The Exposition of Matthew 11:7-15

Written by Jimmie Burroughs

(Jesus speaks to the multitudes)

Questions to be answered in this study:

1. Why did Jesus say that John the Baptist was the greatest born of woman?
2. Why was John greater than all the great men of the Old Testament?
3. Why did Jesus also say, “While there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
4. Was John even a part of the kingdom of heaven?
5. Did the crowds accept John as a prophet?
6. Did they believe John’s message?
7. Do all roads lead to heaven?
8. Are the Eastern Religions an acceptable way to heaven along with Christianity?
9. Are the American cults an acceptable true religion?
10. Jesus spoke of the violence against the kingdom. What does that mean
11. Does your personal opinion count when it comes to interpretating God’s Word?
12. Jesus offered the kingdom but how does one become a part of it?
13. Jesus gave the one and only way to enter the kingdom. What is it?
14. Why did Israel reject their King when there was so much evidence He was their king?
15. Is there more than one way to go to heaven?

Introduction

We have seen in previous studies how Israel has begun to turn away from Jesus, rejecting the kingdom. We wonder why this could ever be, considering the miracles Jesus performed, which without doubt required power from God. Israel was looking for the coming of the promised Messiah of the Old Testament, and now that He is present, they cannot believe, or at least the majority of them, that is as a nation. The why is not easy to answer; it entails a better understanding concerning their religious training and Judaism as a whole.

We have already seen evidence of how false teaching corrupts the beliefs, misguides the mind and causes perverse actions of the people. These are the things evident in chapter 11. Jesus had turned to His disciples in chapter 10 to teach them how to share the good news of the kingdom to the people. Now in chapter 11 he is addressing the multitudes again with their fickle attitude and brainwashed minds.

In last week’s study Jesus clarified the misconception of the two Messiahs, one bringing salvation through His death and the other the kingdom. Jesus refuted that belief by declaring  He was the Messiah bringing both salvation and the offer of the kingdom. It was due to these crowds and the false teachers, scribes and pharisees, that Jesus was eventually crucified. In verse 6 of our last study, Jesus says, the one who isn’t offended by His claims will be the one who will be blessed. Being offended is refusing to believe Jesus is God or turning from the truth because it offends. That is where America is today as a nation, offended by any mention of God and rejecting Him in the educational system and public square. How long will God show His mercy on America and withhold His judgment?

Those who are offended by Jesus claim to be God the savior of the world will be judged and sentenced to an everlasting hell. This according to the words of Jesus. Matthew 10 28, 28“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Those who accept Him are forgiven and adopted into the kingdom family of God. There are only two responses: the whosoever will and the whosoever won’t. Apparently, the crowd was looking for something else when there was no something else. So, this is how Jesus now address the crowd:

Matthew 11:7-8, 7“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. So, having dismissed John’s disciples, Jesus now uses John’s example to expose the crowd’s false intentions.”

Jesus asks the crowd, what were you expecting when you went to see John in the wilderness? Many who had formerly followed John were now following Jesus. Some were sincere in their faith while some weren’t. Isn’t that the same today when the majority of the church, according to statistics, are unsaved false believers. Some had just come to see the show. Jesus was controversial and that enticed many to come and see for themselves. Metaphorically, Jesus answers His own question of what they expected when they came to the wilderness to see John. He asks if they come to see a reed blowing in the wind? When the wind blows through the tall reeds growing by the river is makes a mournful noise. So, did these expect only to hear the mourning words of a man dress in animal skins and looking rather wild?

By this metaphor, Jesus is showing the insincere attitude of the crowd who were concerned about the novelty of the situation rather than the message. Or did they expect a man dressed in soft clothes like a king would wear around his palace. If so, they were badly disappointed since John would never win an award for fashion. Jesus was accusing the crowd of expecting a person of great importance only to find a bearded man dresses in animal skins. They were self-seekers or seekers of entertainment. Does that sound familiar in today’s church where the crowds are looking to be entertained. The implication was that they were coming to Him for reasons other than to hear the message of the kingdom.

The church today is not intended to be a Broadway production or a rock concert with flashing lights and smoke pots designed to entertain; it is to be a place where people can come to be in touch with almighty God and certainly not an entertainment event geared to pleasing a crowd of self-seekers. The church is failing in many places today but not because of God but because people are flocking together for the wrong reasons. Jesus came from heaven to earth to become flesh and die for the sins of man and not to become an avenue of entertainment and a gift horse to provide the selfish desires of His followers. That degrades Jesus who is the creator of the universe, the judge and savior of the world, the Alpha and the Omega.

Jesus gave His all for us, calling us out of darkness into the marvelous light to follow Him and serve Him. In turn we are to serve him living a godly life. Our life is not to be focused on self-affirmation but on affirming Jesus in everything. It is time we took our eyes off of self and focus on the glory of our savior, motivated by a love of His Word and a desire to be all we can in His service. The crowds today are missing the essence of Jesus just as they did while He was on earth, setting up false religions with false expectations of prosperity instead of sacrifice for His kingdom work. It is one thing to set in a soft seat in a comfortable airconditioned building on Sunday morning, thinking you are doing God a favor by your presence, compared to being on the front line in battle for our Lord seven days a week.

Now in verses 9-11 Jesus explains what they are missing about John as well as Himself:

Matthew 11:9-11, 9“But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

People have various expectations today as they search out a church: Does it have programs for children, and youth, or are is its buildings updated and comfortable, etc.? It was the same in Jesus’ day. Jesus asks yet another question, He asks “did you believe John was a prophet? Yes, he was but even much more. He was sent to announce the coming of the Messiah. Jesus quotes from Isaiah chapter 40 where Isaiah foretells John’s ministry: “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

Furthermore, Jesus says John was the greatest to be born up until the time of Himself. Jesus also says: While there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Was John more important than Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, David or even Isaiah who prophesied of John.

The answer is yes! But why we may ask? As important as those men of the Old Testament were, they only spoke concerning the promise of the Messiah. But it was John who had the ultimate honor to usher in the fulfillment of that promise.

No event in all of human history is more important than the event of the Savior entering the world to save mankind. John introduced the world to its savior at the baptism of Jesus. John not only announced the coming of the Messiah, he presided over the fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming. Nothing in all of history is more important. Now in verse 11, Jesus says, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” How can this be true? What does that mean? Well, it is one of the most difficult questions in scriptures to answer. The primary thing that Jesus is saying in this verse is that any earthly rankings as far as honor are utterly irrelevant and not to be compared to our membership in the Kingdom.

Here is the thing, the least person in heaven, God’s heavenly kingdom, has received their glorified, immortal body and is completely holy without sin. Was John the Baptist going to be part of the kingdom? Was he going to heaven? Yes! But like each of us here today, he was not there yet. He was still on earth in his human body and still a sinner. Israel had been waiting for hundreds of years for their Messiah to come to earth. John the Baptist marked the end of their waiting. This was the beginning of a new age, the age of grace. They knew John was a prophet, and yet they ignored the prophet’s message that Jesus was the Messiah come to be the savior. If we hear the truth and know it is the truth, why don’t we always follow it? The crowd acknowledged the truth John spoke but insisted on believing the so-called truth they had been taught by the scribes and Pharisees, which rejected Jesus.

You can’t hold to two seemingly different opposing truths; nevertheless, one is true and the other is a lie. While the crowds accepted John as a prophet, they still were skeptical of Jesus as the Messiah. In the world today, there are many views concerning the way to heaven and even some say there are more ways than one. Nevertheless, Jesus was clear about the matter. He said, “I am the way and the life and there is none other way to the Father than by me,”

Even in the church, people like to argue their view of what Scripture means. Truth is not a matter of what your personal opinion might be; it is according to what God says it is. Cults are formed based on what one person’s opinions are rather then searching out God’s Word to know the truth.  Just because a group of people hold a mutually contradictory views of the truth and are content with it is in no way an indication that we should join them and be in error also. There is only one truth, which stands in opposition to all false heresy. Peter wrote that there is no third or fourth option:

2 Peter 1:20-21, ²⁰Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. ²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Today, people are still trying to add a second or third truth to Scripture. The Bible plainly says we are saved by grace through faith and it is not of our selves. Yet there are those who want to add works or baptism. God set the meaning to His Word in very clear terms and yet, like the crowds in Jesus’ day, some refuse to accept it. Ironically, the Jews believed that they didn’t need Jesus to go to heaven just like numerous religions across the world do today.

It is impossible to make our own way to heaven. Some will tell you that they think they are not a bad person and therefore will go to heaven on their own merit. All roads do not lead to Heaven as some would like to believe. Some are willing to believe the lies of Satan rather than accept the truth of the Word of God. We are all sinners in a need of a savior and Jesus is the only one who can redeem us. He died to pay for our sin debt and by accepting what He did for us is the only way we will ever see heaven. Come to Jesus today, confessing your sins and trusting Him for forgiveness.

Matthew 11:12-15, ¹²“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Mentioning John again, Jesus says that ever since John came on the scene the kingdom of heaven suffers violence 

The question is, how can God’s kingdom suffer violence? The kingdom of heaven was first promised in the Old Testament and then it was introduced by John the Baptist, and finally it was realized by the preaching of Jesus. Violence entered as Israel rejected the kingdom, even as John introduced it, and ultimately it ended with the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah.

Many in Jesus rejected the way to enter God’s kingdom as they still do today, which was through Jesus: “I am the way the truth and the life and no one cometh to the Father but by me.” John 6:14. The kingdom will be consummated when Jesus returns and receives His bride the church, so entering the kingdom is like a marriage proposal; when we enter into a relationship with Jesus, we inherit His kingdom.

Jesus said further in verse 13-15, 13“For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15Whoever has ears, let them hear.” What did they do to the prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah? They persecuted them. Now they don’t accept the truth the Messiah preaches and are ready to persecute Him also. They are only interested in the truth as they see it, which was contrary to God’s Word.

It is the same today as it was in that day. There are two kinds of people, those who hear and accept the Word of God and those who hear but don’t. Those who hear are God’s elect. In verse14, Jesus says if you accept the truth, John is like Elijah to you. This refuted what the rabbis had taught for centuries, that was there were two messiahs and that Elijah would also appear to announce the coming of the Messiah before the kingdom would be revealed.

Malachi says specifically that Elijah’s coming will be shortly before the end of this age. Therefore, we know that the appearance of Elijah is before the Kingdom becomes a place, which will happen at the Second Coming of Jesus. John denies being Elijah in John 1, but Jesus referred to John as being like Elijah in that those who accept what John preached, John is Elijah for them? That was based on Israel accepting the kingdom. Therefore, they need not wait for Elijah to come before the second coming, but we know they rejected Jesus as well as His kingdom.

Jesus said he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Jesus indicated that not all would hear and respond. Not all are willing to hear the truth. The question we have been pondering all along is why did Israel reject their King when there was so much evidence that He was who he claimed to be? The answer is, because they would not accept the way that Jesus taught as a path into the Kingdom. They had a different way which did not include repentance and faith in Jesus.

John preached Jesus as the Messiah and to follow Him, but the people rejected that and insisted on continuing in their own state of disbelief. Apparently, Jesus was not the kind of Messiah they preferred. However, that did not change the message of Jesus who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one cometh to the Father but by me.” Jesus is the only way to God’s kingdom there is no other option.