Daily Devotional For Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Good morning Southside. We are making our way through Matthew’s Gospel. We are currently in Matthew 11. Here is where we are picking up in Matthew 11:16-19:
“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 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 drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (NASB).
When we compare Jesus’ words here at the beginning of verse16, “what shall I compare . . .” was a common rabbinic way to introduce a parable or story to teach in His day. It is similar to how we say today, “Let me illustrate it this way” or “let me tell you a story.” In these opening verses Jesus deals with two common reactions to Him and His ministry: criticism and indifference. Jesus was saying, “How can I illustrate the response of this generation to My words and My works.”
One group who resorted to criticism were like children playing in the marketplace who objected to everything the other children did or said. These today are those in the church who criticize and find fault with whatever the pastor/preacher or church leaders do or say. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this on this passage:
“No matter what is said or done, such people pick it apart and use the objection—whether real or imagined, justified or unjustified—as an excuse for rejection. Because they have no saving relationship to Christ, they refuse to receive His truth or serve in His church. But they love to harp against both” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Bible Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 260).
In Jesus’ day, the marketplace [ἀγορά; agora] was where people went to meet to discuss business and to socialize. On certain days, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants would bring their produce or wares to sell in tents or on the ground in the marketplace. When parents came, they brought their children and these children would play in the marketplace while their parents bought, sold and socialized.
Jesus referred to two games children of that day play: weddings and funerals. Children like to mimic their elders by having mock weddings and funerals. For weddings, these were festive and involved music and dancing. When the children did this they pretended one of them had a wedding flute and was playing it. All the other children were expected to dance as if they were at a real wedding. For funerals, there was the funeral dirge where people were paid to mourn and wail. Yet in each of these games there were those children who refused to “play” these games. Nothing the other children attempted to get these spoiled brats to play could convince them to play. So, these spoilsports actually threw cold water on the game ruining it for everyone else.
Matthew’s point is that this adult generation in John the Baptizer’s time and Jesus’ times were no different. They did not respond to the Gospel, but instead resorted to criticism and indifference both to John and Jesus. John’s message was one of confession and repentance from sin. Being more of an ascetic, and wearing strange clothing made of camel’s hair and eating honey and eating honey and wild locust, John was different. To some of the Jews and the religious leaders, John was either insane or demon possessed. The more John rebuked their wickedness and sin, the more they rebuked his righteousness and his call to repent.
With Jesus, He lived just like everyone else. He ate and drank what they did. Jesus was up close to people. He healed them. He touched the unclean. He mingled with tax collectors and sinners. He also forgave their sins and challenged them to follow Him. While John was in the “funeral game” so to speak, Jesus was in the “wedding game.” Jesus’ critics accused Him of being a glutton and a drunkard. In Jesus’ day to make wine it went through a process. First, they boiled fresh grapes down to a syrup for storage and to prevent spoilage. Then when they needed a drink they added water to that syrup. That mixture was nonalcoholic and if it did ferment, it was not strong enough to cause someone to get drunk.
They accused Jesus of associating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus never feared associating with the social outcasts. In fact, He welcomed them. Jesus never participated in their sin, but offered them deliverance from their sin through repentance (see Matthew 9:12-13). Jesus’ critics were not interested in truth or justice or God. Their only interest was to criticize. New Testament scholar William Barclay writes this:
“The plain fact is that when people do not want to listen to the truth, they will easily find an excuse for not listening to it. They do not even try to be consistent in their criticisms; they will criticize the same person, and the same institution, from quite opposite grounds. If people are determined to make no response they will remain stubbornly unresponsive no matter what invitation is made to them. Grown men and women can be very like spoiled children who refuse to play no matter what the game is” (Source: William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series, “The Gospel of Matthew,” Vol. 2, p. 10).
Do you know anyone like that? The last line of verse 19 is, “ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds” (NASB). In the Bible, wisdom is often presented as being a woman (see Prov. 1:20, Pro. 4:6, Pro. 7:4 and Pro. 8:1). Man’s wisdom leads to criticism and indifference. God’s wisdom leads to life and vindication. God’s wisdom and blessings were seen in Jesus’ teaching. God’s wisdom and power were seen in Jesus’ miracles. These miracles justified or proved that Jesus was the Messiah. Even though some used criticism of Jesus and some were indifferent to Jesus, their responses did not alter the truth of who Jesus was – the Messiah. Let me conclude with some words from pastor and author Chuck Swindoll:
“John was the great prophet; Jesus is the King! If anybody should be choreographing the dance or conducting the music, it should be the forerunner and the Messiah! If you’ve ever watched children play a game where somebody’s making up the rules as they go, you’ll understand Matt. 11:18-19. When you play a game by somebody else’s ever-changing rules, you can’t win! If you do something right, they come up with a rule to make it wrong. Jesus pointed out that when John came with an ascetic lifestyle, eating locusts and honey and dressing in ragged clothes, his scoffing opponents said, “He has a demon!” (Matt. 11:18). But when Jesus came eating and drinking, attending social gatherings and dinners with guests—things that normal people do every day—His enemies called Him “a gluttonous man and a drunkard” who hung out with tax collectors and sinners (Matt. 11:19)” – Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Bible Commentary, “Matthew 1-15,” Vol. 1A, p. 216).
Assignment: Do you know “Christians” who are typically critical and indifferent of their church staff and church leaders? Are you ever one of these? Do you know any “Christians” or non-Christians who see the Gospel as a funeral dirge and not a wedding celebration? Why do you think Jesus is such a turn-off to so many people? In the church, when have you seen grown men and women acting like children and how did you respond to them?
Scripture To Meditate On: Proverbs 17:24, “The person with understanding is always looking for wisdom, but the mind of a fool wanders everywhere” (NCV).
Prayer To Pray: “Lord, please convict me to not be a critic but to be a celebrant. Lord, please forgive me when I am critical and indifferent to You. If anyone is going to criticize me, I want it to be because I am more like You than this world. Give me wisdom to live in this world. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly