Sep. 08, 2024
1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 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.” ()
Both in theology and in politics there is a debate about doubt. Is doubt a virtue or a vice? A sign of an open mind or of a mind that lacks conviction? Some like their political leaders to be resolute and decisive. Others say political leaders need to have doubts. The overconfident leader may plunge his nation into a war or launch a risky plan for social reform. But a doubting, vacillating leader can be even worse. He may weigh the costs and benefits so long that the time for action passes, even for the weightiest matters. Further, if no one knows what the government will do next, it is hard for other leaders to make satisfactory plans. The doubt-free leader can lead his nation to ruin; the doubting leader may not lead at all.
Theologians also wonder if doubt is good or bad. Os Guinness, who wrote a finely nuanced book about doubt, said, “Doubt is not the opposite of faith, nor is it the same as unbelief. Doubt is a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief so that it is neither of them wholly and it is each only partly.” Doubt cannot be wholly evil when we consider the way the saints have taken their questions and doubts to God. The Psalms record what we might call inspired doubts. begins, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (). Another psalm laments, “I say to God my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me?’ ” (). Or consider doubting Thomas. When he says he will never believe unless he puts his finger into the marks of the nails, he seems to be only half a step away from complete unbelief. Yet Jesus tenderly answers him, as if his doubts were acceptable.
Responses to Jesus’ Ministry: Failure, Opposition, and Success
It is fitting for the topic of doubt to confront us precisely here in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus has just finished teaching the Twelve about their mission. He is prepared to move on (), but as he does, he meets a case of resistance to their mission that he had just predicted. Remember, Jesus said that most Israelites will not receive the message (10:11–15). The disciples will be like sheep among wolves (10:16). They will be dragged into courts (10:17–20). Their brothers will hate and betray them, so they will have to flee for their lives (10:21–23). The conflict will be so great that Jesus says he came to bring a sword (10:34–36). Thus, their mission seems to be in doubt.
During this period Jesus faced a “rising tide of disappointment.” The cities of Israel largely rejected the messengers, the Jewish leaders typically opposed him, the meaning of Jesus’ ministry was hidden from the wise (11:25), and now even John has doubts. There are nine episodes in , set in groups of three. In each case, the first two episodes are negative and the third is positive. In (negatively), the unexpected shape of Jesus’ ministry raises doubts in John the Baptist (11:2–6). Further, the current generation generally rejected both Jesus and John (11:7–19), so that Jesus reproaches cities that spurned him (11:20–24). But positively, Jesus offers rest to the weary and many find it in him (11:25–30).
John’s Doubt: Is Jesus the One?
God appointed John the Baptist to prepare for the ministry of Jesus. John was the prophet who prepared the way for the Lord. He called the people of Israel to covenant faithfulness, to claim what they had in the covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David. He stressed three things:
First, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near (3:2).
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Second, prepare the way for the Lord (3:3).
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
Third, bear fruit consistent with repentance and receive baptism as a sign of that repentance or face the judgment. Repent soon, John said, for “the ax is already at the root of the trees” to cut down every tree that fails to bear fruit (3:6, 8–10).
6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
This message did prepare the way for Jesus. God knew Israel would hardly be ready for the new covenant if they ignored the old. It is hard to absorb new revelation if one never claims past revelations.
As a prophet, John spoke freely and fearlessly against sin, including the adultery of one of Israel’s rulers, Herod the tetrarch. Although Herod feared John and liked to listen to him, he still kept John in jail for offending him (). From jail, John heard “about the deeds of the Christ” and sent his disciples to ask Jesus a question: “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” ( ESV).
Some theologians have denied that this was a genuine question. They say John knew his disciples had doubts about Jesus, so he sent them to Jesus for their edification. But there are several reasons to believe John sincerely asked his question, even though he was a prophet:
1. Even prophets can have doubts.
Fresh from his great victory against the Baal prophets on Mount Carmel, Elijah despaired of his life. He moaned that he was the only person who remained faithful to God and asked God to take his life (). Anyone can have doubts. Doubters are in good company.
2. Jesus treats the messengers as if John was bringing a real question. He says, “Take this answer back to John.”
3. John expected Jesus to bring justice and judgment along with salvation and healing. But so far Jesus has brought only grace. John said, “The ax is already at the root of the trees” (), but Jesus had not started swinging.
4. John languished in jail for months. Humans are more than thinking machines. We are physical, emotional, and spiritual beings. Prison wounds both the body and the emotions. It is human nature to have doubts when we suffer intensely.
Jesus Answers with Evidence and with Tenderness
We might want to condemn John for having doubts. After all, he saw the Spirit descend on Jesus in the form of a dove. He heard the Father say, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (3:16–17). But we should have compassion for him, suffering unjustly, rotting in jail. Jesus certainly showed compassion. We can lose our perspective, especially if we suffer unjustly. Jesus answered John completely and gently (cf. ). He invited John’s disciples to stay with him to observe his ministry, then said, “Report to John what you see and hear” (11:4). He let John draw his own conclusions. If we have doubts, he will let us do the same.
Matthew has already said these are “the deeds of the Christ” (11:2 ESV), and now he presents them. He starts with a string of miracles, but ends with preaching, for preaching is also messianic work. Notice three features of this series of miracles.
First, the miracles are great and rare.
Jesus heals the blind and raises the dead. The verbs in 11:5 are in the present tense, implying that the healings occur repeatedly. They are common enough that John’s disciples will witness them if they watch Jesus a little while. There are just two cases of raising the dead in the Old Testament (; ), and there are no cases of restoring sight. But blindness and death both submit to Jesus.
Second, Isaiah prophesied the very miracles Jesus mentions.
He did so in three passages: 29:18–20; 35:5–6; and 61:1–2.
18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. 19 The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
Further, each of these passages also mentions the judgment of God. By this, Jesus slips John the essential hint: he has not forgotten judgment; he has delayed it.
Third, word and work go together.
Jesus heals the sick and preaches to the poor. We attend to the poor last; Jesus attends to them first. Who is poor? Anyone who is willing to say, “I am poor. I need Jesus.” Many of us hate to admit that we have needs. But it is poverty that drives us to seek Jesus. Who is content with all they have and all they are? Jesus has no message for the self-satisfied. He speaks to the poor.
Jesus adds, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (11:6 ESV). In fact, Jesus said and did things that upset almost everyone. Jesus went about as a poor and homeless man. He left this life like a criminal, on a cross. These things offend our social sensibilities. But, as Calvin said, we must wage war with our offenses. That is, when offended, we must question ourselves. Was I genuinely offended? Or did I merely take offense? As an exercise, we could make a list entitled “things that offend me” and then evaluate the list. How many items deserve to be on that list? Most of us have absurd entries; mine includes the crime of putting mustard on otherwise good sandwiches, especially if I previously said, “No mustard, please.” Since we do take offense where none is intended, we should test ourselves. Someone once took offense at me for saying “good work” when, in his view, I should have said “very good work.” We should also pause when Scripture offends us. Does Scripture question a treasured opinion? A harbored sin? Jesus probes all our opinions because he needs to dismantle some of them.
Jesus blesses those who are teachable, who are willing to bend their thoughts to his. John nearly stumbled over his preconceived ideas about the Savior. Both John and the Pharisees were startled by the form of Jesus’ ministry, when it seemed that he might be the Redeemer. The difference between them is that John changed his opinion of his opinions, whereas the Pharisees did not. John turned from his opinions, but the Pharisees turned from Jesus.
Jesus’ comments have the effect of correcting John ever so mildly. Yet Jesus quickly praises John, so that we know he had temporary doubts, but no more. He needed confirmation and strength and Jesus granted them. John’s disciples leave with answers; John will be all right.
Jesus Praises John the Baptist
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John:
What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.” (11:7–10)
No final conflict, no final doubt, will separate Jesus and John. To confirm this, Jesus testifies to John before the people by asking them, three times, “What did you go out to see?” The desert is hot and dry, distant and inconvenient. One must have a reason to go there. What did they seek? Jesus lists three options:
John was a reed, shaking in the wind (11:7). That is, John was a fickle prophet, tossed about by adversity or shifts in public opinion. Was John interesting but unstable and easily swayed? No, John’s preaching was fearless and changeless and his life backed his words.
John was a soft, well-dressed man (11:8). No, John wore coarse camel hair and dined on locusts and wild honey (). John was tough, not soft. If people wanted to see someone soft, they should visit a king—like Herod, who held John in jail. Jesus is defending John: he is not fickle, unstable, or soft.
The crowds went to see a prophet. The question is still “What” not “Whom” did you go to see? In this way, Jesus calls attention to John’s office, not his person. There had been no prophet in Israel for four hundred years. The centerpiece of his life was the prophecy, given by God himself, about Jesus. There is no higher office or privilege.
John asked questions. He doubted, but he did not falter. C. S. Lewis once pointed out that someone who investigates the faith may soberly conclude that the evidence is for it, and then falter when he receives bad news or finds himself surrounded by people who do not believe. Then “all at once his emotions will rise up and carry out a sort of blitz on his belief. Now faith … is the art of holding onto things our reason has accepted, in spite of our change of moods.” People sometimes think faith accepts or believes the doctrines of Scripture, whether one is convinced of them or not. Faith then takes command whenever reason fails. We say, “You have to take it on faith.” That is, “Suspend your reason and step into the void.”
This is misguided twice over. First, God never asks us to believe against convictions or reason. If a seeker has an objection to a fundamental of the faith, he must settle it. If a Christian doubts an article of the faith, she must face it and resolve it. Hebrews says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” ( ESV).
Second, even if we are quite convinced, rationally speaking, that Christianity is true, our faith may still falter. Doubts are not necessarily intellectual in origin. They may just as easily start with our emotions or our desires. For example, one pastor gave up orthodox Christianity because his son died in an accident while in his twenties, before he professed faith in Christ. He could not bear the thought of his son facing the judgment of God, so he denied that there is a judgment.
Others are convinced, intellectually speaking, of the truth of Christianity but refuse to become Christians because they refuse to alter their lifestyle. A philanderer refuses to relinquish his paramours. A rich man will not yield control of his finances to God. An unhappily married person prefers to deny the faith because he wants a divorce that violates his promises to God.
If desires can lead us to doubt our Christian convictions, so can moods. Consider the irrational qualms and doubts we feel before surgery: What if they give me too much anesthetic and I never wake up? What if they give too little and I wake up during the procedure? What if they operate on the wrong knee (or kidney, or shoulder)? Likewise bad news, illness, personal trouble, even too much time spent with skeptics and agnostics can induce doubt even if not one rational argument has dented the case for Christianity. G. K. Chesterton rightly diagnosed the problem when he said, “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself but undoubting about the truth. This has been exactly reversed.”
John doubted for two reasons: First, he had misconceptions about Jesus. The solution for that, as for all misconceptions, is proper teaching, and Jesus supplied that. Second, John apparently doubted because of the miseries of prison. We can also doubt when dashed hopes, physical illness, or even sleep loss bring us low. Then we need encouragement from a friend.
The issues raised here explain why it is so beneficial to follow the basic disciplines of Christian living: to pray, to read the Bible, to have fellowship with the family of God, to go to church regularly and receive biblical teaching. We forget our doctrines: reading and teaching remind us of them. Our moods shift. A friend can lift that mood. Jesus took both paths with John. He answered John’s questions, and he encouraged and blessed him as a prophet of God.
A Brief Theology of Doubt
John’s doubts invite us to review biblical teaching about doubt. A certain kind of doubt can be an element of honest inquiry. It can keep us from leaping to conclusions. It can make us consider our sources and weigh the evidence.
In , the members of a synagogue in Berea tested the apostle Paul’s message. They listened carefully, searched the Scriptures, judged his message true and believed. If we call their inquiry doubt, then doubt can be an ally of faith. It is good to face our doubts and seek answers for them. By seeking answers, our faith becomes stronger. But more often doubt is a sign of weak faith.
Live Steaming
Groups
