Matthew 11:21

Woe 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. WOE UNTO THEE, CHORAZIN! - not elsewhere mentioned, but it must have lain near Capernaum. WOE UNTO THEE, BETHSAIDA! [ bayit (H1004) and tseeydaah (H6720), 'hunting' or 'fishing-house'-`a fishing station'] - on the western side of the sea of Galilee, and to the north of Capernaum; the birth-place of three of the apostles-the brothers Andrew and Peter, and Philip. These two cities appear to be singled out to denote the whole region in which they lay-a region favoured with the Redeemer's presence, teaching, and works above every other. For if the mighty w...

21._If those mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon. _As _Tyre and Sidon, _in consequence of their proximity, were at that time abhorred for their ungodliness, pride, debauchery, and other vices, Christ employs this comparison for the express purpose of making a deeper and more painful impression on his Jewish countrymen. There was not one of them who did not look upon the inhabitants of _Tyre and Sidon _as abominable despisers of God. It is, therefore, no small heightening of his curse, when Christ says, that there would have been more hope of reformation from those places in which there was no religion, than is to be seen in Judea itself. Lest any should raise thorny questions (40) about the secret decrees of God, we must remember, that this discourse of our Lord is accommodated to the ordinary capacity of the human mind. (41) Comparing the citizens o

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...

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 precisely where _Chorazin_ was situated; but as Christ joins it in the same censure with _Bethsaida_, which was in Upper Galilee, beyond the sea, Mark 6:45, it is likely that Chorazin was in the same quarter. Though the people in these cities were (generally) impenitent, yet there is little doubt that several received the word of life. Indeed, Bethsaida itself furnished not less than _three_ of the _twelve_ apostles, _Philip, Andrew_, and _Peter_. See...

CHORAZIN AND BETHSAIDA - These were towns not far from Capernaum, but the precise situation is unknown. See “The Land and the Book” (Thomson), vol. ii. pp. 8, 9. Bethsaida means literally a “house of hunting” or “a house of game,” and it was probably situated on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, and supported itself by hunting or fishing. It was the residence of Philip, Andrew, and Peter, John 1:44. It was enlarged by Philip the Tetrarch, and called “Julia,” after the emperor’s daughter. TYRE AND SIDON - These were cities of Phoenicia, formerly very opulent, and distinguished for merchandise. They were situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and were in the western part of Judea. They were therefore well known to the Jews. Tyre is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as being the place through which Solomon derive

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; Matthew 19:1; Matthew 26:1. In all five cases it marks the end of important speeches. (1) The sermon on the mount (Mt 5-7:27); (2) the charge to the disciples (Matthew 10:5); (3) the parables ...

WOE UNTO THEE, CHORAZIN!.... Though many of Christ's mighty works were done in this place, yet mention is made of it no where else, but here; whether it was a single city, or a country, is not easy to determine: the word חורשין, "Chorasin", signifying "woody places", Dr. Lightfoot l conjectures it might include Cana, in which Christ wrought his first miracle, and a small adjacent country, situated in a wood, and be so called from thence; and Origen m reads it, χορα ζιν, "the region of Zin": WOE UNTO THEE, BETHSAIDA! This was the city of Andrew and Peter, SEE GILL "JOH 1:44"; so that as bad as it was, some persons were called out of it by the grace of God, and to the high office of apostleship; and which makes that grace in such the more distinguishing: 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 AS...

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. He was always the example as well as the legislator of his people. How well it will be for us who are called upon to teach others, if we can teach them as much by what we do as by what we say! «When Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.» Matthew 11:2. _Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?_ Poor John! His spirit was brave enough amid the wilds when he was by the riversi

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 Announces Judgment. (Matthew 11:20 .) 4. The Greater Invitation. (Matthew 11:25 .)_ The first verse of this chapter belongs to the sending forth of the twelve, and should be put to the previous chapter. “And it came to pass when Jesus had finished commanding His twelve disciples, He departed thence to teach and preach in their cities.” He took the work upon Himself once more, and with the disciples He had

WOE TO UNBELIEVING CITIES (Luke 10:13; in the address to the Seventy). We should rather have expected to find this passage in Matthew 10. Some scholars regard the denunciation as the product of a later generation rather than an utterance of Jesus. The Galilean cities had been comparatively receptive of His teaching, and it is not like Him to make miracles the basis of faith. Note, too, the contrast with the gentleness of Matthew 11:29. Still the passage may well reflect the tragic sense of failure experienced by Jesus at the crisis of His work in Galilee, when He had to leave to save Himself from Herod (Luke 13:1), and because of the changing attitude of the people. As He set out on the road to Phœ nicia, the scene of His work l