God's Wisdom, Man's Criticism
Matthew 11:16-24; Luke 10:13-15
By Spiros Zodhiates

Editor’s note: Dr. Zodhiates continues his exposition of Matthew’s Gospel.

[16] Jesus now told the people that “this (taúten, the feminine accusative of hoútos [5026]) generation (geneá [1074])” were like “children” (paidía [3813], little children) who could hear but were unable to understand. They were petulant and irritable because of their immaturity.

He compared His listeners to children who sat in the “markets” (agoraís [58]) where people gather and “called” (prosphonéo  [4377]) to their “fellows” (hetérois [2087], other in a different sense [MT, Nestle’s, UBS]; or hetaírois [TR], those of the same company, companions). Whom would children call to listen to them? Clearly to other children, companions (hetaireía [n.f.] akin to hetaíros [2083]). Accordingly, the Textus Receptus makes more exegetical sense.