Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein were done the most of his miracles, for that they had not done penance.
τοτε ηρξατο ονειδιζειν τας πολεις εν αις εγενοντο αι πλεισται δυναμεις αυτου οτι ου μετενοησαν
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 12 commentaries
Jesus had already started to rebuke the cities when wisdom was validated, demonstrating that all things had come to fruition. As He was unsuccessful in persuading the Jews, He turned to lament over matters that held even greater significance than mere warnings. He had disclosed His teachings and His miraculous might to them; however, due to their unwavering stubbornness, He commenced to criticize them.
Having demonstrated that He fulfilled all His obligations, yet they still refused to repent, the Lord continues to speak harshly to the Jews.
This passage highlights the Lord's disappointment towards the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. It emphasizes His frustration because these communities failed to repent despite witnessing extraordinary signs and wonders performed among them.
To express reproach, meaning to mourn their adversity, for mourning is a form of reproach; attributed to the divine powers known as miracles.
The Lord performed numerous acts of compassion in Galilee, particularly around the shores of the Lake of Galilee, in the coastal towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Despite this abundance of miracles, as noted by Chrysostom, and the extraordinary effectiveness of His divine teaching to transform hearts, the elders, scribes, and Pharisees—leaders of the people—remained unyielding in their skepticism. Consequently, the Lord began to reprimand them, engaging in lament, which St. Chrysostom notes carries greater significance than mere threats. As St. Matthew writes, "He began to reproach the cities," expressing sorrow over their hardened hearts in those places where His divine power was most clearly evident, lamenting their lack of repentance. "Woe unto thee, O Chorazin!
Woe unto thee, Bethsaida!" For had the miracles that were performed in you occurred in Tyre and Sidon, those pagan cities would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. The people of Tyre and Sidon have only violated the natural law, the inherent law bestowed by the Creator within nature and human conscience, while you have transgressed the law given by God through Moses. They did not witness my miracles, but you did and chose to blaspheme them (Blessed Theophylact).
The Lord, filled with deep sadness, issued a lament to those unyielding towns—Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, places that had been elevated because the Lord resided and ministered among them. Despite the numerous signs He performed and His regular visits and teachings, He found only a handful of genuine seekers of wisdom. A grim fate is in store for you, a judgment harsher than that which came upon Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom.
In reference to the discourse concerning John the Baptist, Matthew includes a condemnation of the cities that rejected the Savior's miracles, while Luke presents this when he sends out seventy disciples to proclaim the Gospel. Additionally, Jesus offers praise to God the Father for disclosing the secrets of the kingdom of God to the humble and innocent. Luke’s account of sending out the seventy disciples includes this same concept along with the revelation of Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. This acknowledgment surfaces again when Jesus returns to God the Father. When the seventy disciples come back rejoicing, Christ expresses His thoughts regarding their mission.
The chronological sequence of these events poses challenges, but it is likely that Jesus's condemnation of the cities occurred towards the conclusion of His public ministry, which is why Luke arranges it in this order. Moreover, His praise is probably linked to the evident faith demonstrated by His disciples and thus appears in a similar chronological context in Luke.
At the end of His teachings to the seventy disciples on how to conduct themselves while spreading the Gospel, the Lord underscored their authority with a solemn warning, forecasting severe judgment upon those who would reject their message: ‘I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom in that day than for that city’ (Luke 10:12). Sodom and the surrounding towns, which indulged in immoral behaviors, had already faced the penalty of destruction by fire. However, this conflagration serves as only a precursor to the eternal torment of hellfire (Jude 1:7). In that day, they will confront the ultimate judgment of God. A harsh verdict is anticipated for the sinful denizens of those cities.
Nevertheless, even greater suffering looms for those who turn a deaf ear to the apostolic message, as the inhabitants of Sodom would have repented if they had witnessed the numerous miracles performed by Christ and His apostles (Matthew 11:23). The Lord then pronounced woes upon the cities that experienced His miracles yet failed to repent: Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Capernaum is particularly noteworthy as it was where the Lord resided after leaving Nazareth (Matthew 4:13) and where He performed many works. The specific locations of Chorazin and Bethsaida are less clear; Chorazin is mentioned here alone. Given that Christ's ministry primarily unfolded along the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, it is reasonable to assume that Chorazin was one of the cities adjacent to Capernaum. Similarly, Bethsaida, referenced here, likely refers to the Bethsaida situated on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Philip (John 4:44). Chorazin and Bethsaida are likened to Tyre and Sidon, not only due to their identity as Gentile cities (Phoenician, along the eastern Mediterranean coast) but also because the prosperous inhabitants of these commercial centers appeared least inclined to heed spiritual matters. ‘And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, thou shalt be brought down unto hell.’ Capernaum was also a trading hub, more significant than its neighboring towns along the Sea of Galilee. Concurrently, Christ's presence transformed it into a focal point of a significant religious movement sparked by His ministry. However, despite its former exaltation, it experienced a severe humiliation: during the Jewish War, it, along with its surrounding towns, was utterly ravaged and destroyed.
A disgrace to the towns of Galilee When reflecting on the Pharisees and the legal experts who continuously spurned their opportunity for redemption, Christ lamented the cities where He had manifested numerous signs and performed various wonders to reveal to the people that He was indeed the Messiah, urging them not to seek another. The unwavering skepticism of the majority within these towns, influenced by the Pharisees and scribes, would undoubtedly lead to consequences; thus, Christ, fully aware of the repercussions awaiting them, rather than expressing anger, communicated His anguish with tears and deep sorrow, prophesying their doom.
By this point, it was clear that even in the towns where the Savior had primarily taught and performed miracles, the inhabitants did not consistently exhibit genuine faith in the forthcoming Messiah. They seemed reluctant to relinquish their misguided belief in a conquering figure, showing more concern for their retribution against the Roman oppressors than for the kingdom of heaven. They harbored a vain hope that Rome would eventually submit to the awaited Messiah. In response, the Savior issued a grave admonition: "Then He began to rebuke the cities where His miracles were most apparent for their lack of repentance. Woe unto you, Chorazin! Woe unto you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty works done in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, Tyre and Sidon, those sinful Gentile cities of nearby Phoenicia, will fare better on the day of judgment than you. And you, Capernaum, exalted to heaven, will be thrust down to hell; for if the miracles performed in you had been done in Sodom, it would still be standing today. But I say to you, the land of Sodom will be better off on the day of judgment than you." Through these words, Christ was not merely prophesying; He was also acting as a Judge, and His verdict would indeed be executed with dreadful precision. Most of these cities have been so utterly destroyed that no stone remains upon another, and their very locations have been lost to memory or are subjects of dispute.
The Lord commenced to express His condemnation, specifically addressing "this generation" (Matt. 11:16). He extended His rebuke particularly towards the residents of those cities where His miraculous works were most prominently displayed. These extraordinary deeds, signs, and wonders had the potential to convert the hearts of skeptics toward faith in Him and to inspire the repentance essential for entering the kingdom of the Messiah.
The towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, which witnessed numerous miracles and signs by Jesus, serve as a profound illustration of the skepticism that prompted a rebuke from the Lord. Addressing these towns with disappointment, Jesus predicted a grim outcome as appropriate justice for their unparalleled unbelief: Woe unto you, Chorazin; woe unto you, Bethsaida! For had the miracles performed in you occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have shown deep repentance in sackcloth and ashes. Yet I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will have a more favorable outcome on the day of judgment than you. And you, Capernaum, that are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the miracles accomplished in you had been done in Sodom, it would still stand today.
However, I declare that the land of Sodom will fare better in the day of judgment than you. The prophetic pronouncements of the Savior were so precisely realized that today, scholars debate the whereabouts of these cities, which were obliterated down to their foundations.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS