Luke 7:31
“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus is asking this question not just to describe the people of his generation, but to highlight their profound discontent and stubborn refusal to engage with either extreme of God's messengers. It's not just that they didn't respond, but that they actively rejected both John's austerity and Jesus's inclusiveness, showing a deep-seated preference for finding fault.
Jesus is responding to a generation that has rejected both his message and John the Baptist's message, even though they presented themselves in starkly different ways. After the people and tax collectors acknowledged God's goodness through John's baptism, the religious leaders and lawyers scorned God's plan and refused John's baptism. Jesus then poses a question, seeking a way to describe their obstinate, critical spirit.
Imagine trying to get a group of kids to play your game, but no matter what you suggest, they refuse. Jesus uses this exact scenario to describe a generation stubbornly resistant to God's messengers.
Jesus uses a vivid illustration to show how impossible it was to satisfy the people of His time. He compares them to children in the marketplace who are offered different games but refuse to join in.
No matter the approach – austerity or fellowship – this generation found fault. They were looking for reasons to reject God's messengers, rather than embracing the truth they offered.
Even when people reject the truth, the truth itself stands firm. Jesus points to 'Wisdom' and her 'children' as proof that God's ways are right, regardless of human opinion.
The phrase 'Wisdom is justified by her children' (v. 35) is a profound statement. It means that true wisdom, which in this context is God's wisdom manifested in Jesus and John, will always be proven right by those who genuinely follow it.
Understand the original words
genea · Greek Noun
Referring to the contemporary group of people living at the time of Jesus, often characterized by spiritual blindness or rejection of God's messengers.
This verse comes from a period of intense spiritual ferment in Judea, where two distinct prophetic voices—John the Baptist and Jesus—were active. The people's reactions, often polarized and critical of both, highlight a deep-seated resistance to God's work, regardless of the messenger's style.
c. AD 28
John the Baptist's Ministry Begins
John the Baptist emerges in the Judean wilderness, calling people to repentance and baptizing them. His ministry is characterized by austerity and a direct message of judgment and hope.
c. AD 28-29— this verse
Jesus' Early Ministry and Encounters
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and calling disciples. He often eats and drinks with people, including tax collectors and sinners, in contrast to John's asceticism.
c. AD 29
Rejection of John and Jesus
Many religious leaders and their followers reject both John the Baptist (calling him demon-possessed) and Jesus (calling him a glutton and drunkard) despite their different approaches to ministry.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry Continues Amidst Opposition
Jesus continues to teach and perform miracles throughout Galilee and Judea, facing increasing opposition from the religious establishment who question his authority and message.
This passage directly parallels Luke 7:31, presenting the same question and introducing the analogy of children playing in the marketplace, highlighting the unresponsiveness of the generation to God's messengers.
Luke 1:17This verse describes John the Baptist's mission to turn hearts back to God, a mission that was met with rejection by the generation Jesus addresses, thus setting the stage for His comparison.
Luke 7:29-30These verses provide the immediate context, showing that while the common people and tax collectors 'justified God' by responding to John's baptism, the Pharisees and lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, underscoring the division Jesus is about to address.
1 Corinthians 1:25This passage speaks to the 'foolishness of God' being wiser than men and the 'weakness of God' being stronger than men, which resonates with how the generation in Luke 7 rejected both John (austere) and Jesus (social) as God's chosen messengers.
barnesLuke 7:31: "And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?"
See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 11:16-19 . "And the Lord said." This clause is wanting in almost all the manuscripts, and is omitted by the best critics.
calvinLuke 7:29-35: "And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John."
- But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children, who sit in the market-place, and call out to their companions, 17. And say, We have played on the flute to you, and you have not danced; we have sung mournful airs to you, and you have not lamented. 18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19. The Son of man came ea…
Jesus is asking this question not just to describe the people of his generation, but to highlight their profound discontent and stubborn refusal to engage with either extreme of God's messengers. It's not just that they didn't respond, but that they actively rejected both John's austerity and Jesus's inclusiveness, showing a deep-seated preference for finding fault.
Jesus is responding to a generation that has rejected both his message and John the Baptist's message, even though they presented themselves in starkly different ways. After the people and tax collectors acknowledged God's goodness through John's baptism, the religious leaders and lawyers scorned God's plan and refused John's baptism. Jesus then poses a question, seeking a way to describe their obstinate, critical spirit.
Jesus is responding to a generation that has rejected both his message and John the Baptist's message, even though they presented themselves in starkly different ways. After the people and tax collectors acknowledged God's goodness through John's baptism, the religious leaders and lawyers scorned God's plan and refused John's baptism. Jesus then poses a question, seeking a way to describe their obstinate, critical spirit.
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This highlights a crucial point: God's truth doesn't need human approval to be valid. It is its own validation, confirmed by the lives of those who embrace it.
"“To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?" — Jesus is asking this question not just to describe the people of his generation, but to highlight their profound discontent and stubborn refusal to engage with either extreme of God's messengers. It'…
