John the Baptist in Prison
Verse 1
After Jesus had finished instructing His twelve disciples, He went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
Commentary
Jesus was teaching and preaching in various cities, primarily throughout Israel.
Verses 2-6
Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples to ask Him, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.
Commentary
It seems that from his prison cell, John the Baptist began having some doubts. I can imagine that in his miserable state behind bars, he started questioning both himself and his God. So John sent some friends outside the prison walls to speak with Jesus, asking, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’
The way Jesus responds to John’s question is very interesting. He doesn’t simply confirm that he’s the one. Instead, Jesus instructs John’s friends to return and tell John about the miracles he is performing. This serves to reassure John that Jesus is indeed the one who was to come, the Messiah.
Notice, however, that the Pharisees, who have likely studied the Scriptures even more than John, have also witnessed the miracles Jesus has performed, and yet they refuse to believe.
Recall from a previous chapter when Jesus said that whoever denies him before men, he will also deny before his Father in heaven. The Pharisees are an example of those who deny Jesus before men. They know the scriptures and very likely are aware that Jesus aligns with everything the scriptures say about the Messiah, yet they still denounce him.
Verses 7-15
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? Otherwise, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothing are found in kings’ palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear.
Commentary
Jesus describes John the Baptist as more than a prophet and declares that no one is greater than John. However, John’s greatness does not stem from personal holiness or spiritual superiority, but from the unique role he was appointed to fulfill.
All the other prophets spoke of a Messiah who would come in the future. John, however, proclaimed, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” John’s purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. While the prophets before him looked forward to the coming Messiah but never being given the opportunity to see him, John was granted the unique privilege not only of seeing the Messiah but also of baptizing Him.
John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:29-31)
Jesus continues, “Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” John is the greatest prophet because he was the one appointed to announce Jesus’s arrival. But consider those who are already in heaven, who are able to behold with their own eyes the Almighty God seated on His throne.
Verse twelve states, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.”
Huh? What does Jesus mean when He says that the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence?
First, let’s examine this passage phrase by phrase. The statement, “From the days of John the Baptist until now,” refers to the entire span of Jesus’s earthly ministry up to that point.
Likewise, “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John” means that the Law of Moses and every prophet who came before John merely foretold the coming of the Messiah. Now, however, the Messiah Himself is standing before the crowd and speaking to them.
Just as Andrew declared to his brother Peter “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41b)
Therefore, whatever is meant by the word “violence”, it must relate to Jesus’s earthly ministry.
We know that large numbers of people were coming from every town in Israel in search of Jesus. The crowds were big. People pressed in around Him, climbed trees just to catch a glimpse as He passed by, cried out to Him, pleaded with Him, and even pushed through the crowd simply to touch the hem of His garment.
I believe this is the sense in which Jesus uses the word “violence.” It refers to the forceful determination with which people were striving to draw near to Him.
Then Jesus refers to John the Baptist as being the Elijah who was to come.
In John 1:21, John the Baptist denies being Elijah when questioned by the Jewish priests and Levites. John is not a reincarnated Elijah, as there is no such thing as reincarnation. Therefore, John is speaking accurately and truthfully when he says that he is not Elijah. However, Luke chapter 1 states,
And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)
When Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear,” it signals that He is speaking something requiring discernment. John the Baptist is not literally Elijah, but figuratively, he comes in the spirit and power of Elijah.
Verses 16-19
To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
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 at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated by her actions.”
Commentary
The Jewish leaders of Jesus’s time were inconsistent and hypocritical in their judgments. When John the Baptist came, fasting and abstaining from wine, they accused him of being demon-possessed. When Jesus came, eating and drinking with others, they called Him a glutton and a drunkard. This demonstrates that nothing would ever satisfy them; regardless of what anyone did, the Jewish leaders were determined to find fault and make accusations.
Verses 20-24
Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Commentary
First of all, cities themselves do not go to hell; people do. So when Jesus says, “It will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you,” He is referring to the people of Tyre and Sidon, not the buildings or the land.
Jesus is saying that if the people of Tyre, Sidon, and even Sodom had witnessed the miracles He performed, they would have repented. Yet the inhabitants of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum did not.
It is also noteworthy that, according to this passage, there appear to be varying degrees of judgment. Jesus states that it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for the cities He is addressing.
So what does this mean? The Biblical timeline is as follows: upon death, the unsaved go to hell until the day of judgment. At that time, they will be resurrected from hell to stand before God and give an account for what they did during their lives. The unsaved will then be judged and ultimately cast into the lake of fire, along with Satan and his demons.
I have heard, and am willing to accept, that there may be different levels of hell, with varying degrees of severity. However, I do not believe the same is true of the lake of fire. I am inclined to assume that the lake of fire represents a uniform punishment for Satan, his demons, and all who have rejected Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Therefore, what is described as more or less bearable on the day of judgment must refer to the act of being judged by God; not the punishment itself, but the experience of standing before the Almighty to give an account and receive His reprimand. It might be similar to the difference between going to your earthly dad and telling him you spilled some milk versus confessing that you burned down the house after being warned not to play with matches.
Verses 25-26
At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
Commentary
Immediately after condemning these cities, Jesus praises the Father for having hidden these truths from the wise and learned. Pride is the antithesis of worshiping God; it is what caused Satan to be cast out of heaven. Simply put, pride declares, “I can handle this myself; I don’t need God.”
The wise, well-educated, and the wealthy face obstacles that hinder them from fully relying on God. In this way, those who choose to turn from God and depend on themselves are, in a sense, assisted in their rebellion, for God allows them to remain unaware of simple spiritual truths.
To offer an earthly comparison, I once worked for a company with a high level of security. To get from the parking lot to the building, every person had to pass through one of several turnstiles, each designed for only one person at a time. Each turnstile required a badge swipe to operate. One day, I forgot my badge, and the turnstile would not turn for me. No matter my wisdom, knowledge, or financial resources, the turnstile would not let me through without my badge. To make matters worse, I had carpooled with a coworker who had already passed through the turnstile and was unaware of my predicament. I then had to walk along the outside of the fence for approximately half a mile to reach the administration building where I obtained a temporary badge.
In this example, the badge represents humility and a genuine desire to seek God. Those who are wise, well-educated, or wealthy may be tempted to try to get to heaven without humility. In response, God places a turnstile between Himself and such individuals. The turnstile symbolizes God withholding simple spiritual truths from them; truths they are then unable to grasp on their own.
If you are reading this commentary and consider yourself well-educated or wealthy, what should you do? I once took a PhD-level scientist fishing and was surprised to discover that he did not know how to tie a knot. He was unable to attach his fishing hook to his line, so I had to teach him how to do it.
If you have a high level of education, be humble enough to recognize that your expertise is generally confined to the specific area of your degree. In all other matters, you are as ordinary as someone who never attended college. For example, holding a PhD in thermodynamics does not mean you know how to tie fishing knots or which knot is appropriate for the type of fishing you are doing and the tackle you’re using.
When you read the Bible, do not approach it as if it were a college textbook, assuming you can understand it through your intellect alone. Instead, be willing to acknowledge that without the Spirit, you cannot grasp what is spiritually discerned. Get rid of your pride.
And what do little children have to do with it? Little children depend on their parents for everything. That same dependent attitude is what we should have toward God.
Verse 27
All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
Commentary
All things have been entrusted to Jesus. This is a broad statement for a reason. When Jesus says “all things,” He literally means everything. In Matthew 28:18, He declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Jesus is the King of kings, and whatever He commands, and by extension, whatever the Bible teaches, represents the ultimate authority.
Therefore, when someone claims that the Bible is obsolete or no longer relevant to modern society, they are in error. Regardless of its age, the Bible embodies the authority of Jesus Christ.
Jesus continues, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Here, He makes clear that He is the only path to salvation. Without Jesus, there is no hope of reaching the Father; none at all.
Verses 28-30
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Commentary
This verse has always perplexed me. Jesus repeatedly warns that those who follow Him will face persecution, perhaps even death. And yet now He says that His burden is light. How can being persecuted or even martyred be considered a light burden?
However, let’s consider the statement from a different perspective. Just moments earlier, Jesus declared that He is the only path to salvation. Throughout the New Testament, we see that salvation by faith brings freedom from the Law. In this sense, the burden is light; not because following Christ eliminates trials or persecution, but because there is no requirement to earn salvation through hard work. Salvation is instead by God’s grace through faith; a very light burden.