Hey everybody! Thank you for joining me in daily Bible reading as we seek to glorify Jesus, know Him more, and interpret the truth of His Word.
If this is your first time going through the Bible, I am incredibly excited to have you here. If this is your 5000th time, I am humbled that you are here and hope you grow in your relationship with Jesus along with me. May we all seek to know Him more and apply what we learn to further our mission of spreading the gospel. If you missed a day and want to catch up, visit the archives page HERE! But there is no shame if you start today! Day 125, Matthew 11:20-22 — Jesus Condemns Unrepentance Matthew 11:20-22 (NASB1995) “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 ‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.’” Discussion Yesterday, we read Jesus’ rebuke of stubborn people who have expectations that Jesus and John must behave or look the way they want. Many might have seen John and accused him of being possessed by demons because he wore raggedy clothes and ate honey and locusts. John did not fit their expectation of a prophet of God. Likewise, many accused Jesus of blaspheming the Law for eating, drinking, and working miracles on the Sabbath. Many religious leaders also accused Jesus of having a scandalous persona for befriending tax collectors and sinners. Jesus did not fit their expectation either, so He rebuked those who think this way. Today, we read Jesus’ condemnation of the unrepentant. Matthew writes, “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.” Jesus demonstrated countless miracles throughout Galilee and its surrounding cities. He also preached the message of repentance that John did. The kingdom of God was at hand, but so was a command to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matt. 3:8; 4:7). John warned that those who did not bear good fruit and repent would be baptized with judgment fire (3:11). We just discussed John’s doubts and concerns about Jesus’ ministry (11:2-3). The LORD was working miracles, but He had yet to judge the wicked and unrepentant for their sins, which was the root of John’s doubt. His questions were valid, but Jesus reassured John that He was the Messiah (11:4-5). Jesus’ bold statement about these unrepentant cities might be in response to John’s questions. He just defended John, so it only makes sense that He declares that the unrepentant will face judgment. Jesus calls out two cities for their unrepentance, saying, “21 Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” The LORD introduces these cities by saying, ‘woe,’ which means ‘to pity’ or ‘proclaim doom on.’ Thus, Jesus is proclaiming ‘woe’ or ‘pity’ or ‘doom’ upon these cities as He begins His rebuke. The woeful cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida were on the Lake of Galilee, where Jesus spent most of His ministry and displayed His most powerful miracles. Chorazin was within two miles of Capernaum, where many of the disciples lived and where we have spent most of Matthew’s gospel to this point.[1] Jesus calls these cities out because they refused to turn from their sins and put their faith in Jesus as the Messiah, even after witnessing His wondrous works. Jesus continues, “For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” The Jewish audience would have understood this reference because they knew Tyre and Sidon were pagan cities that worshipped the false god Baal. These cities were so wicked that God references them as examples of His judgment multiple times throughout the Old Testament (Joel 3:4; 1 Kings 17:9, 24). The dressing characteristic of sackcloth and ashes symbolized mourning over one's sins.[2] A repentant person would wear a sackcloth, made of rough cloth from goats' hair, over their naked body to represent mourning or repentance.[3] Notably, both Job and Daniel are mournful and repentant in sackcloth and ashes (Job. 42:6; Dan. 9:3). Job 42:6 says, “I repent in dust and ashes.” Daniel 9:3 says, “So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” The LORD is telling the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida that even the pagan and wicked cities of Tyre and Sidon would have mourned their sins and repented if given the opportunity. How wicked and blind must Chorazin and Bethsaida be to refuse to repent in response to the same evidence that would have brought the most wicked Gentile cities to their knees? Thus, Jesus condemns them for not turning from sin and putting faith in Him after seeing His mighty works. Jesus concludes His rebuke, saying, “22 Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.” A resounding statement, full of judgment and pity. The difference between the cities is that one was Gentile and never saw Jesus’ miracles or heard Him teach but would have repented and put their faith in Him. The others witnessed Christ and His majesty and glory in the flesh, were His very own people, and still did not repent or put their faith in Him. Judgment Day will be terrible for all these cities, so it is not a statement of hope for Tyre and Sidon. However, judgment day will be more tolerable for these Gentile cities than the Jewish cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida. An idea that proves there are levels of judgment, just as there are levels of rewards in eternity. We will continue reading about Jesus’ rebuke of unrepentant cities tomorrow. Application Today’s passage is fascinating and convicting, as it emphasizes the importance of repentance. Many believe repentance is a work not required for salvation, but that is a false teaching leading many to hell. While we cannot work for salvation, a truly born-again person will mourn their sin and turn from it rather than sit idle and continue in it. This was the issue with Chorazin and Bethsaida. They refused to turn from their sin and put their faith in Jesus. Because this Jewish city witnessed Jesus’ countless works and convicting teachings in the flesh, the LORD held them to a higher standard. The message of repentance is a pillar of the gospel. John preached it. Jesus preached it. Paul preached it—and so many others did as well. One cannot genuinely follow Jesus without turning from sin. One cannot truly know Christ and His love, mercy, and grace while continuing to disregard the transformation that comes with the indwelling of His Spirit. While all sin and fall short, the one who mourns and turns to God and His mercy and grace amid their sin shows fruit leading to eternal life. Those who refuse to turn from their sin stand condemned, as Jesus declares in this passage. This is a massive issue in the modern American church and one that burdens my heart. Many ‘believe’ in Christ and ‘identify’ as Christian, but do not bear fruit in keeping with repentance as Scripture says to do. One who has tasted forgiveness and seen the magnificence of Jesus’ sacrifice in their lives will not continue sinning. They will acknowledge their sin, turn from them, and turn to God. Christ transforms us when we come to faith in Him. We do not stay the same. I implore you to take some time to reflect on your life. Do you mourn your sin? Do you hate it? Do you desire transformation and holiness? When was the last time you sat with the LORD and poured out your heart to Him? While you still draw breath, you can turn to God for forgiveness and freedom. He will fill you with His Spirit, Who will empower you to live holy as He is holy. Because God is Holy, we should seek to be more like Him instead of idle in our sins. May we repent of our sins and turn to the LORD while we still can. May we praise, worship, honor, and glorify Jesus every day in all that we do while continually pursuing righteousness, holiness, and forgiveness as He forgave us. Looking Ahead Thank you for joining today’s daily Bible reading! Next, we read Matthew 11:23-24. I hope you join me! I have made commenting available, so please feel free to discuss the reading and ask questions. If you do not want to discuss publicly, you can reach out to me privately. We are on this journey together. References [1] Craig Keener, “IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition.” [2] Ibid. [3] John Nolland, “New International Greek Testament Commentary.”
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