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“Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “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. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Matthew 11:20-24
As we read this passage there are a few things we need to clarify, mainly the places mentioned. I don’t want to leave you in the dark if you have never read this before and I don’t think you can feel the weight of this passage if we don’t explain, if only briefly.
Tyre and Sidon
Sidon and Tyre are two ancient cities located in the region of modern-day Lebanon. Both cities have a rich history and played significant roles in the biblical world.
Here are a few interesting facts about these cities:
1. Sidon:
- Sidon, also known as Saida, is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, with a history dating back over 6,000 years.
- It was a major Phoenician city-state and one of the most important trading centers of the ancient Mediterranean. Very important place for business.
- Sidon was praised for its skilled craftsmen, particularly in the production of glass, purple dye, and cedar wood. We can see that they would be a very wealthy place. The lesson we’ve learned throughout these passages is that riches tend to make repentance a difficult thing to embrace. But Christ makes a point here to say that they would have repented if they would have witnessed what has been done.
- The city was also known for its impressive architecture, including the Temple of Eshmun and the Castle of Sidon.
Here are pictures for your enjoyment:
Temple of Eshmun.
Photo found on google images
Castle of Sidon
Photo found on google images
- Sidon had a significant influence on the ancient world and had interactions with various civilizations, including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Greeks.
2. Tyre:
- Tyre, also known as Sour, was another prominent Phoenician city located on the Mediterranean coast.
We can see them in the left side of the picture.
Photo found on good images.
- It was a major maritime and commercial center, famous for its purple dye industry. Very wealthy, again.
- Tyre was known for its strong fortifications, including the famous "Old City" on an island and the "New City" on the mainland.
Photo found on google images.
- The city was a powerful trading hub and had colonies and trading posts throughout the Mediterranean.
- Tyre had a significant influence on trade, navigation, and cultural exchange in the ancient world.
These were gentile cities and had prophets bring condemnation on them because of their worship of the Old Testament God, Baal. Tyre was an island and was overtaken by Alexander the Great in about the 4th century B.C. It was also sieged by the Babylonians before that.
But not only did these cities have great influence and wealth, they also partook in great evils. Sidon is known for human sacrifices for religious rituals. They killed infants and children to appease their gods.
They also had idol worship and witchcraft and sorcery. This was things like casting spells and magic.
Tyre on the other hand had slave trade. They would capture and sell people. This was also an income for them. The city was well known for charging high and not having fair business practices. They had large control and used it for their advantage.
We can read more on these cities in Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, and Jeremiah.
Sodom
Sodom was a city located in the Jordan River Valley, near the Dead Sea. We can read about this in the book of Genesis. This city was known for their wickedness and corruption. Mainly of the sexual kind. They had no respect for hospitality or personal boundaries. Lot and his family fled during its destruction. We can remember Lots wife looking back and turning into a pillar of salt.
So with this, we see that these cities indeed seemed hopeless. But Christ is saying that they would have responded if they had been given the Gospel. If they had received Christ and his life.
The lesson that I can offer from looking at this would be:
These places were of the worse kind. Any yet it seems that those who receive the gospel and reject it are in worse condition that those who never had the opportunity. We always hear, “well what about the people who never get the gospel? Then what?”
While this is an important question, we should see more that we should really ask what we have done with the gospel. People in America have the privilege to hear the gospel in many ways and with great frequency. And yet many remain dulled. Especially in our congregations. This is a receipt for great guilt. This passage points to the fact that the “Tidy Life” may be worse off than the “Wicked Life.” We remain hard-hearted. We are “clean,” no witchcraft here, but our evil is worse. We listen to the greatest news in the world and remain unmoved. We must beware of this.
So what should you and I do today? As we hear or read of this great rebuke.
We must get past only “hearing and tweeting.” We must “Repent and Believe.”
Is Christ your treasure? Or are you so use to “church” that you don’t see the beauty in front of you? We must self-analyze, here. We are in danger. We feel comfy and right, but we maybe like a frog being slowly boiled to death.
It maybe more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for us who have heard in Iowa. Us who have heard in Nebraska. Us who have heard in Washington. Let’s think on this and be concerned.