Matthew 11:19

“The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of public servants and sinners!' ”

Jesus on the other hand was willing to sit at table with public servants and sinners, and with the common people. Thus when people began to find His teaching too much for them they justified their consciences by accusing Him of being irreligious, and even greedy, and a keeper of bad company. Once they had convinced themselves of that they did not then have to worry about His teachings. They could ‘justifiably' ignore them. It was all a sign of the hypocrisy of the human heart.

Note the reference to the ‘Son of Man'. The description of Him here contrasts with the description of Him as the Son of Man Who had nowhere to lay His head (Matthew 8:20), and with the description of Him as Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8) and the forgiver of sins (Matthew 9:6), thus their accusations were inexcusable.

These misrepresentations are in fact typical of people who are trying to avoid facing up to their consciences or who do not want to have to think too seriously. They do not arise from careful investigation, but from twisting the facts to suit themselves. They were not really puzzled, even though they expressed puzzlement. They were simply justifying themselves in their refusal to listen to them.

“And wisdom is justified by her works.”

In the only other reference to wisdom in the context it refers to the ‘wisdom' of those who saw themselves as wise, but were not enlightened by God (Matthew 11:25). Thus we are probably to read these words as referring to those who were unbelieving and who mocked. Their wisdom was revealed by their actions, by what they produced (therefore Luke says ‘by their children'). And by their words and thoughts of ‘wisdom' they thought that they had justified themselves in their own eyes. As representing ‘Wisdom' (wisdom was often personified) they were justified by their works (their behaviour and words) which they considered had now cleared them of all blame. You could not be expected to listen to a demon or a drunkard.

Of course the converse applied. Those who were truly wise and responded to the teaching of John and Jesus really would be justified by their actions. By their fruits they would be known.

Others, however, see this last verse as referring to Jesus and John, and therefore to their wisdom in behaving as they did which was justified by what they accomplished, or as Wisdom (God) being justified by their ‘works' (Matthew 11:2). But in our view the first interpretation fits the context better.