#1260 Matthew 11 Part 2 How Much Light

 

20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” Matthew 11: 20-24 ESV

Matthew 11: 20-24 

…47That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. 48But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. 49I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!… Luke 12: 47-49

Then He began to denounce the cities where most of His mighty works had been done - With power comes the responsibility for that power, even Peter Parker learned that, but with knowledge there need be a response, wisdom. Note, that the reproof, the change in tone to judgment, is towards the cities that saw Christ heal, raise from the dead and heard the preaching of this same individual, who did all these things openly before them. They never denounced His miracles in these cities, as far as saying they did not happen, that was unquestionable, but they did denounce when He did them and by whom He did them. Even in the Talmud they do not question that the miracles took place, they know they happened, but they were offended by the words of Christ and the person of Christ. We have already seen that there is confusion surrounding the Messiah, that the Messiah in the minds of most of the people, regardless of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, should look different than this son of a carpenter. They haven't an ounce of repentance in them, they are not the blessed who mourn over their sins and see themselves as poor in spirit, no, they want a Messiah who conforms to their ideals. 

…28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”… Hebrews 10: 28-30

Because they did not repent - People always say, I use to say, "I need more evidence, I need to feel something, see something, a miracle, and then I will believe", I even have a tattoo that reminds me of this, that I would have supposedly believed if I saw something like the two witnesses of the end times, if I saw them lying dead in the street and then brought back to life. If God healed my epilepsy I would believe, if  He made me wealthy I would serve Him, if He altered the gospel some then it would be more palatable for me, so how do you interpret something like this? These people saw His power over sickness, disease, deformity, blindness, demons and even death, all the things that result from sin, yet they didn't repent, which means to turn away from their sin. Everyone wants to be released from the repercussions of their sin, but no one want to let go of their sin. My sin doesn't make me feel bad, I like it, so it must be that the consequences are unfair. We will even make others suffer to avoid the consequences of our actions.  

…33Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem. 34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 35Look, your house is left to you desolate. And I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”… Luke 13: 33-35

Chorazin and Bethsaida - These are towns in the district of Galilee, not far from Capernaum, where Peter and Andrew lived. These are towns that saw many miracles, heard the call to repentance from the prophet John and also Jesus and His disciples. Of all the excuses men offer up, not seeing, not hearing, they could not claim this; they had been witnesses to the power of God, just like those who grumbled in the wilderness during Moses's day. 

Tyre and Sidon - These two pagan cities would have repented if they saw these miracles. The hardness is incredible, but don't be deceived, this is the hardness of many who grow up in church. 

Chorazin and Bethsaida are to be judged more severely because of more exposure to the Son of God. Privilege brings responsibility. Increased privilege brings increased responsibility. What was happening in Chorazin and Bethsaida was the message of Christ was producing death to death to death to death, compounding degrees of punishment in hell. That’s why verse 22 says, “It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than you.”

Tyre and Sidon never heard the gospel. You might think that because these two cities heard the gospel, that was an advantage. No, just the opposite, just the opposite. Tyre and Sidon were idolatrous, full of Baal worship, immorality, wickedness, pride. They were worthy of judgment and damnation, and it came. You can read about in Ezekiel 26 to 28, Isaiah 23. And prophets like Amos and Joel and Jeremiah pronounced judgment on those two coastal cities: Tyre and Sidon.

They hadn’t been totally destroyed, because in Matthew 15:21 it says Jesus visited them. But our Lord says, “If the miracles that had been done in Chorazin and Bethsaida had been done there, they would have repented.” So Chorazin and Bethsaida, granted so much more privilege than their rejection, received so much more punishment. And that is to say there are degrees of punishment in hell.

Then in verse 23 and 24 He adds a second illustration: “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades”; – or hell in this case – “for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” Which is worse, to be a sodomite, trying to rape angels, or be a religious Jew in Capernaum rejecting Jesus Christ? Hell is hotter for the religious Jew who rejected Jesus Christ than it is for a sodomite who tried to rape angels; because judgment is connected to how much revelation you have received.

Capernaum exceeded Chorazin and Bethsaida in privilege. There were more of our Lord’s miracles done in Capernaum even than those other two towns. Sodom exceeded Tyre and Sidon in wickedness. Tyre and Sidon were wicked, but they’re still around even today, or remnants of them. They were around in our Lord’s time. Not so, Sodom. God buried Sodom under fire and brimstone for their homosexual perversion. In the judgment it will be worse for the people in Capernaum, who saw Jesus, heard Jesus, witnessed the miracles and rejected Him, than it will be for the inhabitants of Sodom. - J Mac

Do you have access to a Bible? Have you ever looked at nature and wondered at the possibility and probability of unguided, spontaneous  generation? Do you know for certain that things can come into being without design, without cause? Is it possible to exchange the names Chorazin and Bethsaida for any city in the U.S., where there is no physical veil? The amount of light that some have received and tried so desperately to extinguish, oh my, I can only thank God, I wouldn't have come except by His grace. 

…31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.… Hebrews 10: 31-33