Mt 11:20-24
20[Jesus] began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23And as for you, Capernaum: ‘Will you be exalted to heaven?/ You will go down to the netherworld.’ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
TYRE AND SIDON: A major Phoenician city, Tyre was in ancient times located on an island off the Mediterranean coast. As modern Sur, it is now situated on a peninsula. The people of Tyre used to ply the Mediterranean routes, carrying dyed goods, timber, wheat, oil, wine, metal products, and slaves. They also established a number of important commercial colonies, the most successful of which was Carthage, the arch-enemy of Rome.
Now located at modern Saida, Sidon is another ancient Phoenician city-state, about 40 kms. north of Tyre. Though a fertile plain inland from the city supported agriculture, the people of Sidon, like those of Tyre, were dependent on sea trade for their livelihood. Sidon replaced Tyre in prominence with the advent of the Persian empire.
During his Galilean ministry, Jesus withdraws “to the region of Tyre and Sidon” (Mt 15:21-29). People from this region are among the “large number of people” that come to Galilee to hear Jesus preach (Mk 3:8). While the prophets denounced Tyre and Sidon for their arrogance and threatened them with divine judgment (Is 23:1-4; Jer 25:22; Ez 26:3-7; Am 1:9), Jesus speaks more favorably of these Gentile cities than of the Jewish towns of Galilee that have not responded to his preaching. Jesus utters a prophetic lamentation against Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum on which he has worked his mighty deeds, signs that the kingdom has come to them. But they have not believed or repented. Jesus shakes them out of their complacency with a warning of judgment.