CHAPTER XI. _Christ, having finished his instructions to his disciples,_ _departs to preach in different cities_, 1. _John sends two of his disciples to him to inquire whether he_ _were the Christ_, 2-6. _Christ's testimony concerning John_, 7-15. _He upbraids the Jews with their capriciousnes... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:2. _JOHN HAD HEARD IN THE PRISON_] John was cast into prison by order of _Herod Antipas_, Matthew 14:3, c., (where see the notes,) a little after our Lord began his public ministry, Matthew 4:12 and after the first passover, John 3:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:3. _ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME_] ο ερχομενος, _he that_ _cometh_, seems to have been a proper name of the _Messiah; to save_ or _deliver_ is necessarily implied. Luke 7:19. There is some difficulty in what is here spoken of John. Some have thought he was utterly ignorant of our... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:4. _GO AND SHOW JOHN THE THINGS - YE DO HEAR AND SEE_] Christ would have men to judge only of him and of others by their works. This is the only safe way of judging. A man is not to be credited because he professes to know such and such things; but because he demonstrates by his con... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:5. _THE BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT,_ c.] αναβλεπωσι, _look_ _upwards_, contemplating the heavens which their Lord hath made. _THE LAME WALK_] περιπατωσι, _they walk about_ to give the fullest proof to the multitude that their cure was real. These miracles were not only the most conv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:6. _BLESSED IS_ HE _WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT BE OFFENDED IN ME._] Or, _Happy is he who will not be stumbled at me_; for the word σκανδαλιζεσθαι, in its root, signifies to _hit against_ or _stumble_ _over_ a thing, which one may meet with in the way. The Jews, as was before remarked, exp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:7. _WHAT WENT YE OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO SEE?_] The purport of our Lord's design, in this and the following verses, is to convince the scribes and Pharisees of the inconsistency of their conduct in acknowledging John Baptist for a divinely authorized teacher, and not believing in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:8. _A MAN CLOTHED IN SOFT RAIMENT?_] A _second excellency_ in John was, his sober and mortified life. A preacher of the Gospel should have nothing about him which savours of _effeminacy_ and _worldly pomp_: he is awfully mistaken who thinks to prevail on the world to hear him and r... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:9. _A PROPHET? YEA - AND MORE THAN A PROPHET_] That is, one more excellent (περισσοτερον) than a prophet; one greatly beyond all who had come before him, being the immediate forerunner of Christ, (see below,) and who was especially commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord. This w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:10. _BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER_] A _fifth excellency_ of the Baptist was, his _preparing the way of the Lord_; being the instrument, in God's hand, of preparing the people's hearts to receive the Lord Jesus; and it was probably through his preaching that so many thousands attached... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:11. _A GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST_] A _sixth excellency_ of the Baptist-he was greater than any prophet from the beginning of the world till that time: - lst. Because he was prophesied of by them, Isaiah 40:3, and Malachi 3:1, where Jesus Christ himself seems to be the speaker.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:12. _THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERETH VIOLENCE_] The tax-gatherers and heathens, whom the scribes and Pharisees think have no right to the kingdom of the Messiah, filled with holy zeal and earnestness, seize at once on the proffered mercy of the Gospel, and so take the kingdom as by... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:13. _ALL THE PROPHETS AND THE LAW PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN._] I believe προεφητευσαν means here, _they taught_, or _continued to_ _instruct_. They were the instructers concerning the Christ who was to come, till John came and showed that all the _predictions_ of the _one_, and the _typ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:14. _THIS IS ELIAS, WHICH WAS FOR TO COME._] This should always be written Elijah, that as strict a conformity as possible might be kept up between the names in the Old Testament and the New. The Prophet Malachi, who predicted the coming of the Baptist in the spirit and power of El... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:15. _HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR._] As if our Lord had said, These things are so clear and manifest that a man has only to hear them to be convinced and fully satisfied of their truth. But neither the Jews of that time nor of the succeeding times to the present day, have... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:16. _BUT WHEREUNTO SHALL I LIKEN THIS GENERATION?_] That is, the Jewish people - την γενεαν ταυτην, _this race_: and so the word γενεα is often to be understood in the evangelists. _IN THE MARKETS_] Or, _places of concourse_, αγοραις, from αγειρω, _I gather together_; not a _market... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:17. _WE HAVE PIPED UNTO YOU, AND YE HAVE NOT DANCED_] We have begun the music, which should have been followed by the dance, but ye have not attended to it. _WE HAVE MOURNED - AND YE HAVE NOT LAMENTED._] _Ye have not smote_ _the breast_: ουκ εκοψασθε, from κοπτομαι, _to strike_, o... [ Continue Reading ]
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 imitate can come from God. There are some who will rather blame holiness itself, than esteem it in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:19. _THE SON OF MAN CAME EATING AND DRINKING_] That is, went wheresoever he was invited to eat a morsel of bread, and observed no rigid fasts: how could he, who had no corrupt appetites to mortify or subdue? _THEY SAY, BEHOLD A MAN GLUTTONOUS,_ c.] Whatever measures the followers o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:20. _THEN BEGAN HE TO UPBRAID THE CITIES_] The more God has done to draw men unto himself, the less excusable are they if they continue in iniquity. If our blessed Lord had not done every thing that was necessary for the salvation of these people, he could not have reproached them f... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:21. _WO UNTO THEE, CHORAZIN - BETHSAIDA!_] It would be better to translate the word ουαι σοι, _alas for thee_, than _wo to_ _thee_. The former is an exclamation of pity; the latter a denunciation of wrath. It is evident that our Lord used it in the former sense. It is not known pre... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:22. _BUT - IT SHALL BE MORE TOLERABLE_] Every thing will help to overwhelm the impenitent at the tribunal of God-the benefits and favours which they have received, as well as the sins which they have committed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:23. _THOU, CAPERNAUM - EXALTED UNTO HEAVEN_] A Hebrew metaphor, expressive of the utmost prosperity, and the enjoyment of the greatest privileges. This was properly spoken of this city, because that in it our Lord dwelt, and wrought many of his miraculous works. _SHALT BE BROUGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:24. _BUT - IT SHALL BE MORE TOLERABLE FOR THE LAND OF SODOM_] γη σοδομων, _the land of the Sodomites_; i.e. the ancient inhabitants of that city and its neighbourhood. In Jude, Jude 1:7, we are told that these persons are _suffering the vengeance of_ _eternal fire_. The destructio... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:25. _I THANK THEE_] εξομολογουμαι σοι, _I fully agree with_ _thee_-I am perfectly of the same mind. Thou hast acted in all things according to the strictest holiness, justice, mercy, and truth. _WISE AND PRUDENT_] The scribes and Pharisees, vainly puffed up by their fleshly minds,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:26. _EVEN SO, FATHER_] ναι ο πατηρ. An emphatical ratification of the preceding address. It was right that the heavenly wisdom, despised, rejected, and persecuted by the scribes and Pharisees, should be offered to the simple people, and afterwards to the foolish people, the Gentile... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:27. _ALL THINGS ARE DELIVERED UNTO ME OF MY FATHER_] This is a great truth, and the key of the science of salvation. The man Christ Jesus _receives_ from the Father, and in consequence of his union with the eternal Godhead becomes the Lord and sovereign Dispenser of all things. All... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:28. _COME UNTO ME_] This phrase in the new covenant implies simply, _believing in Christ_, and _becoming his disciple_, or _follower_. _ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN_] The metaphor here appears to be taken from a man who has a great load laid upon him, which he must carry... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:29. _TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU_] Strange paradox! that a man already weary and overloaded must take a new _weight_ upon him, in order to be eased and find _rest_! But this advice is similar to that saying, Psalms 55:22. _Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain thee_; i.e. tru... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 11:30. _FOR MY YOKE IS EASY_] My Gospel imposes nothing that is difficult; on the contrary, it provides for the complete removal of all that which oppresses and renders man miserable, viz. _sin_. The commandments of Christ are not grievous. Hear the whole: _Thou shalt love the Lord th... [ Continue Reading ]