But to what shall I liken this generation?

Last Judgment, late 15th cent, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:

 'We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.'

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by all her children."

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:  "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.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, 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.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

- Matthew 11:16-24

On Saturday we read that, as the John's disciples departed after their question for Jesus, 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?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.  But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  For this is he of whom it is written:  'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'  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.  And from the days of  John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 "But to what shall I liken this generation?  It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying:   'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.'  For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by all her children."  Jesus' scenario of the children pictures a game that was played among Jewish children at the time.  They would divide into two groups.  One group would either pretend to play musical instruments (as for those who dance) or singing mourning songs (as for those who lament or wail).  The other group would respond in the opposite or antithetical way than expected.  My study bible says that Jesus draws a parallel to the Jewish leaders, who responded with criticism of John's ministry that he was too ascetic, and to Christ's that He was too liberal in mercy and joy.

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:  "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.  But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, 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.  But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."  My study bible comments that it is a far greater sin to have seen Christ's works and rejected Him than never to have known Him at all.  Jesus chastises the towns which have been witness to His works, or miracles, and failed to have faith.

This is a turning point in Christ's ministry, which we can discern from the events described in today's and other recent readings.  First of all, He has just sent out the Twelve on their first mission, extending the power of His ministry through them and the work that they will do, giving them power to preach and to heal.  Second, John is in prison, and John's disciples have just come from him to Jesus, asking if He is the Coming One, or if they should look for another (see this reading).   Jesus responded to John's disciples by saying that they should tell John about the works He has done, which are signs prophesied to accompany the Messiah -- indicating that He is, indeed, the One whom they have awaited.  Each of those things are both unifying and expanding of Jesus' ministry.  But Jesus then turns to address the apparently fickle crowds under influence of the leadership in Jerusalem.  What He describes is unfair and unjust criticism, deliberately drummed up to savage both the ministries of John and Jesus.  On the one hand it is easy to criticize John for his asceticism, his depth of commitment to radical poverty like the prophets before him, for whom only service to God mattered above all else in life.  But Jesus who sits and feasts even with known sinners (as in this reading) is in for the opposite treatment:  He is far too liberal, as my study bible puts it, in joy and mercy.  Moreover, Jesus lists all the towns in Galilee where He has performed miraculous works of healing, and where He has been rejected in response.  He compares them unfavorably to the Gentile areas of Tyre and Sidon, and even to Sodom, and suggests that in the judgment each will be judged more harshly than these.  The pivot point is Christ Himself, and the power of God at work in Him and with Him, even the kingdom of heaven which accompanies Him and which He seeks to spread in the world through His ministry.  Each of the "mighty works" that He's done is evidence of this presence of God, and yet faith has not followed.  Throughout the Gospels, Jesus will be challenged by the authorities to "prove" that He is the Christ, by producing miracles on demand.  While Jesus' many miracles are attributed to the faith of the one who is healed, or possibly the friends or relatives of the healed person, this does not necessarily result in the faith of those who witness such healings.  And in this we see the wisdom of Jesus, who knows psychologically the true state of human hearts better than anyone else.  He could come into the world and perform every miracle conceivable.  He could do things simply to "prove" He is who He says He is.  But none of that would bring real faith.  Like the demanding religious leaders, it would only encourage what was already the disposition of the heart, whether that was selfishness or a true righteousness.   What He asks of us is a true response to the presence of this Kingdom, whatever form that takes.  Do we respond with love and trust, with reverence?  Is God's love about our entitlement, our demands?  Is it meant to feed selfishness, or to encourage our growth and healing?  Are we disposed to do the work of repentance/change of mind?  Do we even know that there are things we need to work on within ourselves to dwell as fully as possible within His strength and love, and to become more like Him?  His mercy is for the ones who know they have need of a Physician, a healer of body, soul, and spirit.  His joy is for those who truly need it, or rather, who know and deeply feel they need it, and come to terms with a true desire for it.  Let us continue along with Christ's ministry, and understand that everything else really depends upon faith.  That is, trust in Christ.  It all comes down to what we put first.