In Matt. 11 we see the result of the King’s ministry. The record of chapter ten indicates that both the King’s ministry and the enlargement of His ministry by the twelve apostles were rejected. In chapter ten the Lord told the apostles that they would be persecuted and hated, even by the so-called holy people in the Sanhedrin and in the synagogues. He warned them that they would be persecuted even by their relatives. In chapter eleven we see that three ministries are rejected: the ministry of John the Baptist, the ministry of the King, and the ministry of the King’s sent ones, the twelve apostles. John was rejected, the Lord Jesus was rejected, and according to His charge to the twelve apostles, their ministry also was to be rejected. In chapter eleven we see how the King deals with this rejection. The main point in this chapter is how we should face rejection.
In verses 2 and 3 we see that the patience of John the Baptist, the King’s rejected forerunner, was exhausted. Thus, John “sent by his disciples and said to Him, Are You the coming One, or should we expect someone else?” John the Baptist’s word here does not mean that he was in doubt concerning Christ. He questioned Christ in this way in order to provoke Him to deliver him. He knew that Christ was the coming One, and he had strongly recommended Him to the people (John 1:26-36). After that, he was put into prison (Matt. 4:12) and waited, expecting that Christ would do something to deliver him. However, although Christ did much to help others, He did nothing for him. For this reason, John was in danger of being stumbled (v. 6). Hence, he sent his disciples to Christ with such a stirring question. There was no doubt in John’s mind that Christ was the Messiah. He did not send his disciples to ask the Lord whether or not He was the Messiah. He was trying to provoke Christ to rescue him from prison. But it is very difficult to stir up the Lord Jesus. The more you try to provoke Him, the colder He becomes to you. You can never stir Him up by provoking Him. If you try to do this, He will become less willing to do something for you.
In verses 4 through 6 we have the Lord’s answer to John. Verses 4 and 5 say, “Go, report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” The Lord mentioned the blind receiving sight first, because there was no such miracle in the Old Testament. By this, He gave clear evidence to John that no other could have done such a miracle but the Messiah (Isa. 35:5). In spiritual significance, the blind receiving sight is also first. In the Lord’s salvation, He firstly opens our eyes (Acts 26:18); then we can receive Him and walk to follow Him. The lame signify those who cannot walk in God’s way. After being saved, they can walk by new life (9:5-6; John 5:8-9). The cleansed lepers signify those who have been saved from their rebellion (leprosy) to become the kingdom people. The deaf signify those who cannot hear God. After being saved, they can hear the Lord’s voice (John 10:27). The dead signify those who are dead in sins (Eph. 2:1, 5), unable to contact God. After being regenerated, with their regenerated spirit they can fellowship with God. The poor signify all the ones without Christ, without God, who have no hope in the world (Eph. 2:12). Upon receiving the gospel, they are made rich in Christ (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 3:8). Verse 6 says, “And blessed is he who shall not be stumbled in Me.” This word implies that John the Baptist was in danger of being stumbled in the Lord, because the Lord did not act on his behalf according to his way. Here the Lord encouraged him to take the way the Lord had ordained for him that he might be blessed. This blessing has much to do with the participation in the kingdom of the heavens.
In these verses the Lord seemed to be saying to John, “There is no doubt that I am the Messiah. My being the Messiah does not depend on whether or not I do something for you. I have healed the blind, the deaf, and the sick. I have even raised the dead. But I don’t choose to do anything for you. Do not expect anything from Me. I will leave you in prison until you are beheaded. Blessed is the one who is not stumbled in Me.” In the Lord’s recovery we need to learn this lesson. Whenever the Lord does something positive for us, we are excited. But many times the Lord will not do anything for us. The reason He did nothing to rescue John from prison was that if John had been released from prison his ministry would have been in competition with the Lord’s ministry. John’s imprisonment was arranged sovereignly of the Lord to terminate his ministry, which was the ministry of recommendation. After the recommending work had been done, his ministry should be terminated. Therefore, God sovereignly terminated John’s ministry by imprisoning him.
The questions John’s disciples asked the Lord might have given the Lord’s apostles a negative impression of John. Thus, in verses 7 through 15 the Lord publicly appraised His forerunner. Concealed within the Lord’s reply to John was an indication of John’s weakness. However, His words to the crowds concerning John testified publicly for John. Remember that the first four disciples were brought in through John’s ministry of recommendation. John had declared, “Behold the Lamb of God,” and John and Andrew followed the Lord Jesus. Eventually they brought James and Peter to the Lord as well. Thus, the first four disciples were brought to Christ through the ministry of John the Baptist.
In His public appraisal of John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus vindicated him. In verse 7 the Lord said, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” A reed signifies a weak and fragile person (12:20; 1 Kings 14:15). When John the Baptist was testifying for Christ in the wilderness, he was not like a reed, a weak person. However, now in prison he was somewhat like a reed shaken by the wind. The Lord Jesus is wise, kind, and merciful. If we had been the Lord, we would have been offended by John. Because the Lord knew that John was somewhat weakened, He encouraged him. He seemed to be saying, “John, be careful. It seems that you are at least somewhat weakened concerning Me.” This was the meaning of the Lord’s word to John. But when He spoke to the crowds and to the other disciples, He vindicated John, indicating that he was not a weak, timid person, but a strong witness. In verse 8 the Lord asked, “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings.” After testifying boldly for Christ in the wilderness, John the Baptist became weak when he had been imprisoned for a time. Some might think that he would desire to wear soft clothing in the houses of kings. But the Lord testified that he was neither a reed shaken by the wind nor a man dressed in soft clothing.
Verse 9 says, “But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet.” The Lord testified that John was much more than a prophet. He was a great prophet, greater than all the prophets who had gone before him.
John was sent by God as a messenger before Christ to prepare the way for Him (11:10) that the people might be turned to God and receive the heavenly King and the heavenly kingdom. His ministry was to pave the way for the kingdom.
In verse 11 the Lord says, “Truly I say to you, Among those born of women, there has not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is smaller in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he.” Although John was greater than all the prophets, he was not in the kingdom of the heavens. Compared to the Old Testament prophets, John was greater; but compared to the New Testament people, he was smaller. John was in a transitory period, greater than those who preceded him, but smaller than those who were to come after him. All the prophets prior to John prophesied only that Christ was coming, but John testified that Christ had come. The prophets were looking forward to Christ, but John saw Christ. Hence, John was greater than all the prophets. Although John saw the incarnated Christ and introduced Him to people, he did not have the resurrected Christ indwelling him. But the kingdom people do. John could only say, “Here is Christ,” but the kingdom people can say, “For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Hence, the least in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. Whether anyone is greater or lesser depends upon his relationship to Christ. Christ is the deciding factor. The closer anyone is to Christ, the greater he is.
The prophets prophesied concerning the coming of Christ, and John recommended the Christ who had come. The prophets said that Christ was coming, and John said that Christ was there. Although John the Baptist was close to Christ, he was not as close to Him as we are, for we have Christ within us. Christ is in us, and we are in Him. Because Christ is mingled with us, our relationship with Christ is most intimate. We are in Christ, Christ is in us, and we are mingled with Him, even joined to Him. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” What could be closer than this? This close relationship to Christ makes us greater than all those who preceded us. What a great blessing this is!
We need to realize in what age we are living. Peter, John, and even Paul were in the beginning of the kingdom age, but we are in the closing of this age. Where would you rather be — in the beginning, in the middle, or in the conclusion? Martin Luther was in the middle, but we are neither in the beginning nor in the middle, but at the end. Great men like Martin Luther stood on the shoulders of the early apostles, but now we are on the shoulders of Martin Luther and other great ones. Hence, we are higher than all of them. Even the smallest among us is able to give a strong testimony on being justified by faith both objectively and subjectively. Do not regard this day as an insignificant day.
When I was seeking the Lord fifty years ago, the situation was quite poor. We spent much money on books, and we traveled to see certain people. There is no comparison with the situation of today. Today you are all buried with riches. My only concern is that you do not have the adequate appetite. We are feasting every day. We are not in the transitory period, neither are we in the beginning nor in the middle of the New Testament age; we are in the conclusion of this age. At the conclusion everything is better, higher, and richer. Praise the Lord that we are so close to Christ! Many of the messages you have heard concerning Christ have not been heard by others in the past. Many of you were in Christianity for years. Were you ever told about the all-inclusive Christ? Did you ever hear about eating Jesus? But now we are eating Him and enjoying Him. Thus, we are greater. Do you dare to say that you are greater? According to the principle in the Bible, the later is always the greater. The last will be the first. Because we are the last, we are the greatest.
Verse 14 says, “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah, who is about to come.” Malachi 4:5 prophesied that Elijah would come. When John the Baptist was conceived, it was said that he would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Hence, in a sense, John may be considered Elijah who was about to come (Matt. 17:10-13). However, the prophecy of Malachi 4:5 will actually be fully fulfilled in the great tribulation, when the real Elijah, one of the two witnesses, will come to strengthen God’s people (Rev. 11:3-12).
Verse 13 says, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” This proves that the Old Testament dispensation was terminated by the coming of John.
Verse 12 says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is taken by violence, and violent men seize it.” From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Pharisees had been violently frustrating people from entering the kingdom of the heavens. Hence, those who desired to enter must do so by violence.
The word of Christ concerning His forerunner John the Baptist was deeply related to Himself and the heavenly kingdom. It was different from any of the old, traditional teachings. Hence, there was the need for ears to hear it (11:15).
After the Lord appraised John, He turned to the rejecting generation and reproached them. His appraisal reminded them that John had been rejected. No matter how great John was, he was nonetheless in prison due to the rejection of that generation.
In verses 16 and 17 the Lord said, “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call to the others and say, We have played the flute to you, and you did not dance; we have sung a dirge, and you did not beat the breast.” Christ and John the Baptist “played the flute” to preach the gospel of the kingdom, but the Judaizers “did not dance” for the joy of salvation. John and Christ sang “a dirge” to preach repentance, but the Judaizers “did not beat the breast” for the grief of sin. The righteousness of God required them to repent, but they would not obey. The grace of God afforded them salvation, but they would not receive it.
Verses 18 and 19 say, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. And wisdom was justified by her works.” John, coming to bring men to repentance (Mark 1:4) and to cause them to grieve for sin, had no taste for eating and drinking (Luke 1:15-17); whereas Christ, coming to bring salvation to sinners and to cause them to rejoice in it, had the joy of eating and drinking with them (Matt. 9:10-11). The kingdom people, under no regulation, follow the divine wisdom, concentrating their attention upon the indwelling Christ who is their wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30), not upon their outward manner of life.
Because John the Baptist lived in a strange and peculiar way, not eating and drinking in the regular way, the opposers said, “He has a demon” — he is demon-possessed. But they called Christ a gluttonous man and a wine drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Christ is not only the Savior, but also the friend of sinners, sympathizing with their problems and sensing their griefs.
In verse 19 the Lord said, “And wisdom was justified by her works.” Wisdom is Christ (1 Cor. 1:24, 30). Whatever Christ did was done by the wisdom of God, which is Himself. This wisdom was justified, vindicated, by His wise works, His wise deeds. In this verse some authorities read “children” instead of “works.” The kingdom people are the children of wisdom, who justify Christ and His deeds and follow Him as their wisdom. Christ is justified by the kingdom people, who know when to eat and when not to eat and who recognize the playing of the flute and the singing of the dirge, knowing when to rejoice and when to repent. We, the kingdom people, the children of wisdom, have the wisdom to discern when to repent and when to rejoice. But the rejecting generation is absolutely foolish. If you play them a song, they do not respond. If you sing them a dirge for repentance, they do not respond to that either. They are stubborn and foolish, and they lack wisdom.
Verse 20 says, “Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His works of power took place, because they did not repent.” The Lord proceeded, Woe to you, Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, because, in a general way, they had all rejected Him. Of Capernaum He said, “You shall be brought down to Hades.” Hades, like Sheol in the Old Testament (Gen. 37:35; Psa. 6:5), is the place where the souls and spirits of the dead are kept (Luke 16:22-23; Acts 2:27). He also said of Capernaum, “It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you” (v. 24). This indicates that Capernaum was worse than Sodom.
Verse 25 opens with the words, “At that time.” This refers to the time the Lord was rebuking the cities. Verse 25 says, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I praise You, Father, Lord of the heaven and of the earth.” When the Lord was rebuking those leading cities, He answered and said, “I praise You, Father.” The word “answered” is very meaningful. Whom did the Lord answer? He answered the Father. While the Lord was rebuking the cities, He fellowshipped with the Father. At that time, answering the Father, He spoke praise to Him.
As the Lord was rebuking the cities, a third party was present. The Lord was the first party, the cities were the second party, and the Father, who was with Him, was the third party. As the Lord was rebuking Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, the Father might have asked Him, “Are you happy about this?” Then the Lord answered and said, “I praise You, Father.” The Father might have said to the Son, “You are rebuking these cities because they have rejected You. Do You feel good about this?” The Lord immediately answered and praised the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth.
Sometimes a third party is present when you are talking to your wife. You are the first party, your wife is the second party, and the Lord is the third party. Perhaps you say to your wife, “Yesterday, you did not treat me very well; your behavior was poor.” As you are saying these words, the third party standing by may ask, “How about it? Do you like it? Yes, your wife was not so good yesterday.” At such a time could you say, “I praise You, Father”? This is not an easy thing for us to do. But the Lord Jesus could do it, saying, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. I recognize Your authority. If this were not of You, none of these cities would reject Me. Even their rejection is of You. Father, I take sides with You. This situation is quite good. I tell You that I feel good about it, and I can praise You for it.”
The Greek word rendered “praise” in verse 25 means to make acknowledgment with praise. The Lord acknowledged the Father’s way in carrying out His economy with praise. Although people, instead of responding to His ministry, slandered Him (vv. 16-19), and the leading cities rejected Him (vv. 20-24), He praised the Father, acknowledging the Father’s will. He did not seek prosperity in His work, but He sought the Father’s will. He would be satisfied and rest, not in man’s understanding and welcome, but in the Father’s knowing (vv. 26-27). Christ believed that the cities’ rejection of Him was of the Father. What about our situation today? When we are rejected, opposed, criticized, attacked, and condemned, could we praise the Father? Have you ever said, “Father, I praise You for the rejection and opposition of my parents and friends”? We need to recognize that such rejection is sovereignly of the Lord and praise Him for it.
In the Lord’s address of praise, Father refers to the Father’s relationship with Him, the Son; whereas the Lord of the heaven and of the earth refers to God’s relationship with the universe. When God’s people were defeated by His enemy, He was called the God of heaven (Ezra 5:12; Dan. 2:18, 37). But when there was a man standing for God on the earth, He was called the Possessor of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19, 22). Now, the Lord, as the Son of Man, also called the Father the “Lord of the heaven and of the earth,” indicating that He was standing on the earth for God’s interest.
Verse 25 also says that the Father has “hidden these things from the wise and intelligent.” “These things” refer to the things regarding the knowledge of the Son and of the Father (v. 27). The “wise and intelligent” refer to the people of the three cities condemned in verses 20 through 24, who were wise and intelligent in their own eyes. The Father’s will was to hide the knowledge of the Son and the Father from such people.
The Lord praised the Father for having revealed these things to babes. The word “babes” refers to the disciples, who were the children of wisdom. The Father was pleased to reveal both the Son and the Father to them. To know the Son and the Father is altogether a matter of the Father’s sovereignty. In 16:17, after Peter had received the revelation that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus said to him, “You are blessed, Simon Bar-jona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father Who is in the heavens.” Thus, knowing the Son is a matter of the Father’s revelation.
Verse 26 says, “Yes, Father, for thus it was well pleasing in Your sight.” It was well pleasing in the Father’s sight that the Son was rejected. The Father was glad to see the Son’s rejection. It is very difficult for us to believe this. If your parents and relatives would be one with you regarding the Lord’s recovery, you would be excited and praise the Lord. But you must praise the Lord as you are experiencing rejection, saying, “I praise You, Father, because You are the Lord of the heavens and of the earth. All things are of You, and I praise You for this situation.”
Verse 27 says, “All was delivered to Me by My Father.” “All” refers to all the remnant whom the Father has given the Son (John 3:27; 6:37, 44, 65; 18:9). This word implies that the wise and intelligent rejected the Son because the Father was not pleased to give them to the Son. However, all the remnant has been delivered to the Son by the Father. Peter, John, James, and Andrew were some of those given to the Son by the Father. The Lord Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and him that comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). It is absolutely of the Father’s sovereign mercy that we are in the Lord’s recovery today. We need to worship the Father for this. Among the many Christians in the world, we are in the recovery. I have the deep sense within that through the years the Lord’s recovery has been in this country, He has been reaping a harvest. He has been gathering a remnant among the Christians. During the years we were in Elden hall in Los Angeles, the Lord was gathering His remnant. Month after month, the Lord brought His remnant from various cities, states, and countries. That was a real gathering of the remnant. All those who were gathered together can testify that we were delivered by the Father. The Lord’s recovery is not a common Christian work; it is the gathering of the Lord’s remnant to recover God’s kingdom in the church life. The Lord is still doing the work of gathering His remnant today.
In verse 27 the Lord says, “No one knows the Son except the Father, neither does anyone know the Father except the Son and he to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” The Greek word translated “knows” in this verse means full knowledge, not mere objective acquaintance. Concerning the Son, only the Father has such knowledge; and concerning the Father, only the Son has such knowledge. Hence, to know the Son requires the Father’s revelation (16:17), and to know the Father requires the Son’s revelation (John 17:6, 26). The Greek word translated “wills” means to deliberately exercise the will through counsel. “These things” mentioned in verse 25 are difficult for the natural man to understand. The Lord’s recovery is absolutely against the enemy’s kingdom of darkness. No doubt the evil one is not willing to let people know the things of the Father, the Son, and the Lord’s recovery. Thus, there is the need of the Father’s sovereign mercy. It is sovereign of the Lord that we have seen certain things and have been brought into them. Although others condemn them, we rejoice over them because we have seen them. Our seeing is not due to our intelligence; it is due to the mercy of the Father. The Father has shown us all these things.
In verse 28 the Lord sounded out a call: “Come to Me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” The Lord seemed to be saying, “All you who labor and are burdened, come to Me and rest. All you religious people and all you worldly people who are laboring and are burdened, come to Me and I will give you rest.” What a gracious word! The labor mentioned in verse 28 refers not only to the labor of striving to keep the commandments of the law and religious regulations, but also to the labor of struggling to be successful in any work. Whoever labors thus is always heavily burdened. After the Lord had praised the Father, acknowledging the Father’s way and declaring the divine economy, He called this kind of people to come to Him for rest. Rest refers not only to being set free from labor and burden under the law and religion or under any work and responsibility, but also to perfect peace and full satisfaction.
In verses 29 and 30 we have the way to rest: “Take My yoke on you and learn from Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls; for My yoke is pleasant and My burden is light.” The Lord’s yoke is to take the will of the Father. It is not to be regulated or controlled by any obligations of the law or religion, nor to be enslaved by any work, but to be constrained by the will of the Father. The Lord lived such a life, caring for nothing but the will of His Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). He submitted Himself fully to the Father’s will (26:39, 42). Hence, He asks us to learn from Him. God’s will is our yoke. Thus, we are not free to do as we please; rather, we are yoked. Young people, do not think that you are so free or liberated. In the Lord’s recovery we all have been yoked. How good it is to be yoked! The Lord’s yoke is pleasant and His burden is light. The Lord’s yoke is the Father’s will, and His burden is the work to carry out the Father’s will. Such a yoke is pleasant, not bitter, and such a burden is light, not heavy. The Greek word rendered “pleasant” signifies fit for use; hence, good, kindly, mild, gentle, easy, pleasant, in contrast to what is hard, harsh, sharp, and bitter.
In verse 29 the Lord tells us to learn from Him. He is meek and lowly in heart. To be meek means not to resist any opposition, and to be lowly means not to esteem oneself highly. In all the opposition the Lord was meek, and in all the rejection He was lowly in heart. He submitted Himself fully to the will of His Father, not wanting to do anything for Himself nor expecting to gain something for Himself. Hence, regardless of the situation, He had rest in His heart. He was fully satisfied with His Father’s will.
The Lord said that if we take His yoke upon us and learn from Him, we shall find rest to our souls. The rest we find by taking the Lord’s yoke and learning from Him is for our souls. It is an inward rest; it is not anything merely outward in nature.
If we are opposed as we minister, and we resist, we shall not have peace. But if instead of resisting we submit to the will of the Father, testifying that the opposition is of the Father, we shall have rest in our souls. John the Baptist did not regard his imprisonment as of the Father; therefore, he was not at rest. If he had realized that his imprisonment was due to the Father’s will, he would have been at rest, even in prison. Christ, the heavenly King, always submitted to the Father’s will, taking God’s will as His portion and not resisting anything. Hence, He was always at rest. We must learn of Him and also take this view. If we do, we shall have rest in our souls.
