Wesley's Explanatory Notes
Matthew 11:18
John came neither eating nor drinking — In a rigorous austere way, like Elijah. And they say, He hath a devil — Is melancholy, from the influence of an evil spirit.
John came neither eating nor drinking — In a rigorous austere way, like Elijah. And they say, He hath a devil — Is melancholy, from the influence of an evil spirit.
Verse Matthew 11:18. _FOR JOHN CAME NEITHER EATING NOR DRINKING_] Leading a very austere and mortified life: and yet, he did not receive him. A sinner will not be persuaded that what he has no mind to...
BUT WHEREUNTO SHALL I LIKEN ... - Christ proceeds to reprove the inconsistency and fickleness of that age of people. He says they were like children - nothing pleased them. He refers here to the “play...
8. THE FORERUNNER IN PRISON. THE KINGDOM PREACHING REJECTED. CHAPTER 11 1. John Imprisoned Sends his Disciples. (Matthew 11:1 .) 2. The King's Testimony Concerning John. (Matthew 11:7 .) 3. The King...
JOHN THE BAPTIST (Luke 7:18). In place of Mk.'s narrative of John, deferred to ch. 14, Mt. gives material from Q. MATTHEW 11:2. JOHN'S PERPLEXITY. It is a question whether doubt was supervening upon...
THE SIX ACCENTS IN THE VOICE OF JESUS (Matthew 11:1-30) Matthew 11:1-30 is a chapter in which Jesus is speaking all the time; and, as he speaks to different people and about different things, we hear...
"To what will I compare this generation? It is like children in the market-place, calling to their companions, and saying, 'We piped to you and you did not dance; we wailed and you did not mourn.' For...
CAME. In the Greek this is the Figure of speech _Hyperbaton_ (put out of its place by commencing the verse), causing the Figure of speech _Anaphora_ (App-6). EATING NOR DRINKING. Supply the _Ellipsis...
CONCERNING JOHN THE BAPTIST His message to Jesus 2–6. His position as a Prophet 7–14. His relation to Jesus and to his contemporaries 15–19. St Luke 7:18-35...
ΜΉΤΕ ἘΣΘΊΩΝ ΜΉΤΕ ΠΊΝΩΝ. μήτε not οὔτε, because it is not only that a matter of fact is stated, but the view which was taken of John’s conduct. Demosthenes was reproached for being a water drinker, ὡς...
Ver 16. "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17. And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; w...
_A MOST UNUSUAL MAN MATTHEW 11:7-19:_ John was one of God's greatest servants. Jesus used this occasion to say some things concerning his character and ministry. He gave His approval to the good work...
ΉΛΘΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΈΡΧΟΜΑΙ (G2064) приходить, ΈΣΘΊΩΝ _praes. act. part. от_ ΈΣΘΊΩ (G2068) есть, ΠΊΝΩΝ _praes. act. part. от_ ΠΊΝΩ (G4095) пить. Part, указывает на способ прихода, а форма наст...
FOR JOHN CAME NEITHER EATING, &C.— Our Lord justifies the application of the proverb in the preceding verse to the Pharisees, by observing, that the divine Wisdom had tried every method proper for con...
SECTION 24 JESUS RECEIVES A QUESTION FROM JOHN AND PREACHES A SERMON ON JOHN (Parallel: Luke 7:18-35) TEXT: 11:2-19 2. Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by his di...
_AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME, OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER?_ No JFB commentary on these verses....
7 Compare Luk_7:24-30. 7 The Lord might well have spoken disparagingly of John at this juncture. Instead, He gives him a eulogy which places him on the highest pinnacle of human fame. He gives him a...
THE PRAISE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Luke 7:24). Lest the purpose of the question of John, 'Art thou he that should come?' should be misunderstood, Jesus hastens to assure the people that JOHN IS NO REED S...
THE DISCIPLES OF THE BAPTIST 1. Tours of Jesus after dismissing His apostles. The apostles started on their mission about five weeks before the second Passover of the ministry (28 a.d.) and were away...
MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 11 JOHN THE *BAPTIST ASKED A QUESTION 11:1-6 V1 Jesus finished giving instructions to his 12 *disciples. Then he went on from there...
HE HATH A DEVIL. — The phrase was a common one, asserting at once the fact of insanity, and ascribing it to demoniacal possession as its cause. (Comp. John 7:20; John 8:48.) This was the explanation w...
Chapter 10 The Shadow of the Cross - Matthew 11:1; Matthew 12:1 I-DISCOURAGEMENTS. Matthew 11:1 HITHERTO almost everything has been hopeful and encouraging in our Evangelist's record of the Saviour'...
_Judgment of Jesus on His religious contemporaries_ (Luke 7:31-35). It is advisable not to assume as a matter of course that these words were spoken at the same time as those going before. The discour...
he commentary on the parable showing that it was the reception given to John and Himself that suggested it. μήτε ἐσθ. μήτε πιν.: eating and drinking, the two parts of diet; not eating nor drinking = r...
THE LAST OF THE PROPHETS Matthew 11:11 The least in a higher dispensation has great advantages over the greatest in a lower one. A child on a hill can see farther than a giant in the valley. Many hav...
This picture of John is very full of pathos-from the high triumph of inspired preaching to the solitude and loneliness of a prison. John made as direct application to Jesus as his circumstances permit...
_He hath a devil. Those possessed by devils, were often accustomed to pass their time in the open air, to use unusual food, and sometimes to refrain a considerable time from meat and drink. (Menochius...
SANCTIFICATION DOUBLY METAPHORIZED “But to whom shall I liken this generation? It is like unto little children, sitting in the forums, and calling to their comrades, and saying, We have piped unto yo...
Chapter 8, which opens the portion that comes before us tonight, is a striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has been pleased to employ in giving us the apostle Matthew's accou...
_THE PORTRAIT OF AN AGE_ ‘Whereunto shall I liken this generation?… Wisdom is justified of her children?’ Matthew 11:16 The portrait of an age—that and nothing less is what is essayed in these sent...
From that hour we find the definitive judgment of the nation, not indeed as yet openly declared (that is in chapter 12), nor by the cessation of Christ's ministry, which wrought, notwithstanding the o...
FOR JOHN CAME NEITHER EATING NOR DRINKING,.... This and the following verse are an explanation of the foregoing "parable"; and this shows, that John and his disciples are the persons that mourned, of...
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. Ver. 18. _For John came neither eating, &c._] So froward men are and gobble up, that no preacher can please them. If he preac...
_Whereunto shall I liken this generation_ That is, the men of this age? They are like those froward children, of whom their fellows complain that they will be pleased no way. _Saying, We have piped un...
NEITHER EATING NOR DRINKING; living very abstemiously. Though there is a great variety in the outward condition of ministers of the gospel, and in the mode of their communications with men, yet no con...
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil....
The direct application:...
Throughout Israel now the Lord carries on an intensive teaching and preaching in their cities. John the Baptist hears of this in the prison, but he is deeply puzzled, for he sends two of his disciples...
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 a...
SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 11:19"....
Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book III Quin etiam Dominus de seipso dicens: "Venit," inquit, "Joannes, nec comedens, nec bibens, et dicunt: daemonium habet; venit Filius hominis comedarts et bibens,...
Matthew 11:18 For G1063 John G2491 came G2064 (G5627) neither G3383 eating G2068 (G5723) nor G3383 drinking...
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon'.” John lived a life of fasting and prayer. He drank no wine or strong drink because of his dedication to God (Luke 1:15). He...
JESUS CHARGES THE PEOPLE OF HIS GENERATION WITH NOT TAKING JOHN'S OR HIS MESSAGE SERIOUSLY, BUT BEHAVING LIKE CHILDREN AT PLAY (11:16-19). The sudden change of subject here is very vivid. He has been...
Matthew 11:18. FOR. An evidence of the petulant spirit (so Matthew 11:19). JOHN CAME NEITHER EATING NOR DRINKING. He came as a prophet, and living in a peculiar manner, ‘neither eating bread nor drin...
INTRODUCTORY NOTE. The sending out of the Twelve probably called into open manifestation the opposition of the Pharisees: hence Matthew groups the events indicating this hostility, without regard to c...
DEVIL demon. (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 7:22). _...
Matthew 11:16 The Baptist and Christ. I. When John appeared to Israel, and made his voice heard from the wilderness, the stern reality of such a life struck all imaginations; the hope he held out of...
Matthew 11:1. _And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities._ Whatever he commanded, he himself did. H...
Matthew 11:1. _And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the...
CONTENTS: Answer to questions sent Jesus by John the Baptist. Judgment predicted as result of rejection of Christ. Rest for individuals who put their trust in Him. CHARACTERS: Jesus, John the Baptist...
Matthew 11:3. _Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another._ Brevity here is connected with obscurity. John could not doubt, after seeing the glory, and hearing the voice from heaven. The...
HE FASTED AND DRANK NO WINE. John lived an "ascetic" life. They accused him of being under the influence of evil spirits a fanatic....
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 11:18 NEITHER EATING NOR DRINKING. Some apparently accused John of demonic influence because of his appearance and simple lifestyle. SON OF MAN CAME EATING AND DRINKING. Jesus’...
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 11:1 Opposition to the Messiah Increases. There has been occasional resistance to Jesus’ ministry (e.g., Matthew 9:3). It now begins to increase sig
JESUS EASES JOHN'S DOUBT MATTHEW 11:2-19; LUKE 7:19-35; MATTHEW 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,...
CHAPTER 11 _And it came to pass_, &c. _He passed from thence_ : That means, He separated Himself from His Apostles, whom He sent to preach the Gospel by themselves, both that they might prepare the wa...
_CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 11:19. WISDOM.—God regarded as the All-Wise. JUSTIFIED.—Acquitted of folly. CHILDREN.—The Divinely wise. The spiritual recognise the wisdom of God both in the austerity of Jo...
EXPOSITION MATTHEW 11:1 Matthew only. AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN JESUS HAD MADE AN END. The same formula recurs in Matthew 7:28; Matthew 13:53;...
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of these commandments, he departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities (Matthew 11:1). So He sent them out in front of them, and then He...
1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Kings 9:11; Acts 26:24; Hosea 9:7; Jeremiah 15: