Matthew 11:11-12 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 11:7-15

We have here the high encomium which our Lord Jesus gave of John the Baptist; not only to revive his honour, but to revive his work. Some of Christ's disciples might perhaps take occasion from the question John sent, to reflect upon him, as weak and wavering, and inconsistent with himself, to prevent which Christ gives him this character. Note, It is our duty to consult the reputation of our brethren, and not only to remove, but to obviate and prevent, jealousies and ill thoughts of them; and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 11:1-30

Matthew 11:1-30 is a chapter in which Jesus is speaking all the time; and, as he speaks to different people and about different things, we hear the accent of his voice vary and change. It will be of the greatest interest to look one by one at the six accents in the voice of Jesus. The Accent Of Confidence ( Matthew 11:1-6 ) 11:1-6 And when Jesus had completed his instructions to the twelve disciples, he left there to go on teaching and to go on making his proclamation in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 11:11

Verily I say unto you ,.... What Christ had before said, he proved from a testimony of Scripture; what he was about to say depending on his word, he asseverates in the most solemn manner: among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist . The phrase, "them that are born of women", is a "periphrasis", of men born into the world by ordinary generation; see Job 14:1 and the sense is, that of all the prophets that have been in the world, since the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 11:12

And from the days of John the Baptist until now ,.... From the time that he began to preach, to the then present time, the kingdom of heaven , the Gospel, and the ministry of it, first by John, then by Christ and his apostles, suffereth violence ; or "comes with force", and power upon the souls of men: it was attended with the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; as appeared by its being the means of quickening persons that were dead in trespasses and sins; enlightening the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 11:11

A greater than John the Baptist - A sixth excellency of the Baptist - he was greater than any prophet from the beginning of the world till that time: - 1st. Because he was prophesied of by them, Isaiah 40:3 , and Malachi 3:1 , where Jesus Christ himself seems to be the speaker. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 11:12

The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence - The tax-gatherers and heathens, whom the scribes and Pharisees think have no right to the kingdom of the Messiah, filled with holy zeal and earnestness, seize at once on the proffered mercy of the Gospel, and so take the kingdom as by force from those learned doctors who claimed for themselves the chiefest places in that kingdom. Christ himself said, The tax-gatherers and harlots go before you into the kingdom of God. See the parallel place, Luke... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 11:11

Verse 11 11.Verily I say to you These words not only maintain the authority of John, but elevate his doctrine above the ancient prophets, that the people may keep in view the right end of his ministry; for they mistook the design of his mission, and, in consequence of this, derived almost no advantage from his discourses. Accordingly, Christ extols and places him above the rank of the prophets, and gives the people to understand that he had received a special and more excellent commission. When... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 11:12

Verse 12 12.Since the days of John I have no doubt that Christ speaks honorably of the majesty of the Gospel on this ground, that many sought after it with warm affection; for as God had raised up John to be the herald of the kingdom of his Son, so the Spirit infused such efficacy into his doctrine, that it entered deeply into the hearts of men and kindled that zeal. It appears, therefore, that the Gospel, which comes forward in a manner so sudden and extraordinary, (16) and awakens powerful... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 11:1-11

John's inquiry. I. THE MOTIVE OF THIS INQUIRY OF JOHN 'S is not at once apparent. What was causing him perplexity, if not disappointment, about our Lord? He was disappointed because the works he heard of were not the kind of works he had himself expected the Messiah to perform. His own work had been to denounce prevailing iniquities, and to predict the advent of One who should cleanse with fire where he cleansed with water; who would come in the same spirit as himself, but... read more