Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Matthew 11

John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

Matthew 11:¹ Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

Matthew 11:² And when John (the baptizer) had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples

Matthew 11:³ and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Matthew 11:⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:

Matthew 11:⁵ The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Matthew 11:⁶ And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Matthew 11:⁷ As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

Matthew 11:⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

Matthew 11:⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.

Matthew 11:¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

Matthew 11:¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

• Who is the one who is “least in the kingdom of heaven”? We have two figures; one is John the Baptist, greatest among those born of women and one who is not mentioned.
• The kingdom of heaven is Jesus’ kingdom during the millennium set up in Jerusalem. It is a Jewish kingdom set up in fulfillment of all God’s promises to Abraham. This is the kingdom Jesus prayed for when He taught His disciples to pray “thy kingdom come”, a kingdom is set up by the Father for the Son. There is also the kingdom of God. Sometimes they are separate and sometimes they overlap where the event applies to both. The kingdom of God encapsulates all His kingdoms visible and invisible. The kingdom of God includes the gentile Bride of Christ, taken in the rapture and given a glorified body like Jesus’ after His resurrection.
• The “friend of the groom”.
  
  • Matthew 9:15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
  • Ephesians 5:27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
  • In Hebrew the word ‘shomer” means a guard or watchman. In the context of a Jewish wedding, it refers to the groom’s best man. The Shomer’s main task is to make sure the Groom (Chatan) gets to his wedding as worry-free as possible.
    
• The apostle Paul who said he was the chief among sinners, and who spread the gospel of the new covenant, and who taught under the new covenant the law is dead would be “least in the kingdom of heaven” (the kingdom on earth).
  
  • Matthew 5:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
  • The kingdom of heaven during the millennium will be under the law.
    
• John the Baptist is the greatest born among women in the kingdom of heaven while Paul the apostle is greater than John in the kingdom of God. God has two wives, His Jewish Old Testament wife and the Bride of Christ His New Testament wife. Like Jacob’s two wives, there will be two wedding consummations at the end of days, the first wedding banquet for His second love and the second wedding banquet for His first love. Perhaps Paul the Apostle will give the bride away at the first wedding banquet for the bride of Christ at the Feast of Trumpets in heaven and John the Baptist will give the bride away at the second wedding banquet under the chuppah during the Feast of Booths in the Millennium.
  • See Topic: God’s Two Agendas and Jacob’s Two Wives

Matthew 11:¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

• Jerusalem, where Jesus will reign has been in constant conflict in the mid-east. Not until Jesus sets up His reign will there be peace.

Matthew 11:¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

Matthew 11:¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.

• See BIBLE: I Kings Chapter 11

• Why Elijah?
• Matthew 3:3 For this is he (John the Baptist) who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”
• Isaiah 40:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.
• Now, if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. Why Elijah?
  
• Note Jesus said “Elijah who IS TO COME”. That would be during the seven year tribulation as one of the two witnesses. Elijah was taken to heaven without dying. There are similarities between Elijah and the witnesses during the tribulation in a shadow and a type to come:
  
  • Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
    Rev 11:⁶ These (the two witnesses during the tribulation) have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
    Revelation 11:³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days (three years and six months), clothed in sackcloth.” (No rain falls for 3-1/2 years)
  • Note: John the baptizer dressed like Elijah.
    2 Kings 1:8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
    
• How does John the Baptist and Elijah come together?
  
  • According to Daniel’s 70 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off in the 69th week (crucified). Then, immediately following comes the last “week” Daniel’s 70th week (which are seven years).
  • Daniel’s 70 weeks are Jewish ONLY!
  • If the Jewish leaders and people had accepted Jesus as their Messiah after his death and resurrection, Daniel’s 70th week would have immediately been issued in.
  • However; Daniel’s 70 weeks were interrupted when Jesus’ blood was rejected and the “mystery of the gentile church” was introduced.
  • The end of the gentile Bride of Christ church will cease at the rapture and Daniel’s 70th week will immediately ensue called the seven year tribulation.
  • John the Baptist and Elijah are like two runners who hand off and receive the torch between Daniel’s 69th and Daniel’s 70th week. John the Baptist ends the 69th week and Elijah takes it up again at the beginning of the 70th week, tying the two together as “one”.

• He is Elijah who IS TO COME!
  • Elijah will be one of the two witnesses during the first half of the seven year tribulation.
    • Revelation 11:3 ^ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Matthew 11:¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Matthew 11:¹⁶ “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,

Matthew 11:¹⁷ and saying:

‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament (Lit. beat your breast).’

Matthew 11:¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’

Matthew 11:¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber (wine drinker), a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children (works).”

• God does everything He can to bring His children to him; but they do not see and do not hear.

Woe to the Impenitent Cities

Matthew 11:²⁰ Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

Matthew 11:²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:²² But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

Matthew 11:²³ And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, (will you be exalted to heaven? No, you) will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Matthew 11:²⁴ But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Jesus Gives True Rest

Matthew 11:²⁵ At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

Matthew 11:²⁶ Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

Matthew 11:²⁷ All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Matthew 11:²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle (meek) and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 11:³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

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{1 of 3} Matthew 11 – “Survival in the Reeds” [The Reed]
{2 of 3} Matthew 11 – “Scaled Down” [Yoke & Burden]
{3 of 3} Matthew 11 – “Born With Two Identities” [Shadows & Types]