Matthew 11:7

_AND SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU HE THAT SHOULD COME, OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER?_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

Matthew 11:7._And while they were departing _Christ praises John before the people, in order that they may state from recollection what they have heard from him, and may give credit to his testimony. For his name was widely celebrated, and men spoke of him in lofty terms: but his doctrine was held in less estimation, and there were even few that waited on his ministrations. Christ reminds them, that those who _went out to see him in the wilderness _lost their pains, if they did not devoutly apply their minds and faculties to his doctrine. The meaning of the words, _you went out into the wilderness, _is this: _“Your _journey would have been an act of foolish and ridiculous levity, if you had not a fixed object in view. But it was neither worldly splendor nor any sort of amusement (12) that you were in quest of: your design was, to hear

7-15 What Christ said concerning John, was not only for his praise, but for the people's profit. Those who attend on the word will be called to give an account of their improvements. Do we think when the sermon is done, the care is over? No, then the greatest of the care begins. John was a self-denying man, dead to all the pomps of the world and the pleasures of sense. It becomes people, in all their appearances, to be consistent with their character and their situation. John was a great and good man, yet not perfect; therefore he came short of glorified saints. The least in heaven knows more, loves more, and does more in praising God, and receives more from him, than the greatest in this world. But by the kingdom of heaven here, is rather to be understood the kingdom of grace, the gospel dispensation in its power and purity. What reason we have to be thankful that our lot is cast in th...

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 the very Christ which he pointed out to them. He also shows, from the _excellencies_ of John's character, that their confidence in him was not misplaced, and that this was a farther argument why they should have believed in him, whom the Baptist proclaimed as being far superior to himself. _A REED SHAKEN WITH THE WIND?_] An emblem of an irresolute, unsteady mind, which believes and speaks one thing to-day, and another to-morrow. Christ asks these Jews if they had ever found any thing in John like this: Was he not ever steady and uniform in the testimony

AND AS THEY DEPARTED ... - Jesus took occasion, from the inquiries made by John’s disciples, to instruct the people respecting the true character of John. Multitudes had gone out to hear him when he preached in the desert Matthew 3, and it is probable that many had been attracted by the novelty of his appearance or doctrines, or had gone simply to see and hear a man of singular habits and opinions. Probably many who followed Christ had been of that number. He took occasion, therefore, by some striking questions, to examine the motives by which they had been drawn to his ministry. A REED SHAKEN WITH THE WIND? - The region of country in which John preached, being overflowed annually by the Jordan, produced great quantities of “reeds” or “canes,” of a light fragile nature, easily shaken by the wind. They were therefore an image of

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 ...

AND AS THEY DEPARTED,.... That is, the messengers of John, Luke 7:24 when they returned to their master, to give an account to him of what they had heard and seen, JESUS BEGAN TO SAY UNTO THE MULTITUDES CONCERNING JOHN; he took this opportunity before the whole company, who had heard what passed in conversation between him and the disciples of John, to say some things concerning his character and ministry: and which he did, partly to rectify and remove any wrong opinion they might have conceived of him, from this message of his, as if he had retracted his former sentiments concerning Christ, at least was wavering and doubtful about him; and partly, to put them in mind of their former zeal and attachment to John's ministry, when they went out in large bodies to attend upon it; and to revive a good opinion of him; and signifies, that they would do well to ask themselves, what view

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

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 Baptist's first faith, or whether Matthew 3:14 f. is unhistorical, and John had all along been uncertain. In 2 Cod. Bezæ reads the works of Jesus. In Matthew 11:5 we have to decide whether Jesus refers the embassy to a series of physical miracles ending with the preaching of good tidings to the poor (Harnack, Plummer), or metaphorically (_cf._ Isai