Matthew 11:16

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

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
whereunto	Τίνι Tini	G5101	an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — dative singular neuter
shall I liken	ὁμοιώσω homoiōsō	G3666	to assimilate · verb — future active indicative, 1st person singular
this	ταύτην; tautēn	G3778	the he (she or it) · demonstrative pronoun — accusative singular feminine
generation	γενεὰν genean	G1074	a generation · noun — accusative singular feminine
It is	ἐστί estí	G2076	he (she or it) is
like unto	ὁμοία homoia	G3664	similar (in appearance or character) · adjective — nominative singular feminine
children	παιδάριον paidárion	G3808	a little boy
sitting	καθημένοις kathēmenois	G2521	and (to sit · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, dative plural neuter
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
the markets	ἀγοραῖς agorais	G58	probably akin to G1453 (ἐγείρω)) · noun — dative plural feminine
and	καί kaí	G2532	and
calling unto	προσφωνοῦντα prosphōnounta	G4377	to sound towards · verb — present active participle, nominative plural neuter
their	αὐτός autós	G846	the reflexive pronoun self
fellows	ἑταῖρος hetaîros	G2083	a comrade

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Luke 7:31-35 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
Lamentations 2:13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I m…
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Matthew 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mark 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Luke 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 11:16-24

Christ was going on in the praise of John the Baptist and his ministry, but here stops on a sudden, and turns that to the reproach of those who enjoyed both that, and the ministry of Christ and his apostles too, in vain. As to that generation, we may observe to whom he compares them (Mat 11:16-19), and as to the particular places he instances in, we may observe with whom he compares them, Mat 11:20-24. I. As to that generation, the body of the Jewish people at that time. There were many indeed that pressed into the kingdom of heaven; but the generality continued in unbelief and obstinacy. John was a great and good man, but the generation in which his lot was cast was as barren and unprofitab…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 11:2

Now when John had heard in the prison--For the account of this imprisonment, see on Mar 6:17-20. the works of Christ, he sent, &c.--On the whole passage, see on Luke 7:18-35.

John Gill on Matthew 11:16

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? The men of that age, the stubborn and perverse Jews; who were pleased with nothing, with no man's ministry, neither with John's, nor with Christ's, but found fault with whatever they heard, or saw done: it is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling to their fellows: that is, the case of such persons may be fitly represented by children in a public market, calling to their companions, to pipe or mourn with them, and who are so morose and sullen as to do neither: for the men of that generation, are not the good natured children, that called to their fellows, and were willing to join in innocent diversions and exercises; but rather Jo…

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John Calvin on Matthew 11:16-19

Matthew 11:16-19 Matthew 11:16-19 Luke 7:29-35 16. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children, who sit in the market-place, and call out to their companions, 17. And say, We have played on the flute to you, and you have not danced; we have sung mournful airs to you, and you 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, Lo, a man who is a glutton and a wine-bibber, [19] a friend to publicans and sinners; and Wisdom is justified by her children. 29. And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. [20…

The Church Fathers

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.
— Hilary of Poitiers ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The children are they of whom Isaiah speaks, Behold I, and the children whom the Lord has given me. (Is. 8:18) These children then sit in the market-place, where are many things for sale, and say,
— Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

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 had devoted the service of their body, they had not obeyed their words, as the movement of the dancers are regulated by the measures of the music. For the Prophets invited them to make confession by song to God, as it is contained in the song of Moses, of Isaiah, or of David.
— Hilary of Poitiers ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Child — This word has considerable latitude of meaning in Scripture. Thus Joseph is called a child at the time when he was probably about sixteen years of age (Gen. 37:3); and Benjamin is so called when he…
Dance — Found in Judg. 21:21, 23; Ps. 30:11; 149:3; 150:4; Jer. 31:4, 13, etc., as the translation of hul, which points to the whirling motion of Oriental sacred dances. It is the rendering of a word…
Games — (1.) Of children (Zech. 8:5; Matt. 11:16). The Jewish youth were also apparently instructed in the use of the bow and the sling (Judg. 20:16; 1 Chr. 12:2). (2.) Public games, such as were common…
Market-place — Any place of public resort, and hence a public place or broad street (Matt. 11:16; 20:3), as well as a forum or market-place proper, where goods were exposed for sale, and where public assemblies and…
Children · Amusements of — Amusements of
Commerce · Conducted in fairs — Conducted in fairs
Impenitence · 2:4,5;3:1-11,19,26;12:2;20:8,13,21;33:4,5,9; — 2:4,5;3:1-11,19,26;12:2;20:8,13,21;33:4,5,9;
Unbelief · 5:12-14; — 5:12-14;
Wicked, The, Are Compared To · Wayward children — Wayward children

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 11:16-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 11:2

John Gill on Matthew 11:16

John Calvin on Matthew 11:16-19

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Matthew 11:16-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 11:2

John Gill on Matthew 11:16

John Calvin on Matthew 11:16-19

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Matthew 11:16-19