Matthew 11
Matthew 11:2-112Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:2‑11). John the Baptist sends from the prison where he is, two disciples who ask, “Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?” It must have been perplexing to his mind that the forerunner of the Great King should be rejected, and that the King should remain in such lowly guise. John is not bearing testimony now to the Son of God, but the Son of God bears testimony to John. The Lord does not explain the change of dispensation that is about to take place, but reminds him by the evidence of his senses that Immanuel is among His people. “Go show John again those things which ye do hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed; and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.” Isaiah 61:11The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1), was now being fulfilled; the Messiah of Israel had come. And then he adds, “Blessed is he, whosoever, shall not be offended in Me.” He was the rejected one.
John must rest on the word alone without explanation. John’s disciples depart, then the Lord speaks of him as one that looks like “a reed shaken by the wind,” nothing grand in his appearance. Yet he was a prophet and more than a prophet. He was the messenger of Malachi 3:11Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1), for faith. And there was none born of women greater than he, notwithstanding the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. This excepts the King who was speaking of John. The kingdom of heaven is not heaven, but the blessing belonging to the time when the Lord is absent in heaven and the Holy Spirit is dwelling in His people on the earth. The least in the kingdom would, therefore, refer to the position the believer has now, the least is higher positionally than any Old Testament saint could be. Now, believers are children of God, members of the body of Christ; their bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. And when the Lord reigns as King, they will reign with Him. These blessings belong to those believers who lived since Pentecost (Acts 2), till the Lord shall descend to meet them in the air. (1 Thess. 4:16-1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17)).
Matthew 11:12-1312And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. (Matthew 11:12‑13). “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force.” The law and the prophets prophesied until John; this indicates a change. The energy of the Spirit would impel men to force their way through every difficulty to the kingdom of a rejected King; they had to do violence to all their former training and now believe in and take part with One rejected by the nation who had been, up to this time, called Jehovah’s people. It was, indeed, a strait gate. Had the kingdom appeared in power and glory, this would be just what they expected but instead they must suffice with a rejected One. Thus John was to faith, the Elias that was to come, and those who had ears to hear received his testimony. To the unbelieving nation, Elias is still to come, the many continued in unbelief.
Matthew 11:16-1916But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:16‑19). There was no response in their hearts Godward. John came in righteousness, Jesus came in grace. Every testimony they reject, so the Lord pronounces judgment upon them.
Matthew 11:20-2420Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21Woe 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. 22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. (Matthew 11:20‑24). Tire and Sidon would have repented under such privileges, but Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum have “Woe unto thee,” “Woe unto thee,” pronounced by the Lord, exalted to heaven with privileges, yet cast down to Hades, and in the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon and Sodom than for those favored cities. (Luke 12:47-4847And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47‑48)). The judgment of sin is eternal (Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)), and this would come upon them. Wisdom’s children justify God, and condemn themselves, and God justifies them; the publicans receive the grace the Lord Jesus can bestow. John came separate from the sins of the nation, and they said, “He has a devil.” Jesus came full of love and pity for wretched sinners, and they called Him a gluttonous man and a winebibber. He was, indeed, a friend of publicans and sinners.
Tire and Sidon had abused the advantages which their Creator — God in His providence, had freely bestowed. They were guilty, but these Jews, possessing the Word of God and the promises, adds to their other sins, rejection and contempt for God’s blessed Son. What judgment they deserve, yet do we not see in them what our hearts are capable of?
The Lord felt the contempt of His people. Unrequited love is painful, but as the obedient Man on earth, He submits to the will of His Father, owning Him Sovereign, Lord of heaven and earth, who, acting in divine wisdom, can make no mistakes. Faith ever submits to His perfection. Jesus accepts His Father’s will as the very best. Man’s wisdom is blind to this the little child spirit can rest in it. “Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight,” unquestioning submission of perfect confidence.
Matthew 11:27-3027All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:27‑30). The person of this blessed One, the Incarnate Son of God, was too glorious to be understood by man. His words and works being refused by the nation, left them without excuse. The Father’s will was everything to Jesus, yet He felt the pain and sorrow His rejection would bring on the Jews, fresh glories shine out in Him because of this rejection. All things are delivered unto Me of My Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. What a mystery! “Poor, yet making many rich: having nothing, yet possessing all things” (2 Cor. 6:1010As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. (2 Corinthians 6:10)). All things are in His hand, yet He is a dependent Man on earth and rejected by His people. His person is inscrutable. The eternal Son, yet a man on earth; only the Father can comprehend such a thine.
“The Father only, Thy blest name of Son can comprehend.” He further says, “No man knoweth the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” Yes, He can reveal the Father and can reveal Him to whomsoever He pleases — this takes in the poor Gentile dog. Wonderful grace that can bring ruined, sinful men to know God as their Father! And now His invitation goes out. God’s grace is like a river flowing on; if obstacles seem to hinder, it rises and flows over and around them. Man’s failure and resection make it seek new channels. The multitude may reject it, but He knows there are many laboring, heavy-laden hearts, unsatisfied souls, longing for what they do not know. His invitation is to them. “Come unto Me,” “and I will give you rest.” It is the Savior’s voice; the infinite, omniscient One who can give, promising rest to the weary soul that conies to Him. Come, cease your laboring, lay down your burden at His feet; let Him take it. What kind of rest does He give? The kind a guilty sinner needs, the kind a soul disappointed with the world, and Satan’s false promises and allurements needs. You will find pleasures forevermore, peace that passes all understanding, riches that are unsearchable, love that passes knowledge. “I will give you rest.” He has made peace through the blood of His cross. Everyone that trusts Him, finds everything righteously and divinely settled there, and such is the effect of that work, that believers are brought nigh to God. In the above passage, Jesus is the revealer of the Father, so that, included in this rest, is the blessed truth that we know the Father; His God is our God, His Father is our Father.
We can sing:
“Thou great and good! Thou just and wise,
Hail! as our Father and our God!
For we are thine by sacred ties,
Thy sons and daughters bought with blood.”
And again:
“Thou gav’st us in eternal love,
To Him to bring us back to Thee,
Suited to Thine own thought above,
As sons like Him, with Him to be.”
Further blessing He promises in the words, “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me.” His yoke was entire submission to His Father’s will.
He has given us the children’s place and the children’s portion in the love and care of the Father.
And He desires our souls to enjoy it in full submission to our Father’s will; this is the path He trod. “Learn of Me; I am meek and lowly in heart.” He is our pattern and in so doing He promises that we shall find rest for our souls.
This is rest, rest, rest, not unrest.
Yes, though the tempest ‘round us
Seems safety to defy;
Though rocks and shoals surround us
And billows swell on high-
Thou dost from all protect us,
And cheer us by Thy love;
Thy counsels still direct us
Safe to the rest above.
And our blessed Lord says, “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” May our hearts live in this blessed rest, walking with and following our blessed Lord and waiting for Him.