Matthew 11:19

19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo! a man a glutton, and a drinker of wine, and a friend of publicans and of sinful men [and friend of publicans and sinful men]. And wisdom is justified of her sons.

Matthew 11:19 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 11:19

The son of man came eating and drinking
Meaning himself, who ate and drank as men usually do, lived in the common way of life, was free and sociable, went to feasts, entertainments, and weddings, when he was invited; and was affable, courteous, and friendly in his deportment, to all men;

and they say, behold a man gluttonous,
a voracious man, an epicurean, one that indulges his appetite to a very great degree, and in a scandalous manner;

a winebibber,
a common tippler, one that drinks to excess; whom the Rabbins call F11, (Nrgrg) , who is one, they say, that drinks up his cup at one draught; one that is given to wine, and is greedy of it:

a friend of publicans and sinners;
such as are openly and notoriously wicked; and loves their company, for the sake of tippling with them; and encourages them in their revelling and drunkenness; a very black charge this!

But wisdom is justified of her children;
either the wisdom of God, in making use of ministers of a different disposition and deportment, whereby some are gained, and others left inexcusable: or the Gospel, in which there is such a display of divine wisdom, which is vindicated from the charge of licentiousness, by the agreeable lives and conversations of the children of God: or rather Christ himself, who is the wisdom of God; and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; who, however he may be traduced by ignorant and malicious men, yet will be acquitted from all such charges, as here insinuated, by all the true sons of wisdom; or by such, who are made wise unto salvation. We may learn from hence, that no sort of preachers and preaching will please some men; that the best of Gospel ministers may be reproached as libertines, or madmen; and that they will be sooner, or later, justified and cleared from all such aspersions.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 86. 2. Betza, fol. 25. 2.

Matthew 11:19 In-Context

17 and say [say], We have sung to you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wailed.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Lo! a man a glutton, and a drinker of wine, and a friend of publicans and of sinful men [and friend of publicans and sinful men]. And wisdom is justified of her sons.
20 Then Jesus began to say reproof to cities, in which full many works of power of him were done [in which full many virtues of him were done], for they did not penance.
21 Woe to thee! Chorazin, woe to thee! Bethsaida; for if the works of power [for if the virtues] that be done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, sometime they had done penance in haircloth and ashes.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.