdom when he came. But most of them did not understand what it would be like. Jesus had begun to establish that kingdom. He showed this clearly. (Read Matthew 11:11–12.)
Matthew 11:12 is hard to understand. There is much discussion about it today. Jesus could be referring to the start of his work. The kingdom began to appear then. But people still opposed his work.
Jesus reminded those who listened to him of something important. All of the OT was pointing forward. It was pointing to John and to his message. God would come soon. (Read Matthew 11:13–14.) People who listened to Jesus now had that evidence. But they might not have the courage to recognise it. (Read Matthew 11:15.)
Now Jesus described a different group of people. (Read Matthew 11:16–19.) They were people who refused to believe. They had heard all of the same evidence. But their reactions were not the same. Jesus compared them to children. Whatever the game was, they refused to play it. Whatever people offered, it was never right. John and Jesus lived in different ways. But people refused to accept either of them. Both of them brought God’s word. But people refused to accept it.
There was, and still is, a sad result of unbelief. The end of Matthew 11:19 describes it. People like this achieve nothing. But the messages of John and Jesus will prove to be true. People will see that their messages are right in this life. They will see that they are right in the next age too.
Questions
- Think about people who refuse to believe the message about Jesus. What is the best way to deal with them?
- Jesus spoke about people who are ‘the least in the kingdom of heaven’. This could refer to ordinary members of the church. Jesus then said that they were ‘greater’ than John the Baptist. But John was the greatest man who had ever lived. (Read verse 11.) In what way could this be true? What does it mean for your church?
- Why does the kingdom of God cause such people to oppose it so strongly?
More explanation
John and Elijah
John denied that he was Elijah. Jesus seemed to say that he was. (Read Matthew 11:14 and 17:12.) But that is not what Jesus meant. The Jews were expecting Elijah to return to earth. John denied that he was Elijah. This was right.
But the OT prophets often spoke about the future in a certain way. They used names or events that were from the past. But they were not speaking in an exact way. The words had another meaning. Something would happen. Or someone would come in the future. That event would be like the first event. Or that person would be like the first person. John was a prophet like Elijah. (Compare Mark 1:6 with 2 Kings 1:8.) Jesus understood this. So, this was what he taught. John was the Elijah of whom the prophets spoke.
