Luke 7:31-35
Luke 7:31 (KJB)
And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and
to what are they like?
The Jewish leaders did not accept the ministry of John or Jesus. This was well
seen in the reactions of the scribes and Pharisees throughout the short ministry
of John and the longer ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were so wrapped
up in their traditions and man-made doctrines that they did not see truth when
it stood right in front of them. Then Jesus begins to make a comparison and asks
the people to what should He compare the men of this generation? What are they
like or how would you describe them?
Luke 7:32 (KJB)
They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to
another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have
mourned to you, and ye have not wept.
Jesus characterizes them as foolish children. It seems that no matter what was
preached or taught, they had rejected. It was like them playing a happy tune
where everybody else was dancing but chose to sit on the side and not dance.
Then on the other end of the spectrum, they played a sad song where people were
mourning, and the leaders were indifferent and did not mourn. Basically, you
could say this was a music of a wedding where people would be joyous and the
leaders refused to be happy or join in the happiness of the couple. Then the sad
music could be a funeral where the leaders would not mourn nor would they
commiserate with the family. No matter what was preached, Heaven or hell, it did
not move them because they were that spiritually dead.
Luke 7:33 (KJB)
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He
hath a devil.
John the Baptist had all the markings of having an Old Testament Nazarite’s holy
devotion to God. John did not eat like a glutton nor did he touch any type of
wine or strong drink, and even though his lifestyle showed that he was obedient
to the Lord, he was still accused of being possessed by a devil. John was a man
of godly character in contrast to the evil lifestyles of the religious leaders.
Instead of them doing self-inspection into their lives, they instead justified
themselves and made false accusations against John. John came with one task in
mind and that was to be the one who introduced the Messiah to Israel. John was
not all enamored with the world.
Luke 7:34 (KJB)
The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man,
and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
Jesus came with a sympathetic heart and He showed how much He cared for the
common people. This is why He was always invited to someone’s home or for a
meal. Jesus was chided by the Pharisees for attending a banquet at the home of
Matthew, the former publican, claiming that He eats with sinners. John was the
one who brought the message of repentance and damnation. Jesus brought the
Gospel of grace and the love of God to the people and for this, He was rejected
by the leaders. So it did not matter what was preached in truth, repentance or
love, the religious leaders rejected it. Jesus, like John, was also falsely
accused as being a glutton and a winebibber. A winebibber was a person who drank
much wine. Today we would call them a “wino.” A wino is one who is addicted to
drinking wine. They also accused Him of being a friend of publicans and sinners,
implying that He Himself joined in their evil deeds and gave approbation to
their lifestyles.
Luke 7:35 (KJB)
But wisdom is justified of all her children.
Then Jesus states that wisdom is justified of her children. Children are a
direct issue from the parents and that means true wisdom is justified by her
children or the direct results. The world may believe that the wisdom of God
looks odd, but nevertheless when the final analysis is made, one cannot argue
with the wisdom of God because it accomplishes what God sets it out to do,
despite the unbelieving world and their non-understanding. What the Pharisees
failed to see was that Jesus changed the sinners, He was not changed by them, a
very important principle when witnessing in the midst of rank sinners.