In Matthew 11, the disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus to ask whether He was the One who was to come, or if they should look for another? The question was John’s not theirs. John had been arrested for his work, and as he sat in prison, he wondered whether Jesus was really the Messiah. Jesus’ answer was a quote from Isaiah’s prophecy of what the Messiah would do. Jesus affirmed John as the greatest man ever born of woman, and then said the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. As the chapter continues Jesus condemns Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their unwillingness to trust Him as Messiah and to repent. Finally, Jesus tells the crowds if any are tired and overburdened to come to Him, because His “yoke” is easy, and His burden is light. The yoke was used to couple two ox or cows together to multiply their work. When we yoke ourselves to Jesus every burden and work is lightened and made easier.
In Matthew 12, Jesus tells the religious leaders He is Lord of the Sabbath, when they question Him about His disciples picking grain to eat on the Sabbath. Jesus also heals a man on the Sabbath, which evoked their wrath. Jesus pointed out to everyone that He is God’s chosen servant. When the Pharisees say Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons, He responds that every sin we commit will be forgiven but sin against the Holy Spirit. He defined the sin against the Holy Spirit here as attributing to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus went on to tell us a “tree” is identified by its “fruit,” meaning we can judge between Him and the religious leaders by the work accomplished. Jesus told the people who would not give them a sign of who He was except for the “sign of Jonah,” which referred to His three days in the tomb, as Jonah had been in the belly of a great fish. Next, Jesus tells a parable warning of the danger of having an evil spirit cast out of a person, without the person then being filled with the Holy Spirit. Finally, Jesus’ mother and brothers come to see Him, but Jesus responds His mother and brothers are those who do the will of His Father in heaven.
In Matthew 13, Jesus told the Parable of the Sower, and told the disciples why He told parables. After that, He explained the Parable of the Sower. Then Jesus told the Parable of the Weeds, and of the Mustard Seed and Leaven. Then He explained the Parable of the Weeds. After Jesus tells several more parables, He was rejected in Nazareth.
As we return to John 16, Jesus continues His farewell discourse to the disciples, which included more information about the Holy Spirit as well as words of comfort that they would be sorrowful (at His death), but eventually their sorrow would turn to joy.