Mat 11:2-19 | PNT | STEP | When John had heard in the prison . Compare . John had now been a year in prison, to which he had been sent by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, because he had rebuked his adulterous marriage with his brother Philip's wife ( ). Josephus says that Machaerus, a strong fortress built by Herod the Great, the father of Antipas, about ten miles east of the Dead Sea, was the prison. He sent two of his disciples . To make the inquiry found in the next verse. The course of Jesus was so different from what John himself, in common with other Jews, expected of the Messiah, that after lying in a dungeon for a year, he began to be uncertain. If Jesus was the Christ, why did he not proclaim himself the Messiah King, destroy the power of the Romans and of Herod, and release John himself from prison? So he reasoned.

Matthew 11:2-19

When John had heard in the prison. Compare Mr 6:14-29 Lu 7:19-28. John had now been a year in prison, to which he had been sent by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, because he had rebuked his adulterous marriage with his brother Philip's wife (Mt 14:1-11). Josephus says that Machaerus, a strong fortress built by Herod the Great, the father of Antipas, about ten miles east of the Dead Sea, was the prison.

He sent two of his disciples. To make the inquiry found in the next verse. The course of Jesus was so different from what John himself, in common with other Jews, expected of the Messiah, that after lying in a dungeon for a year, he began to be uncertain. If Jesus was the Christ, why did he not proclaim himself the Messiah King, destroy the power of the Romans and of Herod, and release John himself from prison? So he reasoned. Art thou he that should come? John the Baptist had predicted the coming One (Mt 3:11). Perhaps John, impatient of the long delay, hoped to incite Jesus to proclaim his Messiahship. Jesus answered and said. Luke states that at "that same hour he cured many of their infirmities" (Lu 7:21). After permitting the messengers to see his work, he pointed to it as his answer (Lu 7:22).

Go and show John again those things which ye hear and see. To John's question Jesus gives no direct reply. There is something severe in the whole of our Lord's demeanor and language, as if reproving this shaking of John's higher faith in God. The dead are raised. In Luke, the raising of the widow's son at Nain immediately precedes this message (Lu 7:11-17); and in this Gospel we have seen the ruler's daughter raised (Mt 9:18-26).

The poor have the gospel preached to them. It adds to the force of this testimony that the poor had always been overlooked by Pharisees and the Jewish doctors. The ancient philosophers and theologians had no gospel for those who could not pay for it. The climax is preaching the gospel to the poor. Jesus answers John by pointing to his works. They were a more convincing answer than words. What he has done for mankind is still a most convincing demonstration. Blessed is [he], etc. This is suggested by John's seeming to have stumbled, not fallen, because Christ had not publicly declared his mission. The Lord does not upbraid, but gives in this way a tender rebuke, implying that he knew what to do with reference to his kingdom. What went yet out into the wilderness to see? An allusion to John's ministry in the wilderness, which had been attended by most of Christ's disciples.

A reed shaken with the wind. The reed of Egypt and Palestine is a very tall cane, growing twelve feet high, and is easily bent by the wind. John was not like the reed. He could not be bent by every breath of applause or displeasure. A man clothed in soft raiment? Were you attracted into the wilderness of Judea to see an effeminate courtier? Had he been a pliant courtier he would have flattered Herod, and would not have been thrown into prison for his rebuke of sin in high places. More than a prophet. He was more than a prophet, because he was a reformer, forerunner and way-preparer, as well as prophet. No other prophet ever had so honored an office. This is [he], concerning whom it is written. Of whom Malachi (Mal 3:1) and Isaiah prophesied (Isa 40:3).

See PNT Mt 3:3. Among them that are born of women. Among all of the human race that were before John the Baptist. The world thinks that kings, generals, and statesmen are the greatest of men. But God measures differently. Time, too, measures differently. Herod, now, would hardly be known at all if he had not imprisoned John the Baptist.

He that is least in the kingdom of heaven. This shows, (1) That John was not in the kingdom of God. (2) That, as none greater than John has been born of women, no one had yet entered the kingdom. (3) That, therefore, it had not yet been set up, but as John himself, Jesus, and the Twelve under the first commission, preached, was "at hand" (Mt 3:2 4:17 10:7). (4) All in the kingdom, even the humblest, have a superior station to John, because they have superior privileges. From the days of John the Baptist until now, etc. The idea is, that from the time when John began preaching, men of violence were trying to force their way into the kingdom. It is compared to a walled city that men try to storm and enter. They tried a little later to make Jesus a king by force. The prophets and the law prophesied until John. For the meaning we must turn to Luke, where the same words occur with the addition, "since that time the kingdom of God is preached" (Lu 16:16). Then first began the announcement that John was the way-preparer, the forerunner of the King, that the kingdom was at hand, that the old dispensation was about to close. This is Elijah, who was to come. Malachi predicted that Elijah would come to prepare the way for the Lord. Christ explains that this was fulfilled in John. He was not the literal, but a spiritual Elijah. See Mal 4:5. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. A formula used by Christ to give emphasis to an utterance of especial importance. See also Mt 13:9,43 Mr 4:9,23 7:16 Lu 8:8 14:35. To what shall I liken this generation? Compare Lu 7:31-35. The Jewish nation is meant. The Lord shows that they were as capricious as children.

Children sitting in the markets. All ancient towns had an open market place, which was the great place of resort. We have piped unto you . . . we have mourned unto you. One set of children is represented as having invited another set to play, first in a mock wedding, then in a mock funeral, but the dissatisfied children were pleased with neither, and would neither dance nor lament. John came neither eating nor drinking. At feasts. He lived abstemiously and austerely.

He hath a demon. They accused him of being under the influence of evil spirits; of being a crank, or fanatic. The Son of man came eating. Like other men. He was at the wedding feast of Cana (Joh 2:2); at Matthew's feast, (Mt 9:10), etc.

A winebibber. There was nothing singular about his social habits. Like all the people, he drank the light, harmless wine of Palestine, either free from, or with a very slight percentage of, alcohol. Our modern wines are very different.

A friend of tax collectors and sinners. See notes on Mt 9:12,13.

Wisdom is justified of her children. Those who are wise will approve both the course of John and his Lord.