Though it was not Jesus’ primary thrust in His First Advent to pronounce judgment, He did denounce sin. Here He specifically pronounced condemnation against the cities in which some of His most significant miracles had occurred— Korazin ... Bethsaida, and Capernaum, all three near the Sea of Galilee’s northwest shore. By contrast, three terribly wicked Gentile cities— Tyre and Sidon (v. 22), cities on the Phoenician coast 35 and 60 miles, respectively, from the Sea of Galilee (cf. 15:21), and Sodom (11:23), more than 100 miles south— would have repented if they had seen Jesus’ miracles. Their judgment, though terrible, is less than that on the Jewish cities. All three Galilean cities, in spite of their greater “light,” rejected the Messiah, and are today in ruins. Though Jesus lived in Capernaum for some time, it would not be lifted up to the skies, or exalted. Instead its inhabitants would go down to the depths, literally, to hades, the place of the dead.
Louis A. Barbieri Jr., Matthew (The Bible Knowledge Commentary; ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck; Accordance electronic ed. 2 vols.; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), 2:44.
Chorazin kō̇-rā′zin (Χοραζίν, Mt 11:21; Χωραζίν, Lk 10:13; WH Χοραζείν): A city whose name appears only in the woe pronounced against it by Christ (Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13). Its appearance there, however, shows that it must have been a place of some importance, and highly privileged by the ministry of Jesus. It was already deserted in the time of Eusebius, who places it 2 miles from Capernaum (Onomasticon, under the word). We can hardly doubt that it is represented by the extensive ruins of Kerazeh, on the heights to the N. of Tell Hum. It is utterly desolate: a few carved stones being seen among the heaps. There are traces of a Roman road which connected the ancient city with the great highway between N. and S. which touched the lake shore at Khan Minyeh.
W. EWING
“Chorazin,” ISBE, n.p.
