Matthew XI

i. 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.

2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5. 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 to them.

6. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

The spirit of this paragraph may be developed by a discourse upon The Question of the Troubled Heart answered by the beneficent and patient Christ. Recall the circumstances: (a) John was committed to a special identification of the Messiah; (b) John had proclaimed judgment, under the figures of “fan,” “ax,” “fire;” (c) John was, so to speak, an incarnation of the spirit of the Old Testament, — eminently judicial, demonstrative, stern in bearing, decisive in tone; — (d) John had been imprisoned through the winter in consequence of his testimony on behalf of purity and honour. He was almost within hearing of the revels of the voluptuous court; the messenger of the Lord was in prison, while the debauchee was encircled by royal splendour. This problem in providence had perplexed the

Baptist as it had perplexed holy men of all ages. He was expecting the fires of judgment, but no fire fell; he listened for the coming of the judge, but no footfall broke the silence. Hope had almost expired; a strange, dark, heavy sorrow brooded over his spirit. He was now undergoing his temptation, as Christ had also done. In that hour of sadness he showed how the strongest man had seasons of weakness.

John’s case, then, may be taken as showing some phases of the troubled heart: — 1. The trouble which comes of measuring Divine progress by human impatience. 2. The trouble which comes of magnifying the personal over the universal, — each man considers his own case of the most urgent consequence. 3. The trouble which comes of not sufficiently discriminating between the sinner and the sin; the destruction of sinners (which would have been, physically, easy) would not have been the annihilation of sin. John would have smitten Herod; Christ would smite the guilt. 4. The trouble which comes of temporal difficulty or sorrow, — it requires a bright eye to see across the chasm which separates a prison from heaven.

Christ’s answer may be taken as showing some phases of the Divine government: — 1. The Divine government in its beneficent purpose towards the human body. 2. The Divine government in its beneficent relations to the human soul. 3. The Divine government as vindicating itself by good works. 4. The Divine government as administered by Christ, — all these works are but revelations of what was in the infinite heart of God from all eternity. 5. The Divine government as exercising human patience, — “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me,” — offended in my method of working, my longsuffering and patience; blessed is he who trusts and waits, even though he must trust in darkness and wait in a prison.

7. And 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?

8. But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in king’s houses.

9. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

1 1. Verily 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.

This is Christ’s discourse concerning John. This discourse is specially noticeable as showing Christ’s spirit in relation to a reverent doubter. Lest the people should undervalue John’s mission, or attach a false meaning to his momentary misgiving, Christ enlarges upon his personal dignity and official authority in this noble and defensive discourse. Christ was never harsh to devout doubters, yet he never failed to pronounce those “blessed” whose faith was unclouded. Witness the case of Thomas — “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed;” — and witness this case of John’s — “Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.” This was Christ’s two-fold method, viz., to teach the Doubter, and “bless” the Believer; too often the so-called Christian Church hates the doubter or avoids him as a leper. That Church may well know the meaning of the declaration that this doubting forerunner of Christ was actually “more than a prophet.”

1. Some men require to be explained. 2. Some men are placed in circumstances which suggest a variety of false interpretations respecting their mission. 3. The true man will be finally explained and vindicated by God Himself.

Society has three methods of looking upon an extraordinary man: — 1. As fickle, changeful, and uncertain, — “a reed shaken with the wind.” 2. As self-seeking, loving ease and comfort, — “a man clothed in soft raiment.” 3. As a true and well-credited man, who deserves attention, — “a prophet, and more than a prophet.” The extraordinary man has generally to work his way to the third position. He is seldom looked upon as a prophet at first.

In this discourse Christ does three things: — 1. He sets Himself forth as an interpreter of prophecy, — “This is he of whom it is written.” Christ knew well all that the inspired records contained; look, e.g., to the way in which He answered the tempter. 2. He determines the gradations of human eminence, — “there hath not risen a greater,” — (a) Men do vary in power; (b) Christ knows each man’s capacity; (c) Variations of power do not impair moral claims, — the feeblest man may be good. 3. He asserts the superiority of the Christian life to every other, — “He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Not only do men differ, but eras, kingdoms, spheres differ. Men are affected by the dignity of the kingdom in which they live, — hence there is a greatness which comes upon a man from the outside; men are also partakers of the greatness of the kingdom which they voluntarily adopt. This is a greatness superior to the former, inasmuch as it touches the nature of the man rather than his mere circumstances. The nth verse maybe taken as suggesting, The Responsibilities which attach to Relative Positions of Life. The men of Tyre and Sidon will be judged by the light which they had; the men of Capernaum will be judged by a clearer light. Pagans will not be judged by Christian law. How can the least in one kingdom be greater than the greatest of another? John was the greatest man outside of Christianity, yet the least man in Christianity is greater than he. How so? The simplest flower of the field is greater than the most exquisite artificial flower; for nature is greater than art: the feeblest infant is greater than the most elaborate statue; for life is greater than marble: the youngest son is greater than the oldest servant; for love lies deeper than covenants and bonds.

This representation (verse n) shows the immense value which is attached by Christ to every member of His kingdom. This idea runs through the whole of His discourses. He is ever jealously watchful of “one of these little ones,” and “the least of these my brethren.” Christ dwelt much upon the value of individuals; — one piece out of ten, and one sheep out of a hundred must be sought, found, and restored! Had the woman lost all the ten, and the shepherd all the hundred, they could not have done more than they did. These are hints of what Christ Himself attempted. Innumerable worlds kept their first estate, yet He came after the earth as if it were the only world.

12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

15. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

This indicates the demonstrativeness which attended the ministry of John, and the ministry of Christ Himself. The idea may be paraphrased thus: — Up till the time of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven was matter of prophecy; men were hoping for it, and daily looking for it, but all was quiet, people were hushed by a great expectancy, but from the days of John the Baptist there has been much demonstration, there has been a call to repentance, there has been a call to baptism, John terminated the line of the prophets and the law, and the silence of the written word has been broken by a voice crying in the wilderness, and now the people who are most in earnest will take possession of the kingdom of heaven, — the victory, the honour will be given to enthusiasm, passion, violence, — “Strive to enter in at the strait gate!”

Verse 14 shows that it is possible to miss a fact while looking for a name.

The people were looking for Elias, not knowing that he had already come in the person of John. The blessing is often near when we think it is distant. “There standeth one among you whom ye know not, he it is,” &c.

16. But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows.

17. And saying, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

19. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

i. A childish generation, like a childish man, necessarily takes a childish view of things. 2. The most extraordinary men have to undergo the judgment of the most childish judges. 3. Childish judges always determine by the accidental, not by the essential, — by eating and drinking, not by character or principles.

Christ wished men to become like children; why, then, did He complain of “this generation,” when it was like unto children? The answer may be found in the difference between childishness and childlikeness.

The relation of Christ to the enjoyments of this life is shown in the 19th verse. Christ came eating and drinking; He enjoyed the gifts of God; He mingled freely with men. The Christian life does not forbid enjoyment: it allows a man to eat and drink freely, but gives him power to govern his appetite. The strong man is not he who avoids temptation, but he who meets it and vanquishes it. The man who fasts is under John’s dispensation. In Christ men have liberty. Wisdom will be justified of her children in either case. Some men require to mortify themselves, others are stronger in moral power; the wisdom of each is to act according to his gift. The continent man may be trusted at any table; the incontinent man would gluttonise upon the poorest fare. Continence is entirely a question of the spirit.

20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:

21. Woe 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.

22. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.

23. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shall 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.

24. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Then why were the mighty works not done? Why was Sodom destroyed when by a few mighty works it would have remained until this day? Was it not a waste of power to bestow miracles uselessly upon Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, when, according to Christ’s own statement, the very same miracles would have saved Tyre and Sidon and Sodom? In reply, three things ma3’ be suggested: — 1. God’s plan requires time for its fulfilment. 2. In the days of the ancient cities the Christian miracles would have been premature. 3. God has acted as a Sovereign throughout the whole of His government. All this, however, is entirely unsatisfactory. If men have been lost when they might by a further disclosure of God’s power have been saved, then God must be held accountable for the issue. The explanation is to be found in the expression, “more tolerable.” The ancient cities will not be judged by modern advantages. God cannot judge the spring by the autumn. This lament on the part of Christ shows that the moral is not co-ordinate with the miraculous. The moral influence of miracles was comparatively limited. Upon the healed men, of course, it was often effectual, but how few of all the countless observers, professed change of heart simply in consequence of the miracles!

Christ’s reproach of the cities shows: — I. That every worker should look for the results of his labour; and, 2. That the mightiest workers cannot command success. The world is not dying for want of good preaching, but for want of good hearing.

25. At that time Jesus answered, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

26. Even so, Father; for so it seemeth good in thy sight.

This is a hint as to God’s method of revelation. 1. The world’s wisdom is ignored. 2. The simplest minds have the clearest disclosures. The history of civilisation, apart from evangelical truth, illustrates precisely the same fact. How much is secular civilisation indebted for discoveries and inventions to royal and aristocratic persons? Take from modern science and art all that such persons have contributed by way of direct discovery, and how much poorer would the world be? But take away the poor man’s contributions, and modern civilisation would be annihilated. This arrangement (for so marvellous are the facts that they do constitute a plan) has three advantages: — 1. It shows that manhood lies deeper than the mere accidents of birth and station; 2. It preserves the balance of society, so that the power does not preponderate in one direction; 3. It shows that spiritual power comes from the root and core of society, and is not the property of any one section.

27. All 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.

Christ Himself was one of the “babes” to whom “these things” were revealed. His contemporaries asked, Whence has this man this wisdom? He was more than simply one of the babes, He here claims to be the treasurer of all things. The important points in this statement are: — i. That the Father is not personally known; 2. That the Son personally knows the Father, and has, therefore, an advantage over all other men, for “no man knoweth the Father save the Son;” 3. That the Son is the only revealer of the Father to men, — “He to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” This places Christ in the most sublime relation to the human race. In every sense He is the Mediator. Through Him, as through an atmosphere, the glory of the Godhead descends upon the vision of men. His words have more in them than the meaning of common language; they shadow forth, as the ages may be able to bear, the purposes of the unseen but all-seeing Father.

28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I. Do you know what weariness is? Weariness of the body, weariness of the mind, weariness of the heart. 2. Rest? Body, mind, heart. 3. The “coming” is man’s, the “giving” is Christ’s, — we are co-workers. 4. The invitation is co-extensive with the distress.

What is the connection between “meekness” and “rest “? Christ says, “For I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest,” as if there was a logical connection between meekness and rest. So there is, undoubtedly, — Passion can never be at rest: rest expresses a moral condition, (a) Selfishness can never be at rest. (6) Crime can never be at rest, (c) Ambition can never be at rest.

Verse 30. 1. My yoke is easy, — then how men have mistaken the Christian life! 2. My burden is light, — then all burdens may be avoided as unchristian. Some men’s religion is a toil, a slavery, a perpetual gloom; it may be religion, but it is not the religion of Christ.