Mat 11:20-26 | KingComments | STEP | If the Lord is going to make reproaches, they are perfectly justified. Every person who has not repented will be reproached of not having repented. Not repenting is a sign of reluctance. The reproach that one person receives may be heavier than the reproach that another person receives. This has to do with the degree of culpability. A judge who trespasses the law that he himself must apply is guiltier than someone who ignorantly trespasses the law. This is the case with the cities in which the Lord Jesus has shown Who He is in the clearest way. If these cities, despite the multitude of evidence, reject Him, they are guiltier than cities in which He has not revealed Himself in this way. Those pagan cities will also receive the judgment that they deserve because of their immoral behavior. Yet their judgment will be lighter than that of the cities where Christ has given such a clear testimony of Himself and have nevertheless rejected Him. We might wonder why God did not give such a testimony to the pagan cities the Lord mentions here, for then they would have repented. The answer is that Tyre and Sidon, and Sodom and Gomorrah, according to the wisdom of God, had a testimony of His revelation that was perfectly appropriate for them. They have seen God’s testimony in creation ( ), but they have not bowed before him. They have acted according to their corrupt nature, and have not taken any notice of His revelation in creation. They will be judged on the basis of this rejection of God’s testimony. Thus, each people is subjected to a test of their obedience to God in a way that perfectly fits their responsibility. Something special is said about Capernaum. That city has rejected an even greater privilege than all the cities of Israel. The Lord Jesus lived there. They have experienced Him daily. The city is elevated to heaven by His presence, for in the Son of God heaven has come to them. But in reality they will not come into heaven. The opposite is the case. They will be descend to Hades. They have done nothing with the enormous privilege that God lived among them. It has had no effect on them.

‏ Matthew 11:20-26

‘Woe’ to the Cities of Galilee

If the Lord is going to make reproaches, they are perfectly justified. Every person who has not repented will be reproached of not having repented. Not repenting is a sign of reluctance. The reproach that one person receives may be heavier than the reproach that another person receives. This has to do with the degree of culpability. A judge who trespasses the law that he himself must apply is guiltier than someone who ignorantly trespasses the law.

This is the case with the cities in which the Lord Jesus has shown Who He is in the clearest way. If these cities, despite the multitude of evidence, reject Him, they are guiltier than cities in which He has not revealed Himself in this way. Those pagan cities will also receive the judgment that they deserve because of their immoral behavior. Yet their judgment will be lighter than that of the cities where Christ has given such a clear testimony of Himself and have nevertheless rejected Him.

We might wonder why God did not give such a testimony to the pagan cities the Lord mentions here, for then they would have repented. The answer is that Tyre and Sidon, and Sodom and Gomorrah, according to the wisdom of God, had a testimony of His revelation that was perfectly appropriate for them. They have seen God’s testimony in creation (Rom 1:19-20), but they have not bowed before him. They have acted according to their corrupt nature, and have not taken any notice of His revelation in creation. They will be judged on the basis of this rejection of God’s testimony. Thus, each people is subjected to a test of their obedience to God in a way that perfectly fits their responsibility.

Something special is said about Capernaum. That city has rejected an even greater privilege than all the cities of Israel. The Lord Jesus lived there. They have experienced Him daily. The city is elevated to heaven by His presence, for in the Son of God heaven has come to them. But in reality they will not come into heaven. The opposite is the case. They will be descend to Hades. They have done nothing with the enormous privilege that God lived among them. It has had no effect on them.

Yes, Father

After speaking a ‘woe’ about the cities in which He has worked in this way, we might think that the Lord is discouraged. He expressed Himself in this way prophetically in Isaiah 49 (Isa 49:4). It all seemed to be in vain. We also read God’s answer. He says that it is not in vain, but that a greater blessing will come from His rejection, not only for Israel, but for all nations (Isa 49:5-6). And here we read the Lord’s answer to His rejection by the people.

He praises the Father as the “Lord of heaven and of earth”. By this He says that everything in heaven and on earth is under His authority. There is nothing that is outside of His control, but everything serves His purpose. Only the little children, the believers who have no high thoughts about themselves, see this.

The wise and intelligent of the world have no understanding of this. It is hidden from them. Profound thinkers, the wise men, do not come to the thought that God is fulfilling His plans in this way. They look for solutions in man. If man starts to behave differently, they think it will be okay. Clear thinkers, the wise, seek the solution in the environment, nature. If only they can influence the environment, they think it will then be fine.

There is, however, no place for the Father with these profound and clear thinkers, let alone for a “yes, Father”. And that is precisely what gives the solution to every disappointment. In this “yes, Father” we hear not so much resignation, but acceptance and full agreement. It is not a question of whether it can be done differently, but the certainty that only in this way it is good. In addition, there is the awareness of the Father’s good pleasure. He does not only do good, He does so on the basis of His pleasure, His joy.

By trusting His Father with the awareness that the Father acts from and with a view to His well-being, the Lord Jesus sees the whole extent of the glory that will follow His rejection. The throne of Israel was refused Him, the Jews rejected Him, the leaders despised Him. But what will He receive? “All things” – that is much more than what has been promised to David and Solomon.

He is rejected as Messiah. But what will be revealed? That He is the eternal Son of the Father, Who is fully known by none but the Father. The promises are not being fulfilled at the moment. But what does He do? He reveals the Father, for He knows the Father. He wants to share this knowledge with the believers. He thereby brings them to a deeper knowledge of God than was possible before that time.