Matthew 11:20 – 24

20 Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent:

21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Jesus is chastising these cities of which He had spent most of His time preaching the Gospel and performing miracles of healing, raising from the dead, and casting out demons.

He chastises them because they have heard His message to repent but they have ignored the message.

These cities mentioned have had great opportunity to hear His teaching and witness His miracles, yet they have not repented, The ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon if they had been given the opportunities of which had been given to the cities mentioned would have repented.

The toleration for Tyre and Sidon will be on the Day of judgment, when their fate will be pronounced, not after the day of judgment.

Capernaum is the city of which Jesus made his home by choice (Matthew4:13). By having Jesus making His residence in their city, they would have a greater opportunity at understanding what they should be doing. Sodom did not have the opportunity of having the Son of God live in their community so they did not have the same advantage as Capernaum.

Jesus says if Sodom had experienced what Capernaum did, the people would have repented and would not have been destroyed by God. He also said that because of their intolerance to Jesus teaching, Capernaum would be forgotten,

Archaeologists have said after 1100AD, the city was abandoned and not found until near the end of the 19th century and early 20th century. Funk and Wagnall's Standard Bible Dictionary says “It'\s present site is a matter of dispute.” and Smith's Bible Dictionary also says, “It is impossible to locate it with certainty.”

Jesus says the same about Capernaum as He did about Chorazin and Bethsaida, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on the day of judgment as it will be for Capernaum.

Jesus says the Great Judge will have more mercy on those who did not have the words and works of Jesus than those who did but did not follow His teaching.