Mateus 11
A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 11
Robertson writes that "At the end of the tour the apostles come together in Capernaum and tell Jesus all that they had done and that they had taught (Mark 6:30+, cf Lk 9:10+, Lk 10:17+). He departed (metabaino) from there to teach (didasko - present tense) and preach (kerusso - present tense) in their cities - Jesus had just finished giving instructions to the twelve for their mission and now goes out on His mission to teach the masses. Teach and preach are both in the present tense indicating this was Jesus continual activity. Jesus gives us the pattern for how to Redeem the Time, the short time we have on earth! Jesus was doing what He had done at the very beginning as described in Mt 4:23+ "Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching (didasko) in their synagogues and proclaiming (kerusso) the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people." Luke 4:14-15+ adds that after His baptism and temptation "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all." So while proclaiming frequently refers to the Gospel, in this case the specific content of His proclamation is not stated. In their cities (the cities of Israel) is not further defined so any statement would be conjecture. 🙏 THOUGHT - Matthew
Mateus 11
Robertson says John was imprisoned by Herod the prison at "Machaerus east of the Dead Sea which at this time belonged to the rule of Herod Antipas (Jos. Ant. XVIII. v. 2)." The fact that John heard of the works of Christ shows that while it was still a miserable prison, he still had contact with the outside world through his disciples who were allowed to visit him. Luke fills in some of the blanks... The disciples of John reported to him about all these things (JESUS CAUSING A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS DEAD TO COME BACK TO LIFE - Lk 7:12-16+). Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One, or do we look for (prosdokao) someone else?” When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’” (Lk 7:18-20+) 🙏 THOUGHT - Look for (prosdokao) can also convey the sense of to wait for. The idea is thinking of something that is viewed as yet future and often as in this context includes the sense of longing, expectation and/or anticipation (THOUGHT - Does this describe your heart -- longing with expectation and anticipation of seeing Jesus face to face at His Second Coming, (cf 1Jn 3:2+)? Beginning in Lk 7:21 Jesus gives them "proof" that He is indeed the "Expected One." Charles Wesley's great hymn picks up this theme, the first line beginning with a "Maranatha-like" prayer - Come, thou long expected Jesus. Is this the prayer of your heart? It should be! Why? See 2Ti 4:8+ for your answer. Keep in mind that John had received clear supernatural evidence with Jesus that warranted his recognition of him as the Messiah. For example, the apostle John writes John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32-34+) Clearly John the Baptist had heard from God and saw with His own eyes testified that Jesus was the Son of God! No believer today could even come close to the SPECIAL REVELATIONS that John received from God. And so Matthew records the event to which John alludes... Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he *permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” (Mt 3:13-17+) So again notice that John the Baptist SAW and HEARD. In truth what He was privileged to experience was a glorious display of the Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Spirit! One might think how much more evidence would anyone need? He sent word by his disciples (mathetes) - Even though some of his disciples left to follow Jesus (Jn 1:35-37ff+), John the Baptist still had disciples and in fact some appear to have continued to adhere to his teachings after Pentecost (see Acts 19:1-6+). 🙏 THOUGHT - FOLLOWERS are first and foremost LEARNERS! Dear Follower of Christ, how are you doing? Are you zealously, diligently, actively learning of your Master's ways? Are you growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord ans Savior Jesus Christ? (2 Peter 3:18+) Are you becoming a "smarter sinner" or are you becoming "more like the Savior?" The only way to grow more like Jesus (synonymous with progressive sanctification) is by daily intake of the pure milk of the Word (NOT ADDITIVES, NO DILUTION, NOT DEVOTIONALS, COMMENTARIES, BOOKS ABOUT THEOLOGY BUT THE PURE WORD!) that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (progressive sanctification) (1 Pe 1:2+, cf Mt 4:4+, Lk 4:4+) And by the way, if you find you are not longing like a newborn babe for the pure milk, you need to perform a serious, sober minded personal inventory for things that are impeding your intake. And Peter just happens to have given us a list by which we can perform (under grace) a self-evaluation for he writes "Therefore, putting aside (THROWING OFF LIKE ONE WOULD ODORIFEROUS GARMENTS!) all (HOW MUCH?) malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, (1 Peter 2:1+) In short GROW-THROW-GO -- if you want to GROW, you need to THROW (off sins), and GO (to pure milk)! There is simply NO OTHER WAY to grow spiritually, for as you take in the Word, the Spirit is transforming your inner being with the Word - "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (the "divine passive") into the same image (CHRIST) from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Cor 3:18+). The fact that John sends to Jesus for an answer proves John’s faith in Jesus. R C H
Mateus 11
Robertson commenting on handed over notes that "It is the timeless aorist like edothē ("has been given") in Matthew 28:18 and "points back to a moment in eternity, and implies the pre-existence of the Messiah" (Plummer). And no one (oudeis - absolutely no one) knows (epiginosko) the Son except the Father (pater) - Nor does anyone know (epiginosko) the Father except the Son - Don't misunderstand what Jesus is saying here. Knows (epiginosko) means one knows by experiencing God which is far different than a mere accumulation of facts about God. Today many, probably most, in America know about God (our coins have not yet eliminated the phrase "In God we trust!") and if asked "Do you know God and are you going to spend eternity with Him" a majority of Americans would answer affirmatively (The answer I usually hear is "I think so.") This is the ultimate fatal delusion, for they do not really know the Father experientially and personally as the One Who sent His Son to save the world. They do not have a personal relationship with Him through faith in His Son. They do not belong to the family of God and while they might call Him "Father," the truth is God is NOT their Father. Their father sadly is the devil (see comments on 1Jn 3:8-10+, 1Jn 4:8+, cf Jn 8:44+). And the reason they don't know Him is because the Son has not willed to "take the lid off" so to speak of the Father's identity. Spiritual truth can only be spiritually discerned and must be spiritually revealed. My Father is a clear counter to all who say Jesus never said He was divine! Clearly Jesus is claiming equality with God. How can we be so certain? In John 5:18+ we read "For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, (Why did they seek to KILL HIM?) because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." Jesus the Man claimed to be God because He is God! Robertson - The Messianic consciousness of Christ is here as clear as a bell. It is a moment of high fellowship. Note epiginōskei (epiginosko) twice for "fully know." Note also boulētai = wills, is willing. The Son retains the power and the will to reveal the Father to men." NET NOTE - This verse has been noted for its conceptual similarity to teaching in John's Gospel (Jn 10:15; Jn 17:2). The authority of the Son and the Father are totally intertwined. Anyone to whom the Son wills (boulomai) to reveal (apokalupto) Him - Verses like this make some people chaff, but the verse expresses the truth that the only ones who can truly know God as their Father are those to whom Jesus reveals this otherwise hidden spiritual truth. Jesus made a similar statement in John declaring that "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." (Jn 6:44+) He added "that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” (John 6:65+) C H Spurgeon Commentary - Here we have the channel through which electing love works towards men: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father. ” All things are put into the Mediator’s hands; fit hands both towards God and towards man; for he alone knows both to perfection. Jesus reveals the Father to the babes whom he has chosen. Only the Father can fill the Son with benediction, and only through the Son can that benediction flow to any one of the race of men. Know Christ, and you know the Father, and know that the Father himself loveth you. There is no other way of knowing the Father but through the Son. In this our Lord rejoiced; for his office of Mediator is dear to him, and he loves to be the way of communication between the Father whom he loves, and the people whom he loves for the Father’s sake. Observe the intimate fellowship between the Father and the Son, and how they know each other as none else ever can. Oh, to see all things in Jesus by the Father’s appointment, and so to find the Father’s love and grace in finding Christ. My soul, there are great mysteries here! Enjoy what thou canst not explain. William Hendriksen (Borrow Exposition of the Gospel of Luke) - The Son has whatever the sinner needs. He has whatever is necessary for carrying out his mediatorial task. He was endowed with the Spirit of Jehovah, that is, with the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of Jehovah (Isa. 11:1, 2). All these spiritual qualities and many more have been entrusted to the Mediator by the Father, in order that from him as the Fountain they might flow out to others. Can anything be lacking in the Son’s saving power? No, indeed, for so inexhaustible are his resources that the Father alone knows the Son. It is the Father alone who is able to penetrate to the depths of the Son’s essence, his infinite treasures of wisdom, grace, power, etc. In order to be saved and to live to the glory of God Triune, does the sinner need to know the will of the Father? No one knows who the Father is except the Son … and now notice the significant and very comforting addition: “and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Truly Thou, O Christ, art all I want; More than all in Thee I find. —Charles Wesley (Play this beautiful choral version of Jesus, Lover of my Soul) John
Mateus 11
Robertson adds that the rest Jesus gives to our souls is not a rest of inaction "It is not the lake locked in ice that suggests repose, but the river moving on calmly and rapidly, in silent majesty and strength. It is not the cattle lying in the sun, but the eagle cleaving the air with fixed pinions, that gives you the idea of repose with strength and motion. In creation, the rest of God is exhibited as a sense of power which nothing wearies. When chaos burst into harmony, so to speak, God had rest.
Mateus 11:28-30
Robertson adds that the rest Jesus gives to our souls is not a rest of inaction "It is not the lake locked in ice that suggests repose, but the river moving on calmly and rapidly, in silent majesty and strength. It is not the cattle lying in the sun, but the eagle cleaving the air with fixed pinions, that gives you the idea of repose with strength and motion. In creation, the rest of God is exhibited as a sense of power which nothing wearies. When chaos burst into harmony, so to speak, God had rest.
Mateus 11:29
Robertson adds that the rest Jesus gives to our souls is not a rest of inaction "It is not the lake locked in ice that suggests repose, but the river moving on calmly and rapidly, in silent majesty and strength. It is not the cattle lying in the sun, but the eagle cleaving the air with fixed pinions, that gives you the idea of repose with strength and motion. In creation, the rest of God is exhibited as a sense of power which nothing wearies. When chaos burst into harmony, so to speak, God had rest.