1. Matthew 11:20 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

In which cities were most of Jesus’ mighty works done?

Matthew 11:20 (ESV)

20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

In short

Two views of the cities where most of [Jesus’] mighty works had been done:

  1. Jesus means the cities of Galilee, the region that had seen the most miracles. Yet the more divine revelation received, the greater the responsibility (see Matthew 10:15; John 15:24). Jesus refers to the Galilean ministry as something of the past. With regard to the place in the Gospel of Matthew, note that the word then often has a broad meaning in terms of in that time (see Matthew 3:13). Jesus had focused his ministry on Galilee, especially the region north of the Sea of Gennesaret.

  2. Matthew 11:21, Matthew 11:23 show that the cities mentioned in Matthew 11:20 are mainly Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida, where Jesus had done many miracles—even though the locations of those miracles are not explicitly named (see John 4:46). Chorazin is mentioned only here and in the parallel passage in Luke 10:13. Matthew 11:21 also mentions Bethsaida, where a few of the apostles came from (John 1:45). These cities were in the region where Jesus had worked the most up to this point.

Interpretation 1:

Jesus refers to the cities of Galilee, the particular region that had been particularly blessed by God in terms of the number of miracles they were exposed to. Yet the more light of divine revelation shines through, the greater the responsibility becomes (see Matthew 10:15; John 15:24).1

Jesus here refers to the Galilean ministry as something of the past. With regard to the place in the Gospel of Matthew, it should be noted that the word then often has a broad meaning in terms of in that time (see Matthew 3:13). Here it becomes clear that Jesus had focused his ministry on Galilee particularly on the region north of the Sea of Gennesaret.2

Interpretation 2:

From Matthew 11:21, Matthew 11:23 it is evident that the cities mentioned in Matthew 11:20 are primarily Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida—the cities where Jesus had performed many miracles, even though the locations of those miracles are not explicitly named (see John 4:46). Chorazin is mentioned only here and in the parallel passage in Luke 10:13. Matthew 11:21 also mentions Bethsaida, where a few of the apostles came from (John 1:45). These cities were situated in the region where Jesus had worked the most up to this point.3