The naming of these two cities first does not mean that they were worse than the rest of Israel, because his reproaches apply to every city and every Jew who does not bow before the Messiah when he displays his powers for restoration openly to all—but the threat of judgment is strongest where he displayed his grace most abundantly. Now all Israel knows that people cannot bypass Jesus unpunished.
The fact that he names these two cities first does not mean that they compared unfavorably to the rest of Israel. In fact, the reproaches he offers them are as applicable to every city and every Jew that does not bow before the Messiah now that he displays his powers for restoration openly to all the people. Still, the threat of the judgment is strongest in those places where he displayed the gifts of grace most abundantly. Now all Israel knows the score: that people cannot bypass Jesus unpunished.1
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.