The Gospel of Matthew: This Generation.

¹⁶ “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, ¹⁷‘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, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:16–19 (ESV)

Tell the people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. This is because what they need to hear they won’t necessarily want to hear. This is the philosophy for many in church leadership. This is the perspective by many congregations. It is not new. It is what the crowds desired to hear from the false prophets in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11; Ezekiel 13:10, 16) and from false pastor/teachers in the New Testament (2 Tim. 4:1-5).

“To what may we compare …?” was a familiar idiom preceding a rabbinic parable or argument from similarity. Immediately following Jesus’ evaluation and praise of John the Baptist, He condemned the Jewish leaders and the masses for their infantile immaturity of unbelief and obstinacy to the biblical truth of the Gospel.  

Jesus compared the Jewish people to children sitting in the marketplace and playing with their friends. They were spoiled and were always unhappy because they did not have what they presumed they needed, but in reality only wanted. Their desires changed at a moment’s notice.

“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.” Jesus’ joyous ministry was rejected when He did not meet the people’s worldly expectations. John’s ministry of repentance was rejected because he was too condemning of the people’s sin. In other words, the people were never happy.

They accused John of being demon possessed because he did not eat or drink. They accused Jesus of being gluttonous because He did.

“John the Baptist fit the role of an apparently ascetic prophet, like Elijah; Jesus follows a model more like David, but both are proper in their place. The charge that John “has a demon” suggests either that he is a false prophet possessed by an evil spirit, or that he is a sorcerer who manipulates a spirit guide; either charge would warrant the death penalty under Old Testament law (Deut. 13:1–11; 18:9–20). “Glutton and drunkard” was also a capital charge (Deut. 21:20); hence this is a serious accusation,” explains commentator Craig Keener.

No matter what Jesus and John did or taught, the masses rejected them. This is because they did not give people what they selfishly wanted but rather spoke to them about what they truly needed.

The true need for all sinners is justification, redemption and reconciliation by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. No matter who we are and what we do for Christ, may we resolve to always speak the truth of the Gospel to those who need to hear it. Each generation needs to hear God’s good news.  

Soli deo Gloria!