Children in the Marketplace

Illustration of Children in the Marketplace
Jesus said his generation was like children in the market who would not dance to a wedding tune or weep at a funeral song - they rejected John and Jesus alike.

Speaking to the crowds about John the Baptist, Jesus compared his generation to children sitting in the marketplace who complain to their playmates, 'We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.' John came fasting and living apart, and they said he had a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they called him a glutton, a winebibber, and a friend of publicans and sinners. Neither the call to mourning nor the call to joy satisfied them. Yet, Jesus said, wisdom is justified of her children: the lives changed by both ministries prove that God's way was right.

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Category: Judgment

Meaning: A hard-hearted generation will find fault with any messenger God sends, but true wisdom is proved right by its results.

Audience: Crowds

Key Chapters

Matthew 11 Jesus and John the Baptist 4 min read Jesus compares his generation to sulky children who will join neither a wedding ... Luke 7 The Faith of the Centurion 7 min read Luke records the same picture, ending with the words 'wisdom is justified of all...

Key Passages

We Have Piped unto You

Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus compares his generation to sulky children who will join neither a wedding game nor a funeral game.

B16ut whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,

17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 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, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Luke's Account

Luke 7:31-35

Luke records the same picture, ending with the words 'wisdom is justified of all her children.'

A31nd the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 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. 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. 34 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! 35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

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Did You Know?

1

The children's games picture a wedding (piping and dancing) and a funeral (mourning).

2

John's austere ministry and Jesus' table fellowship with sinners were both rejected.

3

Jesus never rejected the label 'a friend of publicans and sinners'; elsewhere he said he came 'not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance' (Luke 5:32).

4

Matthew follows this parable with Jesus' woes on the unrepentant cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum.