Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 11:23

"And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt go down unto Hades: for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have remained until this day." — Matthew 11:23 (ASV)

For Capernaum, see comment on 4:13. This city was not only Jesus’ base (4:13), but he performed many specific miracles there (8:5–17; 9:2–8, 18–33). The favored city of Capernaum, like self-exalting Babylon (cf. Isaiah 14:15), will be brought down “to the depths” (i.e., Hades; GK 87; see comment on Mk 9:42– 49). Hades must here be given rather sinister overtones. Capernaum’s fate will be worse even than that of Sodom (see Ge 19). In the words “I tell you” (v.22), “you” is plural, probably implying the crowd (v.7), since the singular “you” is used for the city (vv.23–24).