Matthew 11:20
in Matthew 11Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not.
KJV
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
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This verse in Matthew 11
Commentary
15 notes on this verseHis upbraiding of the towns of Corozaim, Bethsaida, and Capharnaum, is set forth in this chapter, because He therefore upbraided them, because after He had such mighty works and wonders in them they had not done penitence. Whence He adds, Wo for thee, Corozaim! wo for thee, Bethsaida!
This site's exposition
upbraid the cities
Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done turns from the crowd's mockery to a direct reckoning with the Galilean towns that had seen the miracles firsthand, because they repented not naming the failure precisely: not disbelief in the works themselves, which no one there denied, but refusal to turn from sin in response to them. The bench reads this as the sharpest section of rebuke Matthew records from Jesus outside the woes of chapter 23, aimed not at Pharisees or scribes but at ordinary towns that had every advantage of proximity to the miracles and still would not change.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(De Cons. Ev. ii. 32.) Luke also gives this as spoken in continuation of some other of the Lord's discourses; from which it appears that he has rather followed the actual order of events; Matthew to have followed his recollection. Or the words of Matthew, Then began he to upbraid the towns, must be taken, as some think, as expressing some particular time by the word then, but not referring generally to that time in which the many other things here told were done and said. Whoever, therefore, thinks thus must suppose that this was spoken twice. And when we find in the same Evangelist some things spoken by the Lord at two different times—like that in Luke concerning the not taking a scrip for their journey,—what wonder is it if any thing else, which was twice spoken, is found once severally in two several Gospels in the actual connection in which it was spoken, which connection is different, because they are two different occasions on which it is related to have been spoken?
(Verse 20.) Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. The reproach of the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum is explained by the heading of this chapter. He reproached them because after performing many miracles and signs, they did not repent.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 37 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Then He proceeds to upbraid the cities now that wisdom hath been justified; now that He hath shown all to be fully performed. That is, having failed to persuade them, He now doth but lament over them; which is more than terrifying. For He had exhibited both His teaching by His words, and His wonder-working power by His signs. But forasmuch as they abode in their own unbelief, He now does but upbraid. For "then," it is said, "began Jesus to upbraid the cities, wherein most of His mighty works were done, because they repented not; saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!" Then, to show thee that they are not such by nature, He states also the name of the city out of which proceeded five apostles. For both Philip, and those two pairs of the chief apostles, were from thence.
The Medieval Church2 voices
(ap. Anselm.) Thus far He had brought His accusation against the Jews in common; now against certain towns by name, in which he had specially preached, and yet they would not be converted; whence it is said, Then began he to upbraid the cities in which most of his mighty works were done, because they had not repented.
Having satisfied John's disciples, he now rebukes non-believers: first, the Lord's deed is described; secondly, his words (v. 21). He says, therefore, Then he began to upbraid the cities. The upbraiding is concerned with the benefits and with gifts. For the Lord had conferred a …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
After showing that He had done everything that He ought to have done, and they remained unrepentant, then He upbraids them.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Then began he to upbraid the cities - It is observable he had never upbraided them before. Indeed at first they received him with all gladness, Capernaum in particular.
In the parable, this is called his piping to us, and his mourning to us; he hath piped to us in the precious promises of the gospel, proper to work upon hope, and mourned to us in the dreadful threatenings of the law, proper to work upon fear, that he might frighten us out of our sins and allure us to himself.
Then began he to upbraid the cities,....
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
Then began he to upbraid the cities - The more God has done to draw men unto himself, the less excusable are they if they continue in iniquity. If our blessed Lord had not done every thing that was necessary for the salvation of these people, he could not have reproached them for their impenitence.
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then began he to upbraid ... - That is, to reprove, to rebuke, to denounce heavy judgment.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ἤρξατο | erxato | He began | G757 → | 85 times |
| ὀνειδίζειν | oneidizein | to denounce | G3679 → | 8 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλεις | poleis | cities | G4172 → | 163 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αἷς | hais | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐγένοντο | egenonto | had taken place | G1096 → | 667 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλεῖσται | pleistai | most | G4118 → | |
| δυνάμεις | dunameis | miracles | G1411 → | 119 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | because | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| μετενόησαν·¶ | metenoesan | they repented; | G3340 → | 34 times |
ΤότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ἤρξατοHe began
erxatoG757 →85 times
ὀνειδίζεινto denounce
oneidizeinG3679 →8 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
πόλειςcities
poleisG4172 →163 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αἷςwhich
haisG3739 →1405 times
ἐγένοντοhad taken place
egenontoG1096 →667 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
πλεῖσταιmost
pleistaiG4118 →
δυνάμειςmiracles
dunameisG1411 →119 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ὅτιbecause
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
μετενόησαν·¶they repented;
metenoesanG3340 →34 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 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
Jeremiah 8:6I have listened and heard; they do not speak what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has pursued his own course like a horse charging into…
it leads to
- Psalms 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
- Ezekiel 18:28
Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
- 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
- Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He rises to show you compassion, for the LORD is a just God. Blessed are all who wait for Him.
- Luke 15:17–19
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!
- Psalms 14:2
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; 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; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.