Matthew | 1-5 | 6-10 | 11:1-19 | 11:20-30 | 12:1-21 | 12:22-50 | 13:1-23 | 13:24-43 | 14:1-12 | 14:13-36 | 15:1-20 | 15:21-39 | 16:1-20 | 16:21-28 | 18-28 |

These small group studies of Matthew 11:20-30 contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications.  Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.

Matthew 11:20-30 Bible Study – The Call to Follow Jesus

Outline

I. Woe to Unrepentant Cities (20-24)
II. Jesus’ Intimate Relationship with the Father (25-27)
III. Jesus’ Invitation to the Weary (28-30)

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Jesus’ purpose is in denouncing these cities? What did he want His audience to understand?
• Had any miracles recorded in the gospels occurred in Chorazin or Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-25, Luke 9:10-17)?
• What can we learn from the fact that no recorded miracles were done in Chorazin?
• Why does Jesus mention Tyre and Sidon? What was special about these cities?

Cross-References

John 21:25 – Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Jesus denounces the cities where He had performed miracles –

Matthew 11:20 – Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

John and Jesus had been preaching repentance and the kingdom of God is near. Many of the people in the crowds were intrigued. They were curious. They watched Jesus and talked about Him. They wanted Jesus to heal their diseases and sicknesses. But there was very little transforming repentance taking place.

Jesus’ miracles should have convinced the people that He was truly the Messiah, the Son of God. Turning away from their sins, they should have thrown themselves on Jesus’ mercy. But they did not. Take note that in Jewish culture, repentance was often shown externally through sackcloth and ashes. But we see zero cases of sackcloth and ashes in the gospels. No one tears their hair out like Ezra did. No one mourns and weeps like the people of Nineveh did.

Why is there no repentance? Because the people thought they were OK. The people thought they were righteous in God’s sight. Having become comfortable in their religious lives, they followed the ritual of religion, but their hearts were not changed.

Application – Just being in a place where God is working is not enough. Going to church, hearing good sermons, and listening to testimonies is not enough. God’s Word is meant to change our lives. It is meant to bring about life change. Do you listen to sermons and read Scripture with the goal to change your life based on what you read? One simple and effective way is to make one application each time you read the Word or listen to a sermon. It can be very simple such as, “I will say ‘thank you’ to my spouse for making dinner.” When we have the mindset to apply the Word, it changes everything.

2. Chorazin – This was a town near Capernaum. It is not mentioned in the gospels as any place that Jesus did miracles. We can learn two simple lessons from this:

• Jesus did many miracles not mentioned in the gospels. (John 21:25)
• The disciples were not just making up or even editing what Jesus said. If they were trying to compose an account of Jesus’ words which fit the account they were recording, they would have considered editing this out since it seems there is no support for it. Statements like this are actually strong contextual arguments for the historical veracity of the account.

3. Bethsaida – Some miracles were recorded which occurred there or very near there. Mark 8:22-25, Luke 9:10-17.

4. Tyre and Sidon – These were nearby cities to Israel on the north. They were seaports on the Mediterranean Sea. A number of prophecies of judgment were made against them in the Old Testament (Isaiah 23, Jeremiah 25, 27, 47, Ezekiel 26-28, Joel 3). They were fulfilled as Tyre was completely destroyed by Alexander the Great in 322 BC and Artaxerxes (a Persian king) conquered Sidon.

Jesus’ point is that though these were pagan cities they would have quickly repented of their sins if Jesus were in their midst doing miracles as He did in the Jewish towns mentioned in this passage. Highlighting Gentile and pagan towns as being more quick to repent of their sins than good Jewish towns would have enraged the Jews and helped to drive His point home. There are other examples of Gentile pagans and idol worshipers repenting more quickly than the Jews, such as in the book of Jonah when he goes to Nineveh and they repent in sackcloth and ashes.

“Jesus used the pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon to highlight the way God’s chosen people refused Him. The Israelites of Jesus’ day believed themselves to be righteously following God, yet they did not recognize God in their midst. Jesus, in essence, shamed Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum — they, who were supposed to be God’s representatives on earth, refused to listen; yet pagan cities would have quickly repented. Jesus’ comments demonstrate the importance of responsibility and stewardship. ‘From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked’ (Luke 12:48).” – Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/Tyre-and-Sidon.html

Capernaum is likewise being condemned as being even more hard-hearted and stubborn than Sodom. Jesus does not mince words. Sodom is known as perhaps the most evil city in the history of the world. Its utter wickedness was well known to the Jews. Jesus seems to want to shock them out of their complacency with this statement and yet we still don’t see people repenting as they should.

Application: Most of those listening to Jesus were complacent. It seems they were curious about His teachings. They listened to Him in perhaps the same manner that you might watch a hit TV show. Most did not seem to make personal applications from what He taught. What about you? When we listen to the messages at church or Bible study are we quick to change our behavior and obey? Or do we go through the outward motions of following God while not changing our deeply rooted behaviors that are contrary to the Word?

Suggested Article – How to make SMART applications

II. Jesus’ Intimate Relationship with the Father (25-27)

Discussion Questions

• Why do you think Jesus said this to the Father out loud in the hearing of everyone?
• In what way does God hide these things from the wise and intelligent and reveal them to infants?
• Why do you think God does this?
• What kinds of things are included in the “all things” here in verse 27?
• What does He mean that no one knows the Son except the Father and vice versa? Do we not know Him?
• How is God knowable to us?

Cross-References

1 Corinthians 1:17-25 – I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.

John 16:28 – I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

John 6:38 – For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

John 5:19 – So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

John 10:15 – Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Ephesians 1:22 – And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Jesus appears to have said this out loud –

Matthew 11:25-26 – At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

Perhaps He wanted the crowds to hear this prayer so that they would desperately want to know these things. Desperately wanting to have these things revealed to them, they would seek for the truth and God would then show them as well. And yet even after hearing this, the people’s hearts remained unchanged.

2. Jesus’ relationship with the Father – Here we get a glimpse of Jesus’ relationship with the Father. It is very close. They know each other intimately on a level no one else possibly can. Though there are no perfect terms in human language to describe this, we see that the Son had the perfect “trust” of the Father, who hands over everything to Him. The Father knows that the Son will do exactly as He would do with these things because the Son is in fact the image of the Father (Colossians 1:15).

Here is one of the many verses which gives us some glimpse into the perfect Trinity. And the good news for us is that we too can know God (though not in the same complete way) if we come to Jesus, who will reveal the Father to us. Jesus is the Mediator who brings us to the Father and gives us a relationship with Him.

III. Jesus’ Invitation to the Weary (28-30)

Discussion Questions

• What invitation does Jesus extend?
• Who does it apply to? What kinds of people are weary? What kind of person is heavy-laden?
• What claim and promise does Jesus make?
• What is Jesus’ yoke?
• What is our job (learn from Him)?
• What is the result of taking His yoke upon us?
• What is a yoke? How and why does He say it is easy and the burden light?
• Does this mean following Jesus is easy? Is it easy or hard?

Suggested Activity: Split into pairs. One of you plays an unbeliever. One of you plays a believer. The unbeliever should role play disbelief that the burden of following Jesus is light or easy. The believer explains this passage. The unbeliever should feel free to doubt or play devil’s advocate. Gather back together and share.

Cross-References

1 John 5:2-4 – By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The invitation –

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

The invitation to “come” is available to all. Old, young, male, female, Jew, Gentile, American, and Asian, Jesus is accessible to all. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is saved. To receive what Jesus has to offer requires an action: come.

2. The weary and heavy-laden are singled out and invited – The weary and heavy-laden are invited to come. There could be different reasons for being weary. Weary of sin. Weary and tired by the burdens of this world. Weary and tired by the burdens of trying to keep so many man-made laws and traditions. Weary and tired of trying to be good enough to be accepted by God.

For a Jew, it would have been wearisome to try to follow the countless rules which had been added to the Scriptures over the years and know you are never even close to good enough to reach the standard. Now the weary are people who are trying hard in life (perhaps as a Muslim or a Buddhist, perhaps as a nominal Christian or a works-oriented Catholic, perhaps as someone who tries to earn the approval of people and lives for what others think, perhaps as a materialist), but are not achieving what they hope for. The goal is continually out of reach. An empty heart and dissatisfaction are ever present.

3. The promise – I will give you rest. It is the same type of promise Jesus made when He said He is the bread of life and also living water. Jesus promises rest. Not physical rest. He Himself rested physically very little. But a rest from toiling on our own to achieve the unachievable. He gives us what we are longing for. He fills our hearts. And he gives it as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9), which we do not and cannot earn.

4. His yoke – God never promises total freedom. He lets us know what to expect ahead of time. He still expects us to learn from Him and follow His ways. There is a yoke. And yet His yoke is not heavy.

1 John 5:2-4 – By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

A command is not burdensome if you want to obey it. A command is not burdensome if you love the one who gave it. He is not a harsh master. He is loving. And though He is our Master, He is also our friend.

Hosea 11:4 – I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

He did not lead them as a slave driver with heavy chains of oppression, but rather He led them with “cords of kindness” and “bands of love.” He directed them. He did not allow them to run free, but they were not slaves treated with ill-will. His treatment of them did not leave a mark as prison chains would do. He led them with kindness, caring about them.

Note that this is very different than how Satan would do it. Satan promises freedom. He promises no chains. You can do whatever you want. You are free to live your life as you see fit. Satan would then accuse God by saying that God has “cords” and “bands,” but follow him and you will have none.

Yet the person who follows this licentious “free” lifestyle becomes chained to sin, living as a slave of his own worldly passions. Ask a person who lived his life in pursuit of alcohol, drugs, or sex how free they felt. Ask them if those bonds were gentle or oppressive. Satan and the world promise freedom, but only offer chains.

God’s “cords of kindness” are the way to truly enjoy the wonderful life He has prepared for you.

We saw that God does place a yoke on people as a means to lead them. He instructs them. He guides them. He has expectations of how they should live. He never promises freedom to do whatever you want. But yet, His yoke is “easy” and His burden is “light.”

Reflect – Why are these words used to describe this yoke? How is easy and light?

The one following God’s plan for his life will experience peace and joy and also a conscience which affirms rather than convicts. His soul will feel uplifted as he obeys God, rather than being stuck in the mud of sin and shame.

5. I am gentle and humble in heart –

Matthew 11:29 – I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

See Philippians 2:4-10. Jesus is very humble. He is also gentle. When people mocked Him on the cross, He did not open His mouth to rebuke them. Neither did He call fire from heaven to consume them. We should understand that Jesus is also firm and tough when He needs to be, such as when Peter tempted Him not to go through with His mission to die on the cross or even in the above passage today. But He can be very gentle as well, like when He asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” He asked this instead of chastising Peter for his three-times denial.

Matthew 12:20 – A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.

Application: Fathers, are you only strict and tough to your kids, or are you also gentle? Are you a friend to them? Are your commands to your kids burdensome and wearisome or are they happy to obey because of the relationship you have with them? Husbands, consider the same questions in relation to their wives. Are you gentle and loving to your wife? Do you make it easy for them to follow your leadership and submit to you?

Application: If you are weary in this world, you need to come to Jesus. If you are striving to accomplish things with your own power, you need to come to Jesus. If you are trying to be good enough to be accepted by Him or by others, you need to come to Jesus. If you are stressed and your thoughts are in turmoil, then you need to come to Jesus. He is a shepherd who leads us to the green grass and quiet waters. Are you following Him to these or are we still like the sheep in Isaiah 53:6 who go their own way?