John questions Jesus

Fairly early in Jesus' ministry, his cousin, John the Baptist, was put in jail by Herod Antipas, because John called him to account for marrying his brother Philip's wife Herodias. Herodias never forgave him. Historical records tell us that he had been incarcerated in Herod's castle at Macheras, a desert fortress in Perea east of the Dead Sea.

John had spent his youth and ministry in the desolate region around the Dead Sea and the southern part of the Jordan River. Now he was locked away, far from any city. John's chances of being let go were poor. However, a few faithful disciples braved the desert to meet his needs and bring him news.

When everything seems to be going our way, we seem almost invulnerable. But when our health breaks, our marriage fails, our business goes bankrupt, a global pandemic confines us to our homes, time and loneliness have ways of playing games with our minds. We second guess our former decisions. We wonder, What if?  

John did too.  He was doubting and asking questions like “Have I been wrong about Jesus?”

"I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Luke 3:16-17)

John had seen the Holy Spirit dove alight upon Jesus at his baptism, heard the voice of the Father boom out, "You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased", and pointed his own disciples to Jesus as "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". But now he wondered. All he heard of Jesus' ministry was miracles and powerful teaching. Where was the judgment? Had John misunderstood? Had he missed it?

John couldn't let the question rest. He had to know. So he sent two of his remaining disciples to Jesus conveying a single question: "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus' Miracles

As is often the case, Jesus doesn't always answer questions directly. His answers are often in stories we call parables. In this case the answer for John the Baptist consists in deeds performed before the eyes of his messengers. "At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind". I imagine that John's disciples stayed with Jesus' group for several days. They watched and listened and formed an impression.

Jesus' Reply

After a few days, Jesus called John's messengers over and said to them:

"Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me" (7:22-23).

For a person who knew the scriptures -- and John the Baptist, son of the priest Zechariah, surely did -- the words recalled passages from the prophet Isaiah concerning signs by which the Messiah would be known:

"In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,

and out of gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind will see.

Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord;

the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 29:18-19)

"Then will the eyes of the blind be opened

and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then will the lame leap like a deer,

and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Water will gush forth in the wilderness

and streams in the desert." (Isaiah 35:5-6)

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion--

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

These Old Testament parallels indicate that the healing miracles and preaching to the poor are signs of Jesus' identity and mission. Jesus knew that John would understand when he told him: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (7:22).

Jesus' words were meant to reassure John the Baptist that he had not erred, but that the signs of the Messiah were all a part of Jesus' ministry.

Blessed Is He Who Does Not Fall Away

Jesus' final word to John seems a bit harsh to some ears: "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me" (7:23). The original Greek word here is skandalizo, an interesting word, formed from the noun skandalon, "animal trap," then used figuratively to refer to a snare laid for an enemy. The verb skandalizo means either 'cause to be caught or to fall,' or 'Give offense to, anger, shock.'

Jesus is saying, Blessed is the person who doesn't get tripped up or upset or confused by my ministry and my teachings. Many do. They find Jesus' forgiveness offensive, for example. The Pharisees were offended by his casual disregard for their plethora of rules. They couldn't see Jesus for who he was because of their offense over some point they just couldn't get past.

You may have been offended by God at some point in your life, and can't seem to get past that, either. Your spouse left you utterly alone.  How could God let that happen? You prayed, but your grandfather died anyway. You can't understand why God would do this to you. A virus is plaguing the world.  Why, God? Maybe you are upset at God, and have been for years. And because of this you can't seem to grow in your spirit, in your spiritual life. You are stuck.

Jesus says this to us today: "Blessed is the person who isn't offended on account of me.”  Doubting and struggling with God and what we do and don’t know about him is a part of the human condition.  It’s something we all go through. It means that we don’t have all the information, and here’s the big hurdle for some people: we don’t get to have all the information.  Isaiah writes from God’s perspective in his writings and says:

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So my response to doubts and struggles and my suggestion to you is simple to say, and admittedly hard to do.  Turn to Jesus Christ. Accept the hope he gives us. Ask Him the hard questions. Learn about his life on earth through the Bible and engage with others to grow closer to him and each other. Through all of that, He will provide us with hope, which will wipe away all doubts and fears.

Jesus’ last response to John the Baptist said: You had it right, John. Even if you don't understand why I haven't come the way you wanted, know that you were right in pointing men to me. Blessed are you if this doesn't become a sticking point for you.

Make Way

In fact, John has the highest honor of being predicted by Malachi as the Prophet who would come just prior to the Messiah:

" 'See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,' says the Lord Almighty" (Malachi 3:1).

Though Luke's Gospel doesn't mention it, Jesus went on to compare John the Baptist with Elijah:

-- "and if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come" (Matthew 11:14)

John had the very great privilege of announcing the Messiah himself -- that's what Jesus told the crowds after John's messengers had left.

Encouragement and Hope

If we were one of the Twelve listening to Jesus' words about John, what would we learn about Jesus from this? Why did Luke record this?  What are we intended to receive from this exchange?

One lesson that comes clear to me is that Jesus looks at a man's strengths, not his weaknesses. Jesus' assessment of John is not critical of his current discouragement, but appreciative of his faith and deeds.

Friends, there are times when we are weak. When we have taken a blow. When we are still reeling. Know this, that Jesus is not there to chide us when we are struggling for air; he is there to help us. He does not push us down, but pulls us to the surface. 

"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-39)

God has a wonderful history of taking people, comforting them, and then calling them to his service. I think of Elijah, whimpering like a puppy in the wilderness after running from Jezebel's threat, recalled by God's still small voice on Mt. Horeb: Elijah, I'm not finished with you yet (1 Kings 19). I think of Peter's terrible guilt from denying his Lord three times to save his own skin, being recalled to service beside the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus tells him three times: Peter, do you love me? Feed my sheep (John 21:15-17).

In spite of our doubts and fears, God thinks the world of us. He gave his only begotten Son to die for our sins. And has washed them away. If you're like John, shut away in a prison, feeling far away from God and his kingdom, pay attention to this: "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."