The verb oneidizein (denounce
) normally refers in the New Testament to the contempt endured by Christians from unbelievers. The verb refers not only to reproving others but also to calling them foolish, ridiculous, and laughable. When Jewish cities are ranked below Tyre and Sidon or Sodom, this humiliating judgment provokes either offence or repentance. The latter is Jesus’ aim—to awaken people through harsh words: ...he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
To repent
means to do penance before God and turn in faith toward Jesus.
The word woe,
applied by Jesus to these cities in Matthew 11:21, is not a curse, but expresses grief and sorrow over those who are under divine judgment. Jesus was not angry because they had ignored his message, but mourned over the judgment they were bringing upon themselves. His words are not a curse, but a prediction (see Matthew 11:22). These words of Jesus thus show the depth of Israel’s unbelief.
The verb oneidizein (here in the ESV translated as denounce
) is normally used in the New Testament for the contempt that Christians have to endure from unbelievers. The verb itself does not only indicate the act of reproving others but also includes calling others foolish, ridiculous, and risible. This is certainly the case when Jewish cities find themselves ranked below Tyre and Sidon or below Sodom. This is a humiliating judgment. When you hear it, you feel either offended and mocked, or you are shaken and repent. The latter is Jesus’ intention. He does not ridicule in order to scoff, but to awaken people. His words nonetheless came across as harsh and they are indeed characterized as such: Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.
Here repentance
means doing penance before God and turning in faith toward the Angel of the Lord, to Jesus the Messiah. His heavenly powers clearly demand humility and faith.1
The word woe,
which Jesus proceeds to apply to these cities in Matthew 11:21 is not a curse, but an expression of grief and sorrow over those who are under divine judgment. Jesus had not been angry because they had ignored his message, but he saw the judgment they were bringing upon themselves and he mourned over this. His words are not a curse, but a prediction (see Matthew 11:22). The words of Jesus here therefore serve to amplify how great the unbelief in Israel was.2
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.