The Meaning of Matthew 11:18 Explained

Matthew 11:18

KJV: For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.

YLT: 'For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon;

Darby: For John has come neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon.

ASV: For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a demon.

Discover Matthew 11:18

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Matthew 11:18?

MEANING: What does Matthew 11:18 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Matthew 11:18 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Matthew 11:18?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  John  came  neither  eating  nor  drinking,  and  they say,  He hath  a devil. 

What does Matthew 11:18 Mean?

Study Notes

devil demon.
.
Devils
Devils, lit demons. To the reality and personality of demons the N.T. scriptures bear abundant testimony. As to their origin nothing is clearly revealed, but they are not to be confounded with the angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 ; Judges 1:6 .
Summary: Demons are spirits Matthew 12:43 ; Matthew 12:45 are Satan's emissaries; Matthew 12:26 ; Matthew 12:27 ; Matthew 25:41 and so numerous as to make Satan's power practically ubiquitous. Mark 5:9 . They are capable of entering and controlling both men and beasts Mark 5:8 ; Mark 5:11-13 and earnestly seek embodiment, without which, apparently, they are powerless for evil.; Matthew 12:43 ; Matthew 12:44 ; Mark 5:10-12 . Demon influence and demon possession are discriminated in the N. T. Instances of the latter are; Matthew 4:24 ; Matthew 8:16 ; Matthew 8:28 ; Matthew 8:33 ; Matthew 9:32 ; Matthew 12:22 ; Mark 1:32 ; Mark 5:15 ; Mark 5:16 ; Mark 5:18 ; Luke 8:35 ; Acts 8:7 ; Acts 16:16 . They are unclean, sullen, violent, and malicious; Matthew 8:28 ; Matthew 9:23 ; Matthew 10:1 ; Matthew 12:43 ; Mark 1:23 ; Mark 5:3-5 ; Mark 9:17 ; Mark 9:20 ; Luke 6:18 ; Luke 9:39 . They know Jesus Christ as Most High God, and recognize His supreme authority; Matthew 8:31 ; Matthew 8:32 ; Mark 1:24 ; Acts 19:15 ; James 2:19 . They know their eternal fate to be one of torment; Matthew 8:29 ; Luke 8:31 . They inflict physical maladies; Matthew 12:22 ; Matthew 17:15-18 ; Luke 13:16 but mental disease is to be distinguished from the disorder of mind due to demonical control. Demon influence may manifest itself in religion asceticism and formalism 1 Timothy 4:1-3 degenerating into uncleanness 2 Peter 2:10-12 . The sign of demon influence in religion is departing from the faith, i.e. the body of revealed truth in the Scriptures. 1 Timothy 4:1 . The demons maintain especially a conflict with believers who would be spiritual.; Ephesians 6:12 ; 1 Timothy 4:1-3 . All unbelievers are open to demon possession Ephesians 2:2 . The believer's resources, prayer and bodily control Matthew 17:21 "the whole armour of God" Ephesians 6:13-18 . Exorcism in the name of Jesus Christ Acts 16:18 was practised for demon possession. One of the awful features of the apocalyptic judgments in which this age will end is an irruption of demons out the abyss. Revelation 9:1-11 .

Context Summary

Matthew 11:11-19 - The Last Of The Prophets
The least in a higher dispensation has great advantages over the greatest in a lower one. A child on a hill can see farther than a giant in the valley. Many have tried to right the world by violence, by the vehemence of their speech and acts. But it is not so that the Kingdom comes. Its weapon is not the sword, but the cross. Its advent is not as the thunder shower, but as the summer dew or the opening of the dawn.
Our Lord truly estimated the temper of His age. It was fickle, changeable, and hard to please; but beneath its evident superficiality there was a substratum of rock. They refused John because of his austerity, and they refused Jesus because of His human kindness and gentleness. Never trim your sails for the world's breath. The breeze springs up and soon dies away. Do God's will!
O sinful brother and sister, can we ever estimate enough the assurance that Jesus is the friend of our souls? He does not disown, withdraw, or reproach. He knows what our temptations are, and makes allowances, and loves us steadfastly forever. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 11

1  John sends his disciples to Jesus
7  Jesus' testimony concerning John
16  The perverse judgment of the people concerning the Son
20  Jesus upbraids Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum;
25  and praising his Father's wisdom in revealing the Gospel to the simple,
28  he calls to him those who are weary and burdened

What do the individual words in Matthew 11:18 mean?

Came for John neither eating nor drinking and they say A demon he has
Ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης μήτε ἐσθίων μήτε πίνων καὶ λέγουσιν Δαιμόνιον ἔχει

Ἦλθεν  Came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Ἰωάννης  John 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
μήτε  neither 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μήτε  
Sense: and not, neither … nor, not so.
ἐσθίων  eating 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐσθίω 
Sense: to eat.
μήτε  nor 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μήτε  
Sense: and not, neither … nor, not so.
πίνων  drinking 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πίνω  
Sense: to drink.
λέγουσιν  they  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Δαιμόνιον  A  demon 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: δαιμόνιον  
Sense: the divine power, deity, divinity.
ἔχει  he  has 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.

What are the major concepts related to Matthew 11:18?

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