Matthew 11:16 (WEB)
“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call to their companions
Fathers and councils · 22
Augustine of Hippo
“This whole section relating to John the Baptist, touching the message which he sent to Jesus, and the tenor of the reply which those whom he despatched received, and the terms in which the Lord spoke of John after the departure of these persons, is introduced also by Luke.” — editor's note: Matt. xi. 1–19.
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John Chrysostom
““But whereunto shall I liken this generation?” saith He, “It is like unto children sitting in the market place, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.”” — editor's note: Matt. xi. 16, 17. [The former verse is abridged. R.V. (ver. 17), “We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn (Greek, beat the…
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Clement of Alexandria
“And, again, He likens the kingdom of heaven to children sitting in the market-places and saying, “We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned, and ye have not lamented;” and whatever else He added agreeably thereto.” — editor's note: Matt. xi. 16, 17. [In the Peshitoi-Syraic version, where are probably found the very words our Saviour thus quotes from children in Nazareth, this saying is…
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
The whole of this speech is a reproach of unbelief, and arises out of the foregoing complaint; that the stiff-necked people had not learned by two different modes of teaching.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Whence He puts this question, shewing that nothing had been omitted that ought to be done for their salvation, saying, “To whom shall I liken this generation?
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
By “this generation” He means the Jews together with Himself and John. As though He had said; John is thus great; but ye would believe neither him nor Me, and therefore to whom shall I liken you?
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
And straightway He answers Himself, saying, “It is like unto children sitting in the market-place, crying unto their fellows, and saying, We have played music to you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned, and ye…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
By the “children” are meant the Prophets, who preached as children in singleness of meaning, and in the midst of the synagogue, that is “in the market-place”, reprove them, that when they played to those to whom they…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
They say therefore, “We have played music to you, and ye have not danced;” i. e. We have called on you to work good works to our songs, and ye would not. We have lamented and called you to repentance, and this ye…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
What is that He says, “To their fellows?” Were the unbelieving Jews then fellows of the Prophets? He speaks thus only because they were sprung of one stock.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The children are they of whom Isaiah speaks, “Behold I, and the children whom the Lord has given me.” [Isa 8:18] These children then sit in the market-place, where are many things for sale, and say,
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“We have played music to you, and ye have not danced;” that is, I have shewed you an unrestricted life, and ye are not convinced; “We have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented;” that is, John lived a hard life,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
I would that the Manichaens would tell me what Christ ate and drank, who here speaks of Himself as eating and drinking in comparison of John, who did neither. Not indeed that John drank nothing at all, but that he…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He says therefore, “Jesus came,” as much as to say, I and John came opposite ways, to do the same thing; as two hunters chasing the same animal from opposite sides, so that it might fall into, the hands of one of…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
If fasting then pleases you, why were you not satisfied with John! If fulness, why not with the Son of man? Yet one of these ye said had a daemon, the other ye called a gluttonous man, and drunkard.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
What excuse then shall be given for them? Therefore He adds, “And wisdom is justified of her children;” that is, though ye were not convinced, yet have ye nothing whereof to accuse me, as also of the Father the…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Wisdom is justified of her children,” i. e. The dispensation or doctrine of God, or Christ Himself who is the power and wisdom of God, is proved by the Apostles, who are His children, to have done righteously.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
He is wisdom itself not by His acts, but by His nature. Many indeed evade that saying of the Apostle’s, “Christ is the wisdom and power of God,” [1 Cor 1:24] by saying, that truly in creating Him of a Virgin the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, “Wisdom is justified of her children,” because the holy Apostles understood that the kingdom of God was not in meat and drink, but in patient enduring; such persons neither does abundance lift up, nor want cast…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Some copies read, “Wisdom is justified of her works,” for wisdom does not seek the witness of words, but of works.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
You should not be surprised at His using trite instances, such as that respecting the children; for He spoke to the weakness of His hearers; as Ezekiel spoke many things adapted to the Jews, but unworthy of the…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Mystically; Neither did the preaching of John bend the Jews, to whom the law seemed burdensome in prescribing meats and drinks, difficult and grievous, having in it sin which He calls having a demon — for from the…
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Cross-references · 4
Cited together in Hilary of Poitiers on Matthew 11:16–19 (3) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 11:16–19 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 11:16–19 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 11:16–19 (2) (Catena Aurea).