Matthew 11:13-19

Rachel Workman: 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.[e] 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,

17 ‘We played wedding songs,
    and you didn’t dance,
so we played funeral songs,
    and you didn’t mourn.’

18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man,[f] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

I see the words before and then I see the words if you are willing. You were excited before it actually happened. Once it happened you were no longer excited because it wasn't what YOU thought it would be. If you are willing to accept what I say, accepting and hearing are two different things. Am I willing to hear what Jesus is saying? Am I willing to accept that something is not what I think it should be but what Jesus says it is? That's a little harder.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John Burnett:  ¹³ For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who ^[a]was to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, ^[b]let him hear.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, ¹⁷ and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not ^[c]mourn.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a ^[d]drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ^[e]sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”  The people called John evil and demon possessed, they called Jesus a drunkard and friend of sinners (how prophetic).   People today are no different.  When I go to my favorite forum and join a conversation concerning anything religious, I am called all sorts of names.  Because I belong to Christ and have been imputed his righteousness I too will be vindicated.  I pray for those who verbally persecute me because I know their fate.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Allen Michaels:  ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Whoever has ears, let them hear. John was not a resurrected Elijah, but he took on Elijah’s prophetic role—boldly confronting sin and pointing people to God (Malachi 3:1). Elijah’s profile can be found in 1 Kings 3:1.

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Verses 16-19 tell us that Jesus condemned the attitude of his generation. No matter what he said or did, they took the opposite view. They were cynical and skeptical because he challenged their comfortable, secure, and self-centered lives. Too often we justify our inconsistencies because listening to God may require us to change the way we live.