Jesus Gluttonous and a Winebibber? - Matthew 11:19

Matthew the apostle shared how Jesus asked, “where-unto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows. And saying, We have piped unto you, and you have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and you have not lamented. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a devil”, and in chapter eleven and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew wrote how Jesus shared how people said He was, “a man gluttonous, and a winebibber” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.” Matthew began with the words, “the Son of man” which means “the male offspring, descendant and posterity of mankind which refers to Jesus Himself” “came eating” or “arose and appeared consuming and devouring” “and drinking” which means “and imbibing”, “and they say” or “and the multitudes or crowd of people declare, utter and proclaim”, “Behold” or “lo and see” “a man gluttonous” which means “a male person who is voracious, rapacious and ravening” “and a winebibber” or “a tippler, wino or one given to wine”, “a friend” which means “an associate and companion” “of publicans” which refers to “tax gatherers who were collector of taxes or tolls and employed by a publican or farmer general in the collection of taxes” “and sinners” or “people who are devoted to sin and wickedness and are heathen and stained with certain definite vices or crimes”. Matthew shared how people said that Jesus who ate and drank with others was a “ravening individual” and a “wino” who “associated” with people who were both “sinners” and “tax collectors”.

The verse goes on to say, “But wisdom is justified of her children.” Matthew continued with the word, “but” which means “nevertheless, moreover and” “wisdom” or “the varied knowledge of things human and divine which is acquired by acuteness and experience and summed up in maxims and proverbs” “is justified” which means “is rendered righteous or such as he ought to be” “of her children” which means “pertaining to wisdom's offspring, descendants and prodigy”. Matthew shared how Jesus declared that “wise understanding” is “rendered righteous” by her own “prodigy”.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see the contrast between the way people assessed John the Baptist and Jesus. John did not eat or drink with people, and they said he had a “devil”, and Jesus ate and drank with people but the people called Him a “gluttonous wino” and a seedy person who hangs out with “sinners” and tax collectors. People were wrong, and God had it right. God the Heavenly Father intended both John the Baptist and Jesus to fulfill His plan of “salvation” of man. God loves people, and regardless of what they say about His ministers, God uses any one He pleases to fulfill His purpose of “salvation” to the world.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus, “began .. to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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