Mat 11:7-15 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 7. And as they departed , etc. Jesus took occasion, form the inquiries made by John's disciples, to instruct the people respecting the true character of John. Multitudes had gone out to hear him, when he preached in the desert, (Matt. iii) and it is probable that many had been attracted by the novelty of his appearance or doctrines, and many had gone simply to see and hear a man of singular habits and opinions. Probably many who followed Christ had been of that number. He took occasion, therefore, by some striking questions, to examine the motives by which they had been drawn to his ministry. A reed shaken with the wind ? The region of country in which John preached, being overflowed annually by the Jordan, produced great quantities of reeds , or canes , of a light, fragile nature, easily shaken by the wind. They were therefore an image of a light, changing, inconstant man. John's sending to Christ to inquire his character, might have led some to suppose that he was changing and inconstant, like a reed. He had once acknowledged him to be the Messiah, and now, being in prison and sending to him to inquire into the fact, they might have supposed he had no firmness, or fixed principles. Jesus, by asking this question, declared, that notwithstanding this appearance, this was not the character of John. (f) "What went ye" (g) "with the wind"

Matthew 11:7-15

Verse 7. And as they departed, etc. Jesus took occasion, form the inquiries made by John's disciples, to instruct the people respecting the true character of John. Multitudes had gone out to hear him, when he preached in the desert, (Matt. iii) and it is probable that many had been attracted by the novelty of his appearance or doctrines, and many had gone simply to see and hear a man of singular habits and opinions. Probably many who followed Christ had been of that number. He took occasion, therefore, by some striking questions, to examine the motives by which they had been drawn to his ministry.

A reed shaken with the wind? The region of country in which John preached, being overflowed annually by the Jordan, produced great quantities of reeds, or canes, of a light, fragile nature, easily shaken by the wind. They were therefore an image of a light, changing, inconstant man. John's sending to Christ to inquire his character, might have led some to suppose that he was changing and inconstant, like a reed. He had once acknowledged him to be the Messiah, and now, being in prison and sending to him to inquire into the fact, they might have supposed he had no firmness, or fixed principles. Jesus, by asking this question, declared, that notwithstanding this appearance, this was not the character of John.

(f) "What went ye" Lk 7:24-30 (g) "with the wind" Ep 4:14, Jas 1:6 Verse 8. Clothed in soft raiment. The kind of raiment here denoted was the light, thin clothing worn by effeminate persons. It was made commonly of fine linen, and was worn chiefly for ornament. Christ asks them whether they were attracted by anything like that. He says that the desert was not the place to expect it. In the palaces of kings, in the court of Herod, it might be expected; but not in the place where John was. This kind of clothing was an emblem of riches, splendour, effeminacy, feebleness of character. He meant to say that John was a man of a different stamp: coarse in exterior; hardy in his character; firm in his virtue; fitted to endure trials and privations, and thus qualified to be the forerunner of the toiling and Suffering Messiah. Verse 9. A prophet?. He next asks whether they went to see a prophet? They had regarded him as such; and Jesus tells them that in this their apprehensions of him were correct.

More than a prophet. Sustaining a character more elevated and sacred than the most distinguished of the ancient prophets. Those had been regarded as the most eminent of the prophets who had most clearly predicted the Messiah. Isaiah had been distinguished above all others for the sublimity of his writings, and the clearness with which he had foretold the coming of Christ. Yet John surpassed even him. He lived in the time of the Christ. He predicted his coming with still more clearness. He was the instrument of introducing him to the nation. He was, therefore, first among the prophets. Verse 10. For this is he, etc. The passage of Scripture here quoted is found in Mal 3:1. The substance of it is contained also in Isa 40:3.

Prepare thy way. That is, to prepare the people; to make them ready, by proper instructions, to receive the Messiah.

(h) "is written" Is 40:3, Mal 3:1, Lk 1:76 Verse 11. Them that are born of women. This is an emphatic way of saying that there had never been a greater man than John. See Job 14:1.

He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. The phrase "kingdom of heaven" is used in many senses. Mt 3:2. It here probably means, in preaching the kingdom of God, or the gospel. It could hardly be affirmed of the obscurest and most ignorant Christian, that he had clearer views than Isaiah or John. But of the apostles of the Saviour, of the first preachers, who were with him, and who heard his instructions, it might be said, that they had more correct apprehensions than any of the ancient prophets, or John.

(k) "notwithstanding" Jn 1:15,27, 3:30 Verse 12. And from the days of John, etc. That is, from the days when John began to preach. It is not known how long this was, but it was not probably more than a year. Our Saviour here simply states a fact. He says there was a great rush, or a crowd pressing to hear John. Multitudes went out to hear him, as if they were about to take the kingdom of heaven by force. See Mt 3:5. So, says he, it has continued. Since the kingdom of heaven, or the gospel, has been preached, there has been a rush to it. Men have been earnest about it; they have come pressing to obtain the blessing, as if they would take it by violence. There is allusion here to the manner in which cities were taken. Besiegers pressed upon them with violence, and demolished the walls. With such earnestness and violence, he says, men had pressed around him and John, since they began to preach. There is no allusion here to the manner in which individual sinners seek salvation; but it is a simple record of the fact that multitudes had thronged around him and John to hear the gospel.

(1) "take it" or, "is gotten by force; and they that thrust men, take it." (l) "of heaven" Lk 16:16, Eph 6:11-13 Verse 13. All the prophets, etc. It is meant by this verse that John introduced a new dispensation; and that the old one, where the prophets and the law of Moses were the guide, was closed when he preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. By the law is meant the five books of Moses; by the prophets, the remainder of the books of the Old Testament. Verse 14. If ye will receive it. This is a way of speaking implying that the doctrine which he was about to state was different from their common views; that he was about to state something which varied from the common expectation, and which, therefore, they might be disposed to reject.

This is Elias, etc. That is, Elijah. Elias is the Greek mode of writing the Hebrew word Elijah. An account of him is found in the first and second books of Kings. He was a distinguished prophet, and was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, 2Kgs 2:11. The prophet Malachi, (Mal 4:5,6) predicted that Elijah should be sent before the coming of the Messiah, to prepare the way for him. By this was evidently meant, not that he should appear in person, but that one should appear with a striking resemblance to him; or, as Luke Lk 1:17 expresses it, "in the spirit and power of Elijah." But the Jews understood it differently. They expected that Elijah would appear in person. They also supposed that Jeremiah and some other of the prophets would appear also to usher in the promised Messiah, and to grace his advent. Mt 16:14, 17:10, Jn 1:21. This expectation was the reason why he used the words, if ye will receive it, implying that the affirmation that John was the promised Elijah, was a doctrine contrary to their expectation.

(m) "which was for" Mal 4:5, Mt 17:12 Verse 15. He that hath ears, etc. This expression is frequently used by Christ. It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken. The doctrine about John he regarded as of the greatest importance. He among you, says he, that has the faculty of understanding this, or that will believe that this is the Elijah spoken of, let him attend to it, and remember it.

(n) "He that hath" Rev 2:7