Dear Explorer,
Read Matthew 11:20-24
And
Read Luke 10:12-16
Now to understand this passage, you would have to know some Jewish history found in the Old Testament.
So, here's the history lesson. Abraham had a nephew named Lot who was a grown man with a family. Lot lived in the city of Sodom. Sodom had become so sinful that after God rescued Lot and his daughters (his wife turned back and was turned into a pillar of salt), God sent fire and brimstone to destroy the city and everyone and everything in the city. You can read about it in Genesis 18:20-21 and Genesis 19:1-28).
In Jesus' time, Tyre and Sidon were two cities located in Phoenicia, a pagan country that was north of Galilee. Both were cities known for their sinful practices.
So, in Jesus' day, if you wanted to say something was really, really sinful – you would mention either Sodom or Tyre or Sidon.
Now, you also need to know that Korazin (or Chorazin), Bethsaida and Capernaum were all cities in Galilee where Jesus was teaching and preaching and doing miracles and healing, etc.
Now, with that background. What was Jesus saying?
(Matthew 11:20-24 and Luke 10:12-16)
I think He was saying, “If you want to talk about evil – look at yourselves. You have the Son of God standing right here and you have rejected Him.”
I think there's a little bonus tidbit here, too. From Matthew 11:24 and Luke 10:14, I think we can infer that God's judgment is always fair. I think it will be based on the understanding given to each individual. I don't think He is an unfair judge.
In His service, dale
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