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Matthew 11:16-19
Jesus has ended a portion of His teachings in Matthew 11:15 by calling all to “hear” what He is teaching. But in Matthew 11:16, Jesus scolds the congregation for not following, or listening to Him. Jesus uses a short parable in Matthew 11:17 to describe the attitudes of the people, and the scholars have placed John the Baptist and Jesus on both sides of the parable with the result being still yet the same. In Matthew 11:18-19 Jesus places Himself and John the Baptist in their relationship to the parable by further showing the differences of the attitudes of the congregation in their views of Jesus and John the Baptist. Jesus states in Matthew 11:18-19 (NKJV), “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, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” Jesus questions the intent of the people at the arrival of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-10) and may be giving reference to Himself and the attitudes of the people toward Him from the events of John 2:1-10 when Jesus turned water to wine. But we must also recognize that there is no indication that Jesus drank any of the wine in which He miraculously made for the wedding celebration. What we do know about this event is found in John 2:11 which states, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
This is a pleading of Jesus to reach the hearts of His hearers.
This is an example of the hardness of the hearts of man.
Jesus turned the water to wine not so we can have an excuse to get drunk, but that in the water coming from the vessels that kept the purifying water for the temple, which was used for cleansing for the outer part of the body, Jesus turned this water to wine which would be drank; the water turned to wine by Jesus was to show that He did not come to purify the outer body but the inner body – Jesus came to purify our hearts.
Jesus was pleading with His hearers to open their eyes, hearts, and minds to Him and utilize the practical application of His teachings in their lives, just as He does for us today. The ways of this world are prone to find an excuse for every situation in which we feel uncomfortable. Jesus calls us out of the ways of this world, which is an uncomfortable situation for anyone who prevents Jesus from entering their whole heart – we must surrender all to Jesus, and He will give you peace and love beyond anything you have ever imagined.
Dear LORD,
We are skeptical and we question everything around us that is uncomfortable to us. We desire to draw closer to You and we make a promise to You today to believe in Your saving power in Christ Jesus and open our eyes, hearts, and minds to the new life that You have for us. We are scared to open the dark past places in our lives, but dear LORD please help us to understand that You are wanting to forgive us for the past things that haunt us. Please help us to realize that we may be set free from the darkness of our past lives as we move forward in Christ Jesus and live the new life that You offer us through the salvation that He provides for us. In Jesus name I pray, amen.