“This generation” is a key phrase in Matthew’s Gospel. It refers to the unbelief and rejection by the people of John and Jesus.
“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’” (Matthew 11.16-17)
Jesus compares the unbelieving generation to children playing in the marketplace, who taunt their friends for not joining them in play. No matter what one group did, the other group would not participate.
Similarly, the present generation had nothing to do with the messengers sent to them by God.
Years ago, I heard a preacher say something that has stuck with me ever since. He said the reason why people don’t believe is not because they can’t, but because they won’t.
One of the major issues Jesus faced was the question of his authority. The generation of unbelievers didn’t believe that Jesus had the authority to perform the actions he did.
Authority answers the question: who is in control here? When we’re unwilling to let Jesus take control of our lives, we join an unbelieving generation that rejects him and the messengers who speak to us about him.
Jesus Explains
If Jesus’s illustration about the children was not clear enough, He made it very clear concerning John and himself.
“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, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (Matthew 11.18-19).
People were interested enough in John that they came to the wilderness to be baptized by him and hear him preach. That being said, it’s a good bet that most of them weren’t willing to adopt his lifestyle.
It cannot be overstated enough that people were shocked to learn that Jesus had table fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. If we think about the most disreputable people in our society, those were the ones that Jesus ate with.
People who were pursuing the righteousness of God would not want to join Jesus and associate with the crowd he seemingly accepted.
The last phrase summarizes Jesus’s point: wisdom is vindicated by the result of her deeds.
When you see what happened when Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, you will understand this behavior and pursue it yourself.
I spoke with a man the other day who has a habit of always putting himself down. I turned to him and said, “I believe you love yourself more than anyone else.” He nodded his head and agreed.
And then I said, “When you put yourself down, the person who loves you the most is telling you that you are not worthwhile.”
Think about that how we so often put ourselves down with negative self-talk, and then think of Jesus having dinner with the tax collectors, sinners, and the outcasts of this world.
He wants to know you. As you receive him into your life to forgive you and to love you, you will find the wisdom of his love for sinners – your most shameful part included.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 