Matthew 11

Matthew 11:5

5.—the poor have the gospel preached] By “the poor” may either be meant the poor and humble in spirit; or, in the literal sense, persons of mean condition, who were neglected and condemned by the proud scribes and Pharisees, but with whom Christ saw fit to converse, and to whom He imparted the doctrines of Divine wisdom. Dr. Whitby. This passage, taken from Isaiah, chap. lxi. 1, is applied by Jesus to Himself in His sermon at Nazareth, Luke iv. 18, 21. Though the circumstance of the poor having the Gospel preached to them is not a miracle, yet it was a marked distinction of Christ, who addressed Himself to people of low degree, whom the Jewish doctors held in contempt. Dean Stanhope.

Matthew 11:6

6. And blessed is he, &c.] Blessed is he whosoever shall not be ashamed of My doctrine, or discouraged by any temporal evils from obeying it. Dr. S. Clarke. It is unhappily too true, that, from the first coming of Christ in the flesh to this time, there have been unreasonable men, who have been offended in Him: And there will not fail to be such within the pale of Christianity itself, even till His second coming to judge the world. His doctrines have been complained of, as laying too great a restraint on human nature, as hard and

A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

Matthew 11:7

7.—A reed shaken with the wind?] Which was usually to be seen in the wilderness. Grotus. He seems to represent by this figure of a reed, a man wavering in his testimony, and turning every way; (Dr. Whitby;) and commends John for his firmness and constancy of mind, in thus opposing him to a reed. Dean Stanhope.

Matthew 11:8

8.—A man clothed in soft raiment?] In opposition to whom He commends John for his austerity and strictness of life. Dean Stanhope.

Matthew 11:9

9.—and more than a prophet.] He so speaks of John, in regard to his having the privilege of shewing the Messiah personally present to the people, whom the rest only foresaw at a distance; and also for being himself the subject of prophecy, as the immediate harbinger of God incarnate. Dean Stanhope.

Matthew 11:10

10.—Behold, I send—before thy face.] In Mal. iii. 1, it is “before Me,” God being the first person. From this application then it appears, that Christ is one with God the Father, and that this coming of Christ into the world, is the coming of God Himself. Dr. Hammond.

Matthew 11:11

11.—Notwithstanding he that is least] Not the meanest Christian, but the meanest Evangelical prophet or preacher of Christian doctrines, is greater than John, in respect of his office, which is to preach the kingdom of the Messiah; in respect of his doctrine, which is more spiritual and heavenly, and founded on better promises; and in respect of the Divine as-

The opinion of the people concerning John and Christ. Aene DOMINI 31. f Mal. 6. 6. g Luke 7. 31.

Matthew 11:12

12.—the kingdom of heaven suffereth &c.] From the days of John the Baptist, persons of all descriptions, not only Jews, but even Gentiles also, and publicans and the greatest sinners, have pressed in to hear this gracious doctrine, and to accept the terms of repentance and forgiveness. Dr. S. Clarke.

—the violent] Either publicans, sinners, &c. or else those who press with ardent desire to be partakers of it. Dr. Whitby. In the margin, “They that thrust men;” they that crowd and press one another in their endeavours to get in. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 11:13

13. For all the prophets &c.] Till the time of John, men had only the guidance and direction of the Law and the Prophets. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 11:14

14.—if ye will receive it, &c.] These words hint a suspicion that they would not receive his doctrine; which is sufficiently verified by the obstinate expectation of the Jewish nation, that Elias is still personally to come. Dr. Lightfoot.

—this is Elias.] It was a general tradition in the Jewish nation, that Elias, or Elijah the Tishbite, was to come in person as the forerunner of the Messiah, to anoint Him and make Him known to the people, and that before the advent of the Son of David, Elias was to come and preach concerning Him. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 11:15

15. He that hath ears &c.] This expression, frequently used by our Saviour, implies that the matter is of peculiar importance, and deserving of their serious attention. Bp. Mann.

Matthew 11:17

17.—We have piped—we have mourned] The Jews had their pipes for two uses, for joy and for lamentation. To this double use of pipes, which children imitated, our Lord refers in this expression. Dr. Whitby. The moral or meaning of this similitude is sufficiently evident from that which follows in the two next verses; but it is not so easy to explain the letter of the parable, from our not knowing sufficiently the customs prevailing in the days of Jesus. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 11:18

18.—neither eating nor drinking.] Practising great austerity and severity of life. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 11:19

19.—eating and drinking.] In the usual manner, using the ordinary diet of men. Dr. Hammond.

Our Lord came eating and drinking, that is, with all the marks of good will to men. He went to marriage feasts: the very first miracle that He wrought was to promote their cheerfulness; and He mingled in those social meetings with so much ease and freedom, with so little affectation of moroseness or reserve, that His enemies gave Him the name of a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber. Bp. Porteus. It should be observed that

our Lord enjoined no austerities as absolute duties, nor even recommended any, as carrying men to a higher degree of Divine favour. The religion of Christ stands eminently distinguished in this respect when compared with other religions which have been founded in the fanaticism either of their authors or their first followers. Archdeacon Paley.

—But wisdom is justified &c.] The sense is, Both My disciples and those of John, who are “the children of wisdom,” or wise, have discerned and acknowledged the wisdom of God, in My way of appearing to the Jews, and in that of John. Bp. Pearce. Or, in a more extended sense, When the perverseness of men has done its utmost in aspersing the preachers of true religion, wisdom and virtue will still vindicate themselves; and the methods of Divine Providence, in its several dispensations of mercy to mankind, will finally appear to be wise and good, in the destruction of the proud and obstinate, and the salvation of the humble and teachable. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 11:21

21.—Chorazin!] “Chorazin” is not mentioned as a place of our Lord’s abode, except on this occasion. It is generally thought to have been on the western side of the sea of Galilee, not far from Capernaum. Dr. Wells.

—Bethsaida!] This place lay on the lake of Gennesareth, at the north end, where the river Jordan flows into it. The name imports in the Hebrew language, “a place of hunting or fishing,” for the latter of which especially, its situation was very convenient. St. John states, chap. i. 44, that three of the Apostles, Peter, Andrew, and Philip, belonged to this city. It is not once mentioned in the Old Testament, which is accounted for by what Josephus states, that it was only an inconsiderable village, till Philip the tetrach built it up to the bulk and appearance of a rich and populous city, to which he gave also the name of Julius, out of respect to Julia, the daughter of Cesar. It is called “Bethsaida of Galilee” at John xii. 21, the name of Galilee extending in a larger sense to parts lying east of the sea of Galilee. The wo denounced by our Saviour against Bethsaida has long since come upon it, as it is reduced to the state of a very poor village, consisting only of five or six miserable cottages. Dr. Wells.

—Tyre and Sidon.] Places remarkable for their luxury, pride, and contempt of religion, as appears from many passages of the Old Testament. See Iss. xxiii. 9; Exek. xxviii.

—in sackcloth and ashes.] That is, with the deepest contrition and sorrow; sackcloth and ashes being in those days the outward signs of deep penitence. Dr. Campbell.

Christ upbraideth Chorazin, &c. His invitation to the weary.

Anon DOMINI 21. don, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:22

22.— It shall be more tolerable] Meaning, that the judgment or punishment which befalls mere heathen cities shall be lighter than that which awaits you. Dr. Hammond. Tyre and Sidon, two great cities, famous for their trade and wealth, were destroyed for their wickedness; and yet, having fewer advantages, they were less guilty than those, whom the preaching and miracles of Christ did not lead to repentance. Bp. Mann.

Matthew 11:23

23.— exalted unto heaven,—brought down to hell;] These are allegorical expressions, taken from the Old Testament, (Isa. xiv. 13; lvii. 9,) which signify the highest exaltation and the lowest depression. Our Saviour seems to have spoken this to repress the pride of the Jewish nation, and the severity of their judgment upon others; as they used to affirm that their nation only would be saved, and that the people of Sodom would have no portion in the world to come. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 11:25

25.— answered and said,] This phrase is often used in the New Testament, where nothing had preceded to which the answer applies; it merely signifies, that the person spake with relation to such a matter, saying. Dr. Whitby.

— I thank thee, O Father,] Jesus, reflecting on the success which the Gospel had met with, in persons of a different disposition from those upbraided in the last verses, here gives solemn thanks to the Father for it, and magnifies the wisdom of that dispensation, which left the self-conceited in their ignorance, and instructed the meek and dispassionate, the modest and the lowly, in the mysteries of the Gospel. Dean Stanhope.

— because thou hast hid] Our Saviour does not thank God, because He had hid these things from the wise; but because, having done so, He had revealed them unto babes. Compare Rom. vi. 17; and see the note there. “The wise and prudent,” men possessed

with carnal worldly wisdom, and a swelling conceit of their proficiency: “Babes,” those humble modest persons, who, having a low esteem of their own wisdom, give themselves up entirely to that wisdom which is from above. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 11:27

27. All things are delivered unto me] All things relating to My Father’s will have been communicated to Me, John viii. 28; xii. 49. Bp. Pearce. All things belonging to My office. Dr. Whitby. The whole disposal of all things relating to the salvation of men is now committed to Me. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 11:28

28.— are heavy laden,] With the burdens of the Levitical law, the consciousness of your own frailties, or the difficulties of human life. Dean Stanhope.

Matthew 11:29

29. Take my yoke upon you,] Become My disciples; for I am meek and lowly, (not like those severe and supercilious doctors,) and full of pity to every burdened soul. Dr. Whitby.

So easy is the yoke of Christ, that to the faithful Christian it is a pleasure rather than a trouble to bear it. He is a Master who will never require of us more than He will give us grace to perform, nor lay a greater burden upon us, than He will give us strength to bear. By Him we are enabled to mortify our sins, and withstand all temptations to them. By Him we can so fast and pray as to be heard, so hear and read as to be profited. By Him we can love and fear and trust in God, and serve and honour Him with a perfect heart and a willing mind; and, what is more, by His merits and mediation we procure the pardon of our sins, and the acceptance of our imperfect endeavours to do the will of God. Bp. Beveridge.

Chap. XII. ver. 1.— to pluck the ears of corn,] This action itself was lawful, Deut. xxiii. 25; the objection is confined to its being done on the sabbath day. Bp. Pearce.

Christ reproath the Pharisees. Anno DOMINI 21.