Day Eleven – Wednesday, January 15, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Matthew 11

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

The Twelve Apostles Commissioning Completed

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:1.

Points to Ponder:

• This may have been the first recorded time that Jesus separated from His inner circle of disciples since calling them.
• He sent them to do what they had been called and equipped to do.

Rejection of John the Baptist

Luke 7:19–30 (Parallel)

² And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples ³ and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ⁵ The blind see 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 who is not offended because of Me.”⁷ As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written:‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,Who will prepare Your way before You.’¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:2–15.

Points to Ponder:

• John the Baptist had been called by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. Little did he know that his cousin Jesus was the Messiah in the beginning.
• After John was put in prison for his powerful rebukes of kings and leaders, his faith was being tried. He reached out through two of his disciples to just make sure that Jesus was the One.
• Jesus began to recount all the mighty works that had been done in His ministry in the last months, and then began to affirm John to the crowds as a prophet. There was no one greater than John in his lifetime. He was a fulfilled of prophecies and a voice for God.
• Jesus pointed to the violence in the supernatural brought on by the advent of the Messiah. John was the voice to guide them through, like Elijah in days of old.
• John was strange, almost seeming unbalanced at times, but he had seen a vision of heaven coming to earth, and it changed him forever.

Rejection by Jesus’ Generation

Luke 7:31–35

¹⁶ “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, ¹⁷ and saying:‘We played the flute for you,And you did not dance;We mourned to you,And you did not lament.’¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:16–19.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus then shared with the crowd that He understood John’s pain!
• The generation to whom Jesus preached was self-centered, wanting their way. “Party with us when we call you.” “Mourn with us when we are sad.” “John is crazy. We think he is demon-possessed.” “Jesus, you don’t do things like we think you should. Stop it!”
• But Jesus then let them know that wisdom is demonstrated by those who approach God as His children. Those who want it their way are not submitted to the plan of God.

Rejection of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum

Luke 10:12–15 (Parallel)

²⁰ Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, 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 to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:20–24.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus faced rejection in many places. He performed miracles and touched multitudes, but they did not repent.
• He called out the city of Chorazin and Bethsaida, neighbors of Capernaum, who was also called out. He told them that their reactions to His ministry were wrong.
• These cities should have put on mourning clothes and repented in shame, but instead they took Jesus’ blessings and continued in their sinfulness.
• Chorazin and Bethsaida were compared to Tyre and Sidon, cities on the coastline of the Mediterranean. He said that they would have repented had Jesus done His works in them. They did not have the advantage that Chorazin and Bethsaida had. Tyre and Sidon will have it better in the judgment than the other two.
• Capernaum was compared to Sodom, the great sinful city that was destroyed by fire and brimstone. Sodom and Gomorrah, on the east side of the Dead Sea (in the modern-day country of Jordan), would have it better in the judgment than Capernaum. Jesus lived in Capernaum, but they did not repent as a whole

Invitation to Come to Jesus

²⁵ 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. ²⁶ Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. ²⁷ All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. ²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 11:25–30.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus turns the social order on its head with His following prayer. He thanked God that the truth of the gospel was not revealed to the wise and respected members of the religious community, but rather to the innocent or unlearned.
• Why would he not want the upper crust? Because they were stubborn and set in their traditions. The new converts would be hungry and receptive.
• Jesus then calls out the oppressed and tired and hopeless to Him and offers them rest. He offers to take the heavy yoke of bondage and oppression off their necks and give them His yoke, His burden, in return. His yoke would rest lightly on their shoulders, and they would learn from His teaching. He would be a compassion gentle Lord and not a taskmaster in the Spirit.
• Lord, we come to You today. Give us rest, and show us Your ways.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page.