Matthew 11:18
in Matthew 11For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.
KJV
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
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This verse in Matthew 11
Commentary
16 notes on this verseIf fasting then pleases you, why were you not satisfied with John? If fulness, why not with the Son of man? Yet one of these ye said had a dæmon, the other ye called a gluttonous man, and drunkard.
This site's exposition
neither eating nor drinking
on Matthew 11:18-19
John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil sets his ascetic manner against the crowd's own accusation, unmoved by the funeral tune of his fasting; the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners answers with the opposite charge against the opposite manner, unmoved by the wedding tune of table fellowship. Neither approach satisfies a generation determined to find fault, and the friend of publicans and sinners charge recalls the very meal at Matthew's own house in chapter 9 that first drew Pharisaic complaint. But wisdom is justified of her children closes the saying with confidence that God's wisdom, working through both John's fasting and Jesus' feasting, will be vindicated by those who truly receive it, whatever the crowd's verdict.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
(Cont. Faust. xvi. 31.) I would that the Manichæans would tell me what Christ ate and drank, who here speaks of Himself as eating and drinking in comparison of John, who did neither. Not indeed that John drank nothing at all, but that he drank neither wine nor strong drink—but water only. Not that he dispensed altogether with food, but that he ate only locusts and wild honey. Whence then is it said of him that he came neither eating nor drinking, except that he used not that food which the Jews used? Unless therefore the Lord had used this food, He would not have been said to have been, in comparison of John, eating and drinking. It would be strange that he who ate locusts and honey, should be said to come neither eating nor drinking, and that he who ate only bread and herbs, should be said to come eating and drinking.
Christ himself was judged by those who believed in him to be the living, foundational wisdom, who managed everything justly. Although he was treated spitefully by the unbelieving Jews, he did not stop speaking kindly to the Jews and calling them to be his children.
"Wisdom has been vindicated by her children." Those who resist the kingdom of heaven tear apart heaven itself in attempting to justify themselves. The action of Wisdom is just, because she has transferred her gift from the obstinate and faithless to the faithful and obedient covenant people. However, it is useful in this place to consider carefully the virtue of the remark "Wisdom has been proved right by her actions," which Jesus certainly said about himself. For Jesus is Wisdom itself not because of his acts of power but by his very nature. Everything has capability, but capability is demonstrated in actions. Thus an act of goodness is not the same as goodness itself, just as an effect is distinguishable from its cause.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 37 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
"But whereunto shall I liken this generation?" saith He, "It is like unto children sitting in the market place, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented." This again seems to be unconnected with what came before, but it is the most natural consequence thereof. Yea, He still keeps to the same point, the showing that John is acting in harmony with Himself, although the results were opposite; as indeed with respect to his inquiry also. And He implies that there was nothing that ought to have been done for their salvation, and was omitted; which thing the prophet saith of the vineyard; "What ought I to have done to this vineyard, and have not done it? For whereunto," saith He, "shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the market, 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." Now what He saith is like this: We have come each of us an opposite way, I and John; and we have done just as if it were some hunters with a wild beast that was hard to catch, and which might by two ways fall into the toils; as if each of the two were to cut it off his several way, and drive it, taking his stand opposite to the other; so that it must needs fall into one of the two snares. Mark, for instance, the whole race of man, how it is astonished at the wonder of men's fasting, and at this hard and self-denying life. […]
Mystically; Neither did the preaching of John bend the Jews, to whom the law seemed burdensome in prescribing meats and drinks, difficult and grievous, having in it sin which He calls having a dæmon—for from the difficulty of keeping it they must sin under the Law.
9 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Those who were looking for the truth, he says, accepted the leadership of John and of Christ. It changed their lives. They managed this wisdom for the benefit of those who were searching. He calls the things that have happened wisely, wisdom. The Jews did …
The Medieval Church2 voices
He compares John's way of life to mourning, for John showed great severity both in words and deeds, and His own life on earth He compares to piping, that is, to the sound of the flute. For the Lord was most gracious and pleasing, condescending …
John came neither eating nor drinking... Here he applies the comparison: first, he applies it; secondly, he assigns reasons (v. 19b). Men are drawn to a good life in two ways: some at the sight of holiness, others by the way of companionship. The Lord …
The Reformation1 voice
The Evangelists do not mean that John was excited by the miracles to acknowledge Christ at that time as Mediator; but, perceiving that Christ had acquired great reputation, and concluding that this was a fit and seasonable time for putting to the test his own declaration concerning him, he sent to him his disciples.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
John came neither eating nor drinking - In a rigorous austere way, like Elijah. And they say, He hath a devil - Is melancholy, from the influence of an evil spirit.
For John came neither eating nor drinking,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
For John came neither eating nor drinking - Leading a very austere and mortified life: and yet, he did not receive him. A sinner will not be persuaded that what he has no mind to imitate can come from God. There are some who will rather blame holiness itself, than esteem it in those whom they do not like. He hath a devil - He is a vile hypocrite, influenced by a demon to deceive and destroy the simple.
These sayings of the Lord Jesus were called forth by the state of the Jewish nation when he was upon earth. But they speak loudly to us also, as well as to the Jews. They throw great light on some parts of the natural man’s character; they teach us the perilous state of many immortal souls in the present day. The first part of these verses shows us the unreasonableness of many unconverted men in the things of religion. The Jews, in our Lord’s time, found fault with every teacher whom God sent among them.
These sayings of the Lord Jesus were called forth by the state of the Jewish nation when he was upon earth. But they speak loudly to us also, as well as to the Jews. They throw great light on some parts of the natural man’s character; they teach us the perilous state of many immortal souls in the present day. The first part of these verses shows us the unreasonableness of many unconverted men in the things of religion. The Jews, in our Lord’s time, found fault with every teacher whom God sent among them. First came John the Baptist preaching repentance: an austere man, a man who withdrew himself from society and lived an ascetic life. Did this satisfy the Jews? No! They found fault and said, “He has a devil.” Then came Jesus the Son of God preaching the Gospel: living as other men lived, and practicing none of John the Baptist’s peculiar austerities. And did this satisfy the Jews? No! They found fault again, and said, “Behold a man gluttonous and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and ‘sinners.’ ” In short, they were as perverse and hard to please as wayward children. It is a mournful fact, that there are always thousands of professing Christians just as unreasonable as these Jews. They are equally perverse, and equally hard to please; whatever we teach and preach they find fault; whatever be our manner of life, they are dissatisfied. Do we tell them of salvation by grace, and justification by faith? At once they cry out against our doctrine as licentious and Antinomian. Do we tell them of the holiness which the Gospel requires? At once they exclaim that we are too strict, and precise and righteous over much. Are we cheerful? They accuse us of levity. Are we grave? They call us gloomy and sour. Do we keep aloof from balls and races and plays? They denounce us as puritanical, exclusive and narrow-minded.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἦλθεν | elthen | Came | G2064 → | 628 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| Ἰωάννης | ioannes | John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| μήτε | mete | neither | G3383 → | 34 times |
| ἐσθίων | esthion | eating | G2068 → | 65 times |
| μήτε | mete | nor | G3383 → | 34 times |
| πίνων, | pinon | drinking, | G4095 → | 72 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| λέγουσιν· | legousin | they say; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| δαιμόνιον | daimonion | A demon | G1140 → | 61 times |
| ἔχει. | echei | he has! | G2192 → | 707 times |
ἦλθενCame
elthenG2064 →628 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἸωάννηςJohn
ioannesG2491 →134 times
μήτεneither
meteG3383 →34 times
ἐσθίωνeating
esthionG2068 →65 times
μήτεnor
meteG3383 →34 times
πίνων,drinking,
pinonG4095 →72 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
λέγουσιν·they say;
legousinG3004 →1325 times
δαιμόνιονA demon
daimonionG1140 →61 times
ἔχει.he has!
echeiG2192 →707 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 10:20Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
it leads to
- John 7:20
“You have a demon,” the crowd replied. “Who is trying to kill You?”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- John 8:52
“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 7:20
Through
Matthew 10:25It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his…
it leads to
- Matthew 12:24
But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 12:24
Through
Matthew 3:4John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 1:8
“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.” “It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.
- 2 Kings 1:8
Through
Luke 1:15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- Numbers 6:2–4
“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the LORD,
- Galatians 1:15
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
- Jeremiah 1:5
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 9.9; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 37; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodore of Heraclea, FRAGMENT 77; Theodore of Mopsuestia, FRAGMENT 62; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.