Luke 7:32

There was a certain play among the Jewish children of this kind. A company of boys were collected together, who, mocking the sudden changes in the affairs of this life, some of them sang, some mourned, but the mourners did not rejoice with those that rejoiced, nor did those who rejoiced fall in with those that wept. They then rebuked each other in turn with the charge of want of sympathy. That such were the feelings of the Jewish people and their rulers, Christ implied in the following words, spoken in the person of Christ; Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what are they like? They are like to children sitting in the market-place.

(Hom. 6. in Eccl.) But singing and lamentation are nothing else but the breaking forth, the one indeed of joy, the other of sorrow. Now at the sound of a tune played upon a musical instrument, man by the concordant beating of his feet, and motion of his body, pourtrays his inward feelings. Hence he says, We have sung, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

Second, as regards the mark of hardness in affection, he adds: They are like children, where he adjoins a similitude through which their hardness is shown, because they were moved neither by the song of promises nor by the lamentation of threats, just as foolish …

They are like children sitting in the market place - So froward and perverse, that no contrivance can be found to please them. It is plain our Lord means, that they were like the children complained of, not like those that made the complaint.

Because he came neither eating nor drinking, so freely, plentifully, and cheerfully, as others did, you say, "He has a devil; he is a melancholy man, he is possessed, as the demoniac whose dwelling was among the tombs, though he be not quite so wild." [2.] Our Lord Jesus was of a more free and open conversation; he came eating and drinking,

Christ comforting a poor penitent that applied herself to him, all in tears of godly sorrow for sin, assuring her that her sins were pardoned, and justifying himself in the favour he showed her against the cavils of a proud Pharisee,

We learn, in the first place, from these verses — that the hearts of unconverted men are often desperately perverse as well as wicked. Our Lord brings out this lesson in a remarkable comparison — describing the generation of men among whom He lived while He was on earth. He compares them to children . He says, that children at play were not more wayward, perverse, and hard to please — than the Jews of His day. Nothing would satisfy them. They were always finding fault. Whatever ministry God employed among them — they took exception to it.

CHRIST'S FEET WASHED WITH TEARS. 37, 38. a sinner--one who had led a profligate life. Note.--There is no ground whatever for the popular notion that this woman was Mary Magdalene, nor do we know what her name was.

We learn, in the first place, from these verses — that the hearts of unconverted men are often desperately perverse as well as wicked. Our Lord brings out this lesson in a remarkable comparison — describing the generation of men among whom He lived while He was on earth. He compares them to children . He says, that children at play were not more wayward, perverse, and hard to please — than the Jews of His day. Nothing would satisfy them. They were always finding fault. Whatever ministry God employed among them — they took exception to it. Whatever messenger God sent among them — they were not pleased. First came John the Baptist — living a retired, ascetic, self-denying life. At once the Jews said, "He has a demon!" After him the Son of Man came — eating and drinking, and adopting habits of social life like the ordinary run of men. At once the Jews accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard! In short, it became evident that the Jews were determined to receive no message from God at all. Their pretended objections, were only a cloak to cover over their hatred of God's truth. What they really disliked was, not so much God's ministers — as God Himself. Perhaps we read this account with wonder and surprise. We think that never were men so wickedly unreasonable, as these Jews were. But are we sure that their conduct is not continually repeated among Christians? Do we not know that the same thing is continually going on around us at the present day? As strange as it may seem at first sight — the generation which will neither "dance" when their companions "play the flute," nor "lament" when they "sing a dirge" — is only too numerous in the Church of Christ. Is it not a fact that many who strive to serve Christ faithfully, and walk closely with God — find their neighbors and relations always dissatisfied with their conduct?

They are like unto children - See on Mat 11:16-19 (note). It is probable that our Lord alludes here to some play or game among the Jewish children, no account of which is now on record.