SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:7
¶ E idos ellos, comenz Jess a decir de Juan a la multitud: ¿Qu salisteis a ver al desierto? ¿Una caa que es meneada del viento?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 11:7
Verse 7. What went ye out into the wilderness to see?] The purport of our Lord's design, in this and the following verses, is to convince the scribes and Pharisees of the inconsistency of their conduct in acknowledging John Baptist for a divinely authorized teacher, and not believing in the very Christ which he pointed out to them. He also shows, from the excellencies of John's character, that their confidence in him was not misplaced, and that this was a farther argument why they should have believed in him, whom the Baptist proclaimed as being far superior to himself. A reed shaken with the wind?] An emblem of an irresolute, unsteady mind, which believes and speaks one thing to-day, and another to-morrow.
Christ asks these Jews if they had ever found any thing in John like this: Was he not ever steady and uniform in the testimony he bore to me? The first excellency which Christ notices in John was his steadiness; convinced once of the truth, he continued to believe and assert it. This is essentially necessary to every preacher, and to every private Christian. He who changes about from opinion to opinion, and from one sect or party to another, is never to be depended on; there is much reason to believe that such a person is either mentally weak, or has never been rationally and divinely convinced of the truth.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. And as they departed , etc.] That is, the messengers of John, ( Luke 7:24) when they returned to their master, to give an account to him of what they had heard and seen, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John ; he took this opportunity before the whole company, who had heard what passed in conversation between him and the disciples of John, to say some things concerning his character and ministry: and which he did, partly to rectify and remove any wrong opinion they might have conceived of him, from this message of his, as if he had retracted his former sentiments concerning Christ, at least was wavering and doubtful about him; and partly, to put them in mind of their former zeal and attachment to Johns ministry, when they went out in large bodies to attend upon it; and to revive a good opinion of him; and signifies, that they would do well to ask themselves, what views they had in attending on him, and how they came to grow indifferent to so great a man: and Christ, by giving an account of his character and office, confirms his own Messiahship; and this commendation of John, he chose to enter into, after the departure of his messengers, lest what he said of him should be interpreted as mere flattery: what went ye out in the wilderness to see? This refers to ( Matthew 3:5) where we read, that great numbers from Jerusalem, Judea, and the country round about Jordan, went out into the wilderness of Judea, where John came preaching, to hear him, and be baptized by him; and our Lord asks, what was it that led such multitudes of them into the wilderness? What did they expect to see there? A reed shaken with the wind? This may either refer to Johns gesture in preaching, who might wave to and fro as a reed does, when shaken by the wind; and Christs question is, did ye go out only to see and observe the preachers gesture, to see him move his body to and fro? Was it not to hear his doctrine, and receive benefit for your souls? And did you not?
Wherefore, you ought still to retain a valuable respect for him. Or this may regard their opinion of him; and the sense of the interrogation is, when you first went out to him, did you take him to be an unstable, inconstant man?
Like a reed shaken with every wind! If you did, you were mistaken; he was firm and stable in his sentiments and ministry, his preaching was not yea and nay, his doctrine was all of a piece; he stood to it, that he was not the Messiah, but his forerunner; the testimony he bore was always alike, consistent with himself, and he is the same man now he ever was. The Jews use this comparison of a man to a reed, in a sense just the reverse, and make it to signify constancy, and not inconstancy, as well as tenderness, in opposition to roughness, severity, and stubbornness. Let a man (say they f674 ) be always hnqb r , tender as a reed, and let him not be hard and stubborn as a cedar: when the four winds of the world go out, the reed goes and comes with them; and when the winds are still, the reed stands in its place.
So they observe f675 , that it is said, that the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed shaken in the water, ( 1 Kings 14:15) which they interpret by way of blessing. As a reed (say they) stands in a place of water, its body waves about, and its roots are many; and though all the winds in the world come and blow upon it, they cannot move it out of its place, but it goes and comes with them; and when the winds are still, the reed stands in its place.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-15 - What Christ said concerning John, was not only for his praise, but for the people's profit. Those who attend on the word will be called to give an account of their improvements. Do we think when the sermon is done, the care is over? No, then the greatest of the care begins. Joh was a self-denying man, dead to all the pomps of the world and the pleasures of sense. It becomes people, in all their appearances, to be consistent with their character and their situation. John was a grea and good man, yet not perfect; therefore he came short of glorifie saints. The least in heaven knows more, loves more, and does more i praising God, and receives more from him, than the greatest in thi world. But by the kingdom of heaven here, is rather to be understoo the kingdom of grace, the gospel dispensation in its power and purity What reason we have to be thankful that our lot is cast in the days of the kingdom of heaven, under such advantages of light and love Multitudes were wrought upon by the ministry of John, and became his disciples. And those strove for a place in this kingdom, that one woul think had no right nor title to it, and so seemed to be intruders. I shows us what fervency and zeal are required of all. Self must be denied; the bent, the frame and temper of the mind must be altered Those who will have an interest in the great salvation, will have is upon any terms, and not think them hard, nor quit their hold without blessing. The things of God are of great and common concern. God requires no more from us than the right use of the faculties he ha given us. People are ignorant, because they will not learn.
Greek Textus Receptus
τουτων 5130 D-GPM δε 1161 CONJ πορευομενων 4198 5740 V-PNP-GPM ηρξατο 756 5662 V-ADI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM ιησους 2424 N-NSM λεγειν 3004 5721 V-PAN τοις 3588 T-DPM οχλοις 3793 N-DPM περι 4012 PREP ιωαννου 2491 N-GSM τι 5101 I-ASN εξηλθετε 1831 5627 V-2AAI-2P εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF ερημον 2048 A-ASF θεασασθαι 2300 5664 V-ADN καλαμον 2563 N-ASM υπο 5259 PREP ανεμου 417 N-GSM σαλευομενον 4531 5746 V-PPP-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. As they departed (toutwn de poreuomenwn). Rev., more literal and better, as these went their way; or while they, John's disciples, were departing: thus giving the simultaneousness of Jesus' words with the act of departure.To see (qeasasqai). Rev., to behold. qeasqai, like qewrein, expresses the calm, continuous contemplation of an object which remains before the spectator. Compare John i. 14. Another verb is used in Christ's repetition of the question, vv. 8, 9; ijdein in the ordinary sense of seeing. The more earnest expression suits the first question.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:7 {As these went their way} (toutwn poreuomenwn). Present participle genitive absolute. The eulogy of Jesus was spoken as the two disciples of John were going away. Is it a matter of regret that they did not hear this wondrous praise of John that they might cheer him with it? "It may almost be called the funeral oration of the Baptist, for not long afterwards Herodias compassed his death" (Plummer). {A reed shaken by the wind} (kalamon hupo anemou saleuomenon). Latin _calamus_. Used of the reeds that grew in plenty in the Jordan Valley where John preached, of a staff made of a reed (#Mt 27:29), as a measuring rod (#Re 11:1), of a writer's pen (#3Jo 1:13). The reeds by the Jordan bent with the wind, but not so John.
