Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The surprising insight here is that Jesus, by deliberately eating and drinking with sinners, was actually demonstrating divine wisdom. His critics saw only gluttony and drunkenness, but those who truly understood wisdom could see its justification through the "fruits" of His actions – the changed lives and genuine faith that His approach fostered, even among the outcasts.
Jesus is contrasting his own inclusive approach with John the Baptist's asceticism, both of which have been met with rejection and criticism by the same generation. Despite their constant complaints about John's austerity and Jesus's sociability, Jesus points out that true wisdom is ultimately validated by its genuine followers and their transformed lives.
Ever felt misunderstood? Jesus certainly did. People criticized Him for being too social and John the Baptist for being too withdrawn.
Jesus contrasts Himself and John the Baptist with the harsh judgments of their generation.
Both approaches, one austere and the other more relational, were met with negative labels and accusations. This highlights how people can twist actions to fit their negative preconjudices, regardless of the intent or actual nature of the behavior.
Despite the harsh labels, Jesus declares that true wisdom is ultimately proven right. How does that work?
The phrase 'wisdom is justified by her deeds' (or 'children' in some translations) is key. It means that genuine wisdom isn't disproven by accusations or misunderstandings. Its true nature and value are revealed over time through its results and the lives it shapes.
Even though people attacked Jesus and John, their ministries bore good fruit. The people who truly embraced God's wisdom, whether through John's call to repentance or Jesus's offer of grace, would ultimately demonstrate that this wisdom was indeed from God.
Understand the original words
ho huios tou anthropou · Greek Noun phrase
A title Jesus used for himself, rooted in Daniel 7:13-14, emphasizing his humanity while also pointing to his messianic authority, divine origin, and role as the future judge of the world.
phagos · Greek Noun
One who consumes excessive food, used in the Gospels as a term of derision by critics to attack Jesus' lifestyle, contrasting his social engagement with the asceticism of John the Baptist.
oinopotēs · Greek Noun
One who consumes excessive wine; a term of reproach used by the religious leaders against Jesus to cast doubt on his character and spiritual integrity.
hamartōlos · Greek Noun
The verse highlights a sharp contrast: Jesus, embodying divine wisdom, faced harsh criticism for His 'earthly' interactions, while John the Baptist, an ascetic, was criticized for his 'heavenly' austerity. This shows how people judged God's actions based on their own preconceived notions, rather than recognizing the divine wisdom in both approaches. The 'children' of wisdom are those who understand and accept God's varied methods.
c. AD 27-30
Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist preaches a message of repentance and baptizes people in the Jordan River, including many who would later follow Jesus. His ascetic lifestyle draws both attention and criticism.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus' Early Ministry and Encounters with Pharisees
Jesus begins His public ministry, teaching, healing, and associating with people from all walks of life, including tax collectors and sinners, which draws the criticism of religious leaders.
c. AD 29
Jesus' Ministry Expands to Gentile Areas
Jesus' ministry extends beyond Jewish territories, demonstrating the universal scope of God's message and causing further consternation among some Jewish leaders.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Rejection in His Hometown
This passage offers a parallel account where Jesus uses a very similar analogy of children in the marketplace to highlight the unresponsiveness of the generation to both John the Baptist's austere lifestyle and Jesus' more communal approach.
Matthew 11:16-18Immediately preceding this verse, Jesus directly compares the generation to children who can't be pleased, setting the stage for how they reacted negatively to both John's asceticism and Jesus' fellowship.
Proverbs 8:22-31This passage from Proverbs provides a foundational understanding of Divine Wisdom as an active participant in creation, which helps to contextualize Jesus' claims and the people's rejection of 'wisdom' personified in Him.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25This New Testament passage speaks to the paradox of God's wisdom appearing foolishness to the world, directly mirroring how Jesus' actions and character were misjudged by the wise and learned of His day.
calvinMatthew 11:16-19: "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,"
- 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. Th…
pulpitMatthew 11:19: "The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children."
Verse 19. - The Son of man (Matthew 8:20, note) came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold (ἰδού, simply demonstrative, as in the LXX. of 1 Samuel 24:12; 2 Samuel 24:22) a man gluttonous (a gluttonous man, Revised Version, for the Greek, ἄνθρωπος φάγος, merely reproduced the original Semitic order), and…
The surprising insight here is that Jesus, by deliberately eating and drinking with sinners, was actually demonstrating divine wisdom. His critics saw only gluttony and drunkenness, but those who truly understood wisdom could see its justification through the "fruits" of His actions – the changed lives and genuine faith that His approach fostered, even among the outcasts.
Jesus is contrasting his own inclusive approach with John the Baptist's asceticism, both of which have been met with rejection and criticism by the same generation. Despite their constant complaints about John's austerity and Jesus's sociability, Jesus points out that true wisdom is ultimately validated by its genuine followers and their transformed lives.
Jesus is contrasting his own inclusive approach with John the Baptist's asceticism, both of which have been met with rejection and criticism by the same generation. Despite their constant complaints about John's austerity and Jesus's sociability, Jesus points out that true wisdom is ultimately validated by its genuine followers and their transformed lives.
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A despised class of people in first-century Jewish society; tax collectors were viewed as collaborators with Rome, and "sinners" were those who flagrantly violated the Torah. Jesus’ friendship with them demonstrated his mission to call the lost to repentance.
sophia · Greek Noun
God’s attribute and gift of divine insight into the right way to live and act, personified in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
dikaioō · Greek Verb
To show or prove something to be right, just, or true; in this context, it refers to the reality of Jesus' divine mission being vindicated by the fruit of his ministry and the integrity of his actions.
Jesus returns to Nazareth and is rejected by His own townspeople, highlighting the persistent opposition and disbelief He faced.
"The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”" — The surprising insight here is that Jesus, by deliberately eating and drinking with sinners, was actually demonstrating divine wisdom. His critics saw only gluttony and drunkenness, but those who tru…
