Topic(s): Jesus, Bible Study

Bob Prichard

Jesus often had difficulty getting His enemies to understand or accept what He had to say. Often He spoke in parables so that His followers could understand, even if His enemies did not. In Matthew 11, Jesus used a comparison, as He did in many parables, to help them understand what it was like for Him and John to try to move a generation to obey God.

John came as the prophesied forerunner to the ministry of Jesus. Jesus referred to the prophecy of Malachi 3:1 when He said, “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee” (Matthew 11:10). John did not come to establish his own church or kingdom, but to prepare men for Christ’s coming kingdom, the church. “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1-2). John’s message of repentance was well received by many of the people, so much so that “then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins” Matthew 3:5-6). The religious leaders did not accept him, though.

When Jesus began His ministry, he was also received well by the multitudes, especially as long as He performed signs and wonders, but was constantly opposed by the religious leaders of the day. Although the ministries of John and Jesus were similar, in that they both called on men to repent of their sins, and both baptized disciples, there were also many differences. John was a Nazarite, and had taken vows so that he “had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). Jesus was a less austere preacher, who was well known for spending time with the common people, even the harlots and publicans.

In Matthew 11:16-19, Jesus responded to criticism of His ministry, and that of John. He said, “Whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The 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.”

John and Jesus were each different in their approach to ministry, but the leaders of the day, or “this generation” approved neither. They were not pleased with John’s austerity or the ready fellowship that Jesus offered to the lower classes. Jesus understood that they would never be satisfied with John or Himself, because they were not interested in heavenly wisdom, but only earthly wisdom. “Wisdom is justified of her children.” Men become what they seek in the realm of wisdom. Those who seek heavenly wisdom find it in those who teach God’s will, and those who seek worldly wisdom will always reject those who teach God’s will. The same applies to our generation.