Mat 11: "The Master departs on a solitary preaching mission.
He freed himself partly of the inconvenience and pressure of having multitudes
coming for healing, and devoted himself to teaching. It was on this background
that his great forerunner, John Baptist sought for confirmation of his ministry.
Held in prison for condemning the marriage actions of Herod, who had taken his
brother's wife. John expected the advent of the kingdom, as did the apostles
(Act 1:9), and did not perceive the greater work of redemption, even though his
words announced the coming of the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world.
So the Lord took the opportunity to demonstrate the need to listen carefully,
and used words in Mat 11:15 that later were directed to the seven ecclesias of
Asia (Rev 2;3). As the nation would not respond, so the Lord turned to
individuals" (GEM).
Mat 11:3
Perhaps John sought to dispel doubts in his followers, not in
himself. Or, 'How can this popular miracle-worker possibly be the suffering lamb
of God (ie Isa 53)?' (Xd 121:373).
Mat 11:5
BLIND... LAME...: Jesus is healing those people who
previously would have been excluded from the Lord's service (Lev 21:17-21; cp
2Sa 5:8) -- those people who, if they had been animals, would have been
imperfect sacrifices (Lev 22:22-24; Mal 1:8,13,14). So here is emphasized the
fact that we are all imperfect specimens and imperfect "sacrifices" -- and we
all need the only One who is perfect to heal and cleanse us! And he can do this:
through the forgiveness of sins -- which he only can provide -- he can present
us, as a radiant bride or church, "without stain or wrinkle or any other
blemish" (Eph 5:27).
THE GOOD NEWS IS PREACHED TO THE POOR: The last point
on Jesus' list... "the poor have the gospel preached to them"... is the greatest
miracle of all! Because it lifts Jesus' work out of the physical realm and puts
it into the spiritual. In fact, it comprehends all the other "miracles" in one:
because the gospel believed does -- in the most meaningful sense -- give sight
to the spiritually blind, give strength to the weak, and cleanness to those who
were "leprous" with sin, and hearing to the spiritually deaf. So here is Jesus'
way of lifting his work out of the ordinary (if any miracles can be ordinary!)
and putting it on the highest plain: the greatest "miracle" (and such miracles
are occurring all around us) is a life changed by true belief in Jesus Christ.
Which means... the greatest work of God's Holy Spirit has never ceased from
among men, and never will, so long as sinners hear the Word of God and
repent.
Mat 11:6
BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO DOES NOT FALL AWAY ON ACCOUNT OF
ME: Nothing that was 'blemished' was fit for the animal sacrifice, for it
would be offensive. Jesus had outward scars, but his life was perfect, and so he
could make the perfect sacrifice.
One might look at Jesus, even then, and say: "He's not
perfect"... and of course, and especially, when he might see that same man,
beaten and broken, on his way to the cross, it was painfully true that "he had
no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we
should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and
familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was
despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isa 53:2,3). To all outward signs and human
expectations, Jesus couldn't be the perfect sacrifice either... because of his
physical appearance. And thus the observer -- who saw only the surface of things
-- might be offended, and fall away (cp Isa 8:12-15).
But the heart, and the life, of Jesus was perfect -- and that
was what the Father saw. And that is what we must see, with the "eye of faith",
as well.
Even the cross itself was -- as Paul said -- "foolishness to
those who are perishing" (1 Co 1:18), and the man who looked at the mere "letter
of the Law" would undoubtedly be offended by the whole process: "This just CAN'T
be right!"
But the man of faith sees his own sins "mirrored" in the face
of the suffering Saviour, and his own deserved punishment reflected in the
bruises of his Lord. And he realizes the absolute perfection that is necessary
to cleanse, and forgive, and pardon him.
And so he sees the beauty of this divine arrangement, and
thankfully embraces it, and joyfully proclaims, as does Isaiah himself,
prophetically: "Surely he took up OUR infirmities and carried OUR sorrows... he
was pierced for OUR transgressions, he was crushed for OUR iniquities; the
punishment that brought US peace was upon him, and by his wounds WE are healed"
(Isa 53:4,5). If Jesus appeared to be a blemished and imperfect offering, we
need not be "offended" nor "stumble" at this. Instead, we need only remember
that such blemishes and imperfections were inflicted, and accepted, on OUR
behalf. He was made "sin" for us, so that we might be made "righteousness" in
him (2Co 5:21).
Mat 11:8
FINE CLOTHES: Associated with king's palaces: 2Sa 1:24;
13:19.
ARE IN KINGS' PALACES: While John was in a king's
dungeon! -- cp Luk 6:22,26.
Mat 11:11
In this verse, Jesus points out the great demarcation between
the time of "the prophets and the law", on one hand, and the time of "the
Messiah" on the other. So, to paraphrase: "The least of the disciples -- who
preach the kingdom of God NOW -- are greater (more able) than was John the
Baptist -- the greatest of the prophets -- because, while he brought Israel up
to the brink of the new 'age', they have actually entered it: they NOW know
Jesus as the Messiah!" (This distinction is borne out by v 13 here as
well.)
Mat 11:12
General context: John the Baptist was earnest, heroic, and
strong; and so must those be who would enter the kingdom of God!
FORCEFULLY ADVANCING: Gr "biazomai" = compel, or force.
Poss Christ is saying that revolutionaries (the Zealots and Sicarii) have been
attempting to bring the kingdom of God by forceful means. But, more likely,
given the context, this v points out the line of demarcation: before John came,
all men (even "prophets") were looking forward -- tentatively -- to the coming
of the Messiah. But now -- after he HAS come -- all men who preach him (even the
least of the disciples: v 11) can be bold, because they have seen and heard of
him!
FORCEFUL MEN LAY HOLD OF IT: "It required a certain
kind of individual, a 'violent' one!... The truth is a call to courage and
faithfulness, not for those of an apathetic countenance. It needs a virility of
mind and heart; a determination to overcome the obstacles of flesh, and to press
on regardless. Many profess such a character, but fail to demonstrate it when
courage is required under trial and pressure. When the Truth is challenged, it
is only the 'forceful' who are prepared to continue the challenge, knowing that
their strength comes from the Father. In the days of Christ it required much
moral courage to defy the Jewish leaders (cp Joh 9:22). Today it requires moral
courage to continue that character in the days of Gentile compromise. To those
who reject such wisdom, the Lord utters a series of 'Woes' (Mat 11:20-24). It is
not those who profess greatness, but those who reveal humility and a will to
follow him (the 'babes' of Mat 11:25-30) to whom his strength is given"
(GEM).
Mat 11:13
FOR ALL THE PROPHETS... PROPHESIED UNTIL JOHN: And more
would have prophesied the same, had Jesus not come.
Mat 11:14
...And all the prophecies would have been fulfilled... IF the
Jews had received it.
THE ELIJAH: No def article: "AN Elijah".
Mat 11:17
Cp the complaint of Michal, who despised the dancing of David:
2Sa 6:16-23.
Weddings/funerals: austere John/convivial Jesus: both
approaches were alike despised by "Jews".
Mat 11:18
HE HAS A DEMON: A campaign of same sort against Jesus:
Mat 12:24; Joh 7:20; 8:48; 10:20.
Did not such a "rebellious son" deserve to be stoned?: cp Luk
5:30; Deu 21:20,21.
Mat 11:19
GLUTTON AND DRUNKARD: Cp Luk 5:30. And did not such a
man deserve to be stoned (Deu 21:20,21)?
WISDOM IS PROVED RIGHT BY HER ACTIONS: In this case,
the end justifies the means: the end = preaching of gospel, glory of God; the
means = either suffering or rejoicing. (Notice: the personification of "wisdom":
Pro 8:22,31-33; 9:1-6.)
Mat 11:21
There is comfort in this -- that the finest preacher who ever
lived -- backed by Holy Spirit power -- could achieve nothing in some of the
cities he visited. So why should we ever be discouraged?
KORAZIN... BETHSAIDA: These cities of Galilee were
homes of some of Jesus' disciples.
SACKCLOTH AND ASHES: Eze 27:30,31. See Eze 3:6: "Surely
if I had sent you to them..."
Mat 11:22
TYRE: See Act 21:3,4; cp Mar 3:8.
These Galilean towns were the homes of Jesus' own disciples,
the settings of many fond memories.
Mat 11:23
DEPTHS: "Hades", or grave. A city could not be cast
into a burning hell. Refers to its total destruction, as happened to Sodom. Cp
Mt 16:18.
Mat 11:24
SODOM: Israel is likened to Sodom (Deu 32:32; Isa 1:10;
Rev 11:8), and even worse than Sodom (Lam 4:6; Eze 16:46-49).
Mat 11:25
"Out of mouths of babes and sucklings": Psa 8:2; cp Isa
11:8.
Mat 11:28
COME TO ME: "Let us take a three-day journey into the
desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God" (Exo 3:18).
WEARY AND BURDENED: As those who were under bondage in
Egypt, and esp having additional burdens laid upon them (Exo 1:12;
5:9).
I WILL GIVE YOU REST: Christ was the embodiment of the
Sabbath-rest, and "Lord" of the Sabbath: Mat 12:8; cp Heb 4.
Mat 11:29
TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN OF ME: "It's not 'Here;
take this new yoke that I made in Joseph's carpentry shop for you.' It's 'share
the yoke that I'm carrying.' Yes, he made dozens of yokes, and every one was a
masterpiece in comfort and load-bearing efficiency, from the big double-oxer to
the dairymaid's model. Speaking of which, when I joined Esso as a young man and
went to Boston (Lincolnshire) as an agricultural salesman, I used to watch the
driver of our small-deliveries truck as he struggled to the back of farmhouses
and little country stores where the paraffin was kept -- all 40 gallons of it --
with a heavy, awkward 5-gallon can of paraffin in each hand. Then later I was at
a farm effects sale where one of my fuels customers was retiring and had sold
the place; I needed to make sure the new guy also bought from me! One of the
hundred or so lots was a dairy yoke, and I suddenly thought, 'If I can get that
for a pound or two I'll offer it to Jeff and see how he gets on with it'... Jeff
laughed at me: 'Okay, since you went to the trouble to get it for me I'll give
it a couple of days.'
"For those two days they all laughed at Jeff. ('Where are you
going to, my pretty maid?') Then he had a week's holiday, and someone else had
to take his truck out. For two days the guy stuck the yoke on the other seat and
ignored it. Then, with the kind of backache you get from strange, heavy lifting
and carrying, he also 'gave it a go'. And kept using it until Jeff came back. By
which time no-one was laughing any more, and Jeff became a firm friend from then
on.
"The Word knows but two yokes: the prisoner's iron bondage
yoke, in two halves or hinged and clamped round the neck, and the ox-yoke,
whereby two oxen are harnessed together to pull loads, by a wooden pole between
them to which is fastened a crosspiece, padded to go in front of each.
Frequently a young ox is put alongside a long-serving one, to help in its
training.
"The prisoner's yoke is the one Jesus took on himself, and
broke in Golgotha. The ox-yoke? That's the yoke Jesus invites us to share with
him. It forms a curious shape, doesn't it? If it were not for the padding and
the harness it could so easily be a cross. It isn't 'Learn ABOUT me'; it's
'Learn FROM me.' That's a far more practical 'course' than book knowledge! And
what is it we need to learn? 'For I am meek and lowly in heart.' Meekness is
hard to learn -- except from a master practitioner who himself learned obedience
the hard way. 'And you will find rest unto your soul.' By taking on a big yoke
and pulling a heavy load? Do me a favour! But YES... if Jesus is on the other
side of it! And he is, by the way" (Brian Morgan).
AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS: Cit Jer
6:16.
Mat 11:30
"A yoke is specifically designed to divide and share a
labour... together... with Christ. Old horses were yoked together with
youngsters to help understand how to pull a plow... and to steady down their
eagerness!!" Cp Deu 22:10. Ct Pharisees in Mat 23:4.
'Put off your old works (cease doing your own works: Isa
58:13,14), and put on the new yoke by beginning to do the work of
God!'