Generation of Brats

Matthew 11:16-27

In this next section of Matthew chapter eleven Jesus shows the end result of those who will not use their ears and understand the Good News. These would rather foolishly reject the message and the Messenger. To what can such a generation be compared? “To what shall I liken” was a common rabbinic introduction to a metaphor. Jesus goes on to explain that it is comparable to childish, blind generation that will face judgment.

■ The Childishness of The Generation, 11:16-19

Throughout the millennia children have enjoyed playing two games: wedding and funeral. “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.’” (11:16,17). Jesus uses children here to demonstrate the childishness of the generation of His day. Perhaps He had just witnessed the children playing these two games. And as we all have seen, children will end up fighting over which one of these games they will play. One group wants to play wedding and other others respond with a desire to play funeral. Spoiled brats who will not play regardless of the tune or game.

Jesus is saying that the Jews are just like this in rejecting John and Jesus. “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” (11:18,19a). They find fault with John and next with Jesus. John has a demon and is mad or insane for living an ascetic life in the wilderness. Jesus is worldly by socializing with others. He is accused of being a glutton, a winebibber, and an immoral friend of sinners. This is not true but an exaggeration to justify their rejection. Whether they fasted like John and feasted like Jesus, the Jews were brats who would not go along. They could not be pleased. William Barclay explained, “the plain fact is that when people do not want to listen to the truth, they will easily enough find an excuse for not listening. They do not even try to be consistent in their criticism.”

However, Jesus exposed the foolishness by quoting a common proverbial expression. “But wisdom is justified by her children” (11:19b). Wisdom, who is personified as a woman, will be proved right in the end by her actions.

■ The Judgment of This Generation, 11:20-24

Jesus’ ministry was concentrated in an area of Galilee where three cities served like three points to a triangle. Up to this point, most of His miracles had been performed in a limited geographical area. Most of His teaching had been done here as well.

For their failure to repent, Jesus pronounces woes upon the cities. “Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent” (11:20).: A “woe” is most often a denunciation. First, He rebukes of Chorazin and Bethsaida. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” (11:21a). Chorazin was a small village nestled in the hills some two and a half miles north of Capernaum. Bethsaida is located four miles northeast of Capernaum at the northernmost tip of the Sea of Galilee at the place where the Jordan River enters the sea. “Bethsaida” means “house of fishing.”

They are contrasted with the ancient, wicked cities of Tyre and Sidon. “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” (11:21b). These ancient Phoenician cities with a long standing reputation for wickedness (Is. 23; Ezek. 27-28; Amos 1:9-10) involving the licentious Baal worship. Jesus did not minister to them, but had He, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. Sackcloth and ashes were illustrative of the denunciation of ease in times of repentance.

Next, Jesus rebukes Capernaum. It was located on the north end of the Sea of Galilee. It served as a headquarters for Jesus’ ministry. Many miracles were performed there, such as, Peter’s Mother-in-Law (8:14-15); two blind men (9:27-31); and the dumb demoniac healed (9:32-34); not to mention the raising of Jarius’ dead daughter. Jesus contrasted their refusal to repent with that of the very wicked infamous city of Sodom. Sodom is a proverbial city of sin and Divine judgment. Even in the secular world, Sodom is a synonym for moral depravity. Jesus claimed even they would have responded to His miracles and teaching.

■ The Blindness of the Generation, 11:25-27

Jesus expresses agreement with God hiding the Gospel from wise. “At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” (11:25-26). This is a bit of sarcasm. After all the wise represent those who have rejected Jesus like foolish children. “Lord of heaven and earth” is a Jewish title for God, stressing his lordship of the universe.

Ironically, the Bible praises those who are wise and prudent (Prov. 18:15). But Jesus is referring to the worldly definition: famous, highly educated, wealthy, powerful. Those who are so self-sufficient that they do not need Jesus or John. As Paul quoted, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (1 Cor. 1:19).

These self-willed and blind are in contrast with babes who know they are dependent and have a humility and thus ability to accept and learn. They know they are the “poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3) who humbly confess their dependency on God. Like a babe they are willing to hold out their hands for help. “The heart and not the head is the home of the gospel.”

This was good in God’s eyes. “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight” (11:26). To conceal the truth from the worldly wise and reveal the Gospel to those with child-like trust who are teachable. Only the person emptied of human wisdom can be filled with divine truth.

Jesus explains how He alone as a unique relationship with the Father. 1) Jesus only has all authority from the Father. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father” (11:27a). Jesus equipped with the Father’s Power to perform miracles. He had authority to forgive sins and preach the coming kingdom. In fact, he had this authority for the Father with regard to “all things.” 2) Jesus is known only by the Father. “and no one knows the Son except the Father” (11:27b). Because the Son is divine only the divine Father truly knows the Him. 3) Jesus alone knows the Father. “Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son” (11:27c). The word for “know” here is epiginosko “to know intimately by experience” as opposed to oida “to know factually”. The father has an intimate knowledge and relationship with the Son. 4) Jesus alone can reveal the Father. “And the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (11:27d). Jesus is God like His Father. God alone can reveal God.

To what would Jesus liken this generation of men? Have they foolishly rejected Him and His message? Are they blind to the truth? Will they not heed the warnings of coming Judgment?

– Daniel R. Vess