Why did Jesus reference Chorazin and Bethsaida in Matthew 11:21?

Response

In Matthew 11, Jesus delivers a judgment on the people for rejecting Him. Specifically, He pronounced woes on the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”, (Matthew 11:21) because He performed miracles in those cities, and they still rejected Him. Chorazin was a city in Galilee, a region where He performed many miracles “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”, (Matthew 4:23). Bethsaida was also located in Galilee, northeast of the Lake of Galilee. Bethsaida was the hometown of Philip, Andrew, and Peter “Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.”, (John 1:44), and Jesus visited there on many occasions.

Galilee held prophetic significance, as it was foretold that the people (including those east of the Jordan and in Galilee) who walked in great darkness would see a great light (Isaiah 9:1-2). The Messiah was that great light, and He performed great deeds in the region of Galilee. However, instead of accepting their Messiah, the cities of Galilee rejected Him. Jesus declared that if He had performed in Tyre and Sidon the miracles He did in Chorazin and Bethsaida, Tyre and Sidon would have repented quickly “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented quickly.”

He would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”, (Matthew 11:21). Even Capernaum was judged—another Galilean city. If the miracles Jesus had done in Capernaum were done in Sodom, He said, Sodom would have repented “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.”, (Matthew 11:23).

These cities and the people in them would be accountable for their rejection of the Messiah. Chorazin and Bethsaida are mentioned as some of the most wicked cities because of the great opportunity that they wasted. Their Messiah had come. He had healed their sick. He had presented them with the kingdom. He came with the good news that they could change their minds about how they might be righteous in God’s sight. He offered them righteousness by grace through belief in Him. He offered a new birth and a place in His kingdom. Instead of changing their minds as He required, they rejected Him as their Messiah. That generation would be held accountable, Jesus said, and the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida would be judged even more harshly than Tyre and Sidon. Capernaum would face less tolerable judgment than even Sodom had endured.

Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, and all of Galilee serve as a cautionary tale in Matthew 11. They were given a great light and had an incredible opportunity to see firsthand the miracle-working of the Messiah. While we haven’t had that same opportunity to be eyewitnesses of His earthly ministry, we have His Word that testifies of Him. Will we make the same mistakes as Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, and the other cities that rejected Him, or will we embrace our Savior and receive God’s righteousness by believing in Him?