Arrogant and disgruntled generation

Matthew 11:16-19 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places and calling to their playmates, (17) ‘We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ (18) For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; (19) the Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Those who will never accept the Word will never accept It. They will always have excuses to reject It. It is of no use to be more accommodating towards these people. Jesus considered them childish. Even if these people were given the clearest proof of the existence of God and of the truth of His Word, they still would not believe. They will always have one thing or the other to say.

John came to them strictly living his life and denying himself like all prophets of old in Israel had done and they still thought that he was possessed. Jesus came and lived a normal life and they said that it was too normal; He mixed with sinners and so on and so forth. If He did some other thing in order to make Himself appealing to them, they would still criticize in one way of the other. All this in order to continue to foster that spiritual indolence which prevents personal exertions.

They would never want to exert themselves and if in the Judgment, they are cast out, they would still never accept that this was a justifiable retribution for their spiritual indolence. They would think of themselves as victims instead of sinners. It would never indeed be possible to save such people and it is better if they are left alone to their designs.

Jesus, however, was not unduly concerned about these people. The response that He was receiving among the people justified His Mission and the way that He was going about it. His Work was bearing fruit and the people were beginning to change their ways.