Matthew 11:16

[Pamelasv]

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance, we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

Explanation?

[bigape]

Note the context.......
Matthew 11:16-19
V.16 ¶   But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
V.17  And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
V.18  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
V.19  The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Jesus was pointing out the hypocrisy of the pharisees(who are just like a lot of people today), who didn’t seem to be satisfied with any kind of “solid Bible preaching”, but only want some smooth sounding teacher, that always makes them feel good.(2Tim.4:2-4)

Comparing his own style of preaching to that of John the Baptists.  You could say that John preached in a mournful style, while Jesus preached in a more loving way, but both preached repentance.

But the religious hypocrites of that day, were critical of both of them!  Not being truly interested in the truth and drawing closer to the Lord!
 

[Retrobyter]

Shalom, Pamelasv.

 

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance, we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

Explanation?

 

With all due respect to “bigape,” we don’t need to throw this statement into the 21st century.

 

What Yeshua` was saying was that they kept CHANGING the requirements! They “played the flute” as a happy song, and before anyone COULD “dance,” they would change it to a “DIRGE,” when the listener was supposed to mourn! (They had professional mourners back in Yeshua`s time who would go and lament loudly at funerals.) Yeshua`s complaint was not that they weren’t satisfied with “solid Bible teaching.” It was that they were constantly changing the requirements! No one could “fit into their expectations.” Yochanan the Immerser, the Messiah’s herald, came fasting and they said he had a daemon, an unclean spirit. Yeshua`, the Messiah Himself, came eating and drinking with those whom He taught, and they said He was a glutton and a drunk, a friend of Roman tax collectors (traitors) and sinners (offenders)! NO ONE was going to be "good enough" to whom they could submit the rulership of the nation. Truth be told, they didn’t WANT to give up their positions of power to ANYONE who had the right to claim to be the Messiah of prophecy!

 

If you’ve ever seen the Lord of the Rings movies, in the last of the trilogy, the Return of the King, they were like Denethor, the STEWARD of Gondor. Their positions of authority were STEWARDS of the kingdom until the King Apparent (the Messiah) would arrive! To Him, they were to hand over the rulership of the Kingdom. But, they ENJOYED their positions of power and had NO INTENTION of giving them up to ANYONE!

 

THAT was Yeshua`s constant frustration with His generation! They were under the boot of the Romans, but they were comfortable enough to complain but not do what they needed to do about it! They were not willing to submit to God’s authority and repent (change their ways)!

 

It’s like the story of the salesman who came up to the shack where a man was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch with his old hound dog lying next to him. As the men were talking, every so often the dog would raise his head up and howl and then lay his head down again. At first, the salesman thought he was howling at himself. Then in time, he realized that the dog would howl whatever he said or did. He asked the man if anything was wrong with his dog. The man on the porch said, “He’s okay; he’s just laying on a nail.” The salesman asked, “Why doesn’t he get off the nail?” The man replied, “It only hurts enough to complain about it but not enough to do something about it."

 

THAT’S what these leaders were like!

 

The punch line, so to speak, is the last statement:

 

Kai edikaioothee hee sofia apo toon ergoon autees.

And is-justified the wisdom away-from the deeds of-her.

And the wisdom is justified away from her deeds.

 

I kinda like how the Living Bible puts it; it reveals the scathing remark that Yeshua` is making:

 

Matthew 11:19

19 And I, the Messiah, feast and drink, and you complain that I am 'a glutton and a drinking man, and hang around with the worst sort of sinners!' But brilliant men like you can justify your every inconsistency!" 

TLB

 

He then proceeds to rake several cities over the coals for rejecting Him and God’s miracles through Him:

 

Matthew 11:20-24

20 Then he began to pour out his denunciations against the cities where he had done most of his miracles, because they hadn't turned to God. 

 

21 "Woe to you, Chorazin, and woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in your streets had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon their people would have repented long ago in shame and humility. 22 Truly, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on the Judgment Day than you! 23 And Capernaum, though highly honored, shall go down to hell! For if the marvelous miracles I did in you had been done in Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 Truly, Sodom will be better off at the Judgment Day than you." 

TLB

 

That’s the meaning of this statement.

[Melony]

Yes „compare this generation.-. [we are] like children sitting“ [watching our TV and playing]... What else is wearth our preaching. Make this your „statement into the 21st century“ also. HIS presence is our chalange. HE came feasting – and celebrated changes. Matthew Chapter 11.

He said to Johns diciples: Please go back and „Report to John the baptist: As you (can hear and) see Mt 11. 5 blind- see, lepers – are cleansed, deaf – hear, dead- raised, to the poor – get gospel preached …

This … 14. „John was [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom]. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.“

Can we bring the same kind of Presence of God? We can not do better than invite HIM who said these things. Than yes, in some ways. We may start this in more simple manors. Though best, as we can. Can we not follow? HE had faith to bring changes – to a drinking man (just around you and me - maybe) and (exactly) this one of the worst of sinners (also)!! keep praying. (And from now on...) Trust the verry best for this person ..- free reading from living bible (as above).

 

So in daily practice – Let us much more stopp judging and „playing“ - like our text read.

Instead. Do continue to 'Go!' with trust in our calling. You and me – we are send out. And it truly is our world were we continually trust and pray. God may chose and send somebody. ..

 

Edited February 29, 2016 by Melony

[simplejeff]

This generation ((mankind)) is sinful and wicked, not 'playing' , not learning, but getting worse and worse.

What difference did Jesus make ?  He brought/brings/ healing, truth, comfort, salvation, to those who seek the Father.

The rest of the world((hypocrites/pharisees/ religious leaders)) continued hating and rejecting Him. And His disciples.  

Same today.  

Everywhere.

 Just like in a city in france where they made praying for the sick  with the laying on of hands illegal at one point - because smith wigglesworth had healed TOO MANY PEOPLE and the religious leaders were jealous and tried to stop him.

That did not stop him.   He just told people to lay hands on themselves and pray , and they were all healed ! 

Sometime later, after 1950, it became illegal to heal people in the usa, with a few exceptions. ((It's not enforced uniformly,  and not always according to the law.  "suit and ties" get their way a lot with money or power/ influence)).

On July 4, 2015 at 5:56 AM, Pamelasv said:

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance, we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

 

Explanation?

42 minutes ago, Melony said:

Instead. Do continue to 'Go!' with trust in our calling. You and me – we are send out. And it truly is our world were we continually trust and pray. God may chose and send somebody. ..

 

 

[Ezra]

On 04/07/2015 at 8:08 AM, Retrobyter said:

With all due respect to “bigape,” we don’t need to throw this statement into the 21st century.

Why not?  What was true then is also true now. The words of Christ always have universal application.

[Leonardo Von]

On 7/4/2015 at 7:56 AM, Pamelasv said:

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance, we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'

Explanation?

Dear sister Pamelasv,

 

Grace and mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

·        “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.” (Matthew 11.16-19).

·        “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7.29-35).

 

What this passage is saying is that the people received John the Baptist who came preaching repentance (lamentation), but the Pharisees and lawyers did not mourn for their sins (as instructed by James 4:8,9). They didn’t allow themselves to be touched by the Spirit of the Eternal. Then came Jesus as a friend of publicans and sinners who repented at the baptism of John, eating and drinking with them joyfully (as a symbol of the joy that the salvation of the Eternal brings to those who are attained by it), and yet the Pharisees and the lawyers would not rejoice. The people manifested His joy in the presence of Jesus, but they did everything to defame His character.

In other words, the Pharisees and lawyers did not want sorrow according to the Eternal who works repentance for salvation (2Corinthians 7: 9-10), much less the joy of salvation in their lives. They only exalted what was under their control.

And no less: wisdom is justified only by those who are children of wisdom.