Matthew 11:21

Matthew 11:21

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, 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.

a. NLT: “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.

b. NIV: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

c. Amplified Bible: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes [and their hearts would have been changed].

d. Young’s Literal Translation: 'Wo to thee, Chorazin! wo to thee, Bethsaida! because, if in Tyre and Sidon had been done the mighty works that were done in you, long ago in sackcloth and ashes they had reformed;

e. A.S. Worrell Translation: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to Bethsaida! because, if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done Tyre and Sidon, dthey would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes;

1. “Woe unto thee Chorazin…”

a. woe [3759 * ouai] [Strong: primary exclamation of grief; "woe":--alas, woe.]

b. unto thee [4671 * soi] [Strong: dative case of 4771; to thee:--thee, thine own, thou, thy.]

c. Chorazin [5523 * Chorazin] [Strong: of uncertain derivation; Chorazin, a place in Palestine:--Chorazin.]

1). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “This city, in the general vicinity of Bethsaida and Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee, was upbraided by Jesus for its unbelief in the face of His mighty works and committed to destruction (Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:31). It is now identified with Kerazeh, 2 ½ miles north of Tell Hum (Capernaum).”

2). Though it is not mentioned specifically in Scripture, it is probable that Jesus visited here when his residence was in Capernaum. Regardless, the fame of Jesus was well known in this area. Though we don’t have any Scriptural account that this community saw any miracles at the hands of Jesus, we know from this passage that they did and still refused to repent.

3). We know a little about the city from Jewish writings and from history.  The city and its surroundings are mentioned in Jewish Talmud (b. Menahot 85a).  It is praised as an area famous for its very early harvest of grain.  This is no doubt due to an abundance of black basalt stones and dark volcanic soil in the area.  Chorazin’s steep sun-exposed hillside, with its dark coloration tends to warm up in the springtime, much earlier than surrounding areas.  Today this natural process is known as insoltation. We learn from history that the city was destroyed, probably by an earthquake, in the fourth century AD and rebuilt in the fifth century. The first archaeological work on the city began in the nineteenth century.  The synagogue in Chorazin was discovered as a result of a survey conducted by the Palestine Exploration Fund in 1869.  In 1905–07 excavations on the city were begun and work was resumed at different times, continuing on as late as 1980–84. Surprisingly, Chorazin’s archaeological remains have yielded no evidence of first century (time of Jesus) settlement on the present site.  An abundance of coins and other information date the current site clearly to the third and fourth centuries AD.  However, potsherds gathered nearby may indicate that the biblical city ofJesus’ day lies somewhere in the immediate area. http://www.wordofgodtoday.com/cursed-city-chorazin/

2. “…woe unto thee, Bethsaida…”

a. woe [3759 * ouai] [Strong: primary exclamation of grief; "woe":--alas, woe.]

b. unto thee [4671 * soi] [Strong: dative case of 4771; to thee:--thee, thine own, thou, thy.]

c. Bethsaida [966 * Bethsaida] [Strong: fishing-house; Bethsaida, a place in Palestine:--Bethsaida.]

1). Again as I said above, though we don’t have any Scriptural account that this community saw any miracles at the hands of Jesus, we know from this passage that they did and still refused to repent. What we do have though is an incident where Jesus did heal a man of Bethsaida, but took the man outside the city and after the miracle commanded him not to tell anyone in the city about what happened to him.

a). Mark 8:22-26 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

8:23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

8:25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

8:26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

b). This event and Jesus’ attitude regarding Bethsaida are tied together. They had previously refused to repent when confronted with powerful miracles so now Jesus commanded the man not to tell it to anyone in the town. This no doubt is wisdom following that of a swine’s response to pearls.

c). Matthew 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

2). This is one reason why Jesus did not answer any requests of Herod to see a miracle.

a). Luke 23:7-12 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing.

23:10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.

23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

23:12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

3). It was the birthplace of the apostles, a village frequented by Jesus (and also cursed by him) – there is literally no other example of an entire biblical era city, intact - anywhere. And it took 17 centuries to definitively establish the exact location of this Iron Age city of Bethsaida.

Known as a fishing village, it didn’t seem to make sense that it would be located almost two miles from shore. Additionally, Bethsaida is located in the Golan (i.e. east of the Jordan River). But the Gospel of John identifies the village as being in the Galilee (west of the Jordan River). Solving the mystery of Bethsaida’s location required coming to the realization that the Sea of Galilee’s shoreline today – is not where it was in Jesus’ time. This is most likely due to a significant earthquake in 363 CE. The site of ‘modern-day’ Bethsaida was in fact, at one time, situated right on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/geo/Bethsaida.html

3. “…for if the mighty works, which were done in you…”

a. for [3754 * hoti] [Strong: neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

b. if [1487 * ei] [Strong: a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.:--forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether. Often used in connection or composition with other particles, especially as in 1489, 1490, 1499, 1508, 1509, 1512, 1513, 1536, 1537.]

c. mighty works [1411 * dunamis] [Strong:  force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication, a miracle itself):--ability, abundance, meaning, might(-ily, -y, -y deed), (worker of) miracle(-s), power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work.]

d. which [3588 * ho] [Strong: including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. were done [1096 * ginomai] [Strong: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

f. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

g. you [5213 * humin] [Strong: irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

4. “had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

a. had been done [1096 * ginomai] [Strong: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

b. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. Tyre [5184 * Turos] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (6865): Tyrus (i.e. Tsor), a place in Palestine:--Tyre.]

d. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

e. Sidon [4605 * Sidon] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (6721); Sidon (i.e. Tsidon), a place in Palestine:--Sidon.]

f. they would have repented [3340 * metanoeo] [Strong: from 3326 and 3539; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction):--repent.]

g. long ago [302 * an] [Strong: a primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty:--(what-, where-, wither-, who-)soever. Usually unexpressed except by the subjunctive or potential mood.]

1). [3819 * palai] [Strong: probably another form for 3825 (through the idea of retrocession); (adverbially) formerly, or (by relatively) sometime since; (elliptically as adjective) ancient:--any while, a great while ago, (of) old, in time past.]

h. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

i. sackcloth [4526 * ] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (8242); "sack"-cloth, i.e. mohair (the material or garments made of it, worn as a sign of grief):-- sackcloth.]

j. and [2532 * kai] See “and” above.

k. ashes [4700 * spodos] [Strong: of uncertain derivation; ashes:--ashes.]

1). Gordon Lindsay, The Life & Teachings Of Christ: The Woes Pronounced on the Cities of Galilee. “These cities have been doomed because of their refusal to repent after great signs and wonders had been done in them. The above passage of Scripture is one of the most solemn found in the entire New Testament. First of all, it shows how much importance God places on the ministry of healing. Jesus declared that had the miracles taken place in Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have remained even to that day, two thousand years after their destruction. The same miracles would have brought the wicked cities of Tyre and Sidon to repentance. In these words, Jesus shows that the ministry of healing and miracles is the most powerful evangelistic force in the world and guilty indeed are the people whom these miracles will not convince. But such were the inhabitants of the cities of Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida. They, of course, had their clever explanations. “He casteth out devils by the prince of devils,” said some. Others denied that any miracles actually took place. Still other were too busy with their fishing, their commerce, their shop keeping, to be bothered.”

2). On a side note, both of these cities were part of the original inheritance give to the tribe of Asher.

a). Joshua 19:24-31 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.

19:25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,

19:26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath;

19:27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,

19:28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;

19:29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:

19:30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.

19:31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.