Matthew 11:24

“But I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Note the solemn repetition of ‘I say to you'. Again the same principle applies. Even sinful Sodom will not be found to be as guilty as Capernaum in the Day of Judgment, that day which was considered by the Jews to be the time when ‘the wicked Gentiles', and especially Sodom, received their due.

‘The land of Sodom.' Sodom was, of course, long gone, but its land still bore the taint of its guilt, and was still liable to judgment. Or perhaps ‘land of' is intended to signify all the cities of the plain combined.

Certain important theological lessons arise from these words, even though allowance must be made for the deliberately picturesque and exaggerated language. The first is that a time of judgment awaits all men when all will be called to account (Matthew 25:31; John 5:29; Acts 17:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 14:14; Revelation 19:11; Revelation 20:11). The second is that there will be levels of guilt and punishment (Matthew 12:41; Matthew 23:13; Luke 12:47). The third is that God is sovereign in the working out of His plan of salvation (e.g. Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:3). And the fourth is the folly of people thinking that seeing mighty works might somehow make a difference to their response to God.