Mat 11:4-6 | KingComments | STEP | When John hears in prison what Christ is doing, doubts arise in his heart. Despite his prophetic gifts, Jewish expectations and concepts remain in his heart. It is therefore understandable that John, when he hears about all that the Lord Jesus does for others, wonders why He does not use His miracle power for his benefit, His predecessor. Christ is there, setting all kinds of unworthy persons free from all kinds of diseases and plagues, but evidently does not think of him. This confuses him and leads him to the question he lets his disciples ask. Sending his disciples to the Lord shows that he has complete faith in the word of the Lord as Prophet, but that he is ignorant of His Person. His question shows doubt as to whether Christ is the promised Messiah Whom he announced. His question stems from a misrepresentation of the coming and service of the Messiah. Our doubts also often arise from a misrepresentation of the Lord and how He acts. We imagine a certain pattern of action and get confused when things go differently. We then think we can dictate to God how He should act, when we don’t know His plans or haven’t properly examined them. There comes no word of reproach from the Lord’s lips. Full of love and grace, He answers His forerunner’s question. John’s disciples should go and tell him what they have heard (His word) and seen (His works). He sums it up for them. This summary shows that He uses His power to relieve people’s needs and not to drive away the occupying power, the Romans. He has never used His power for Himself, but always in grace and mercy for others. What He does and says is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 35 ( ). From His deeds one can see that He is the Messiah. Nowhere in the Old Testament are the eyes of the blind opened. That only happens when He is here. The Lord concludes His answer for John with a gentle reproof. He calls them “happy” who do not take offence at His humiliation and the lack of external glory and do not reject Him for it. That is what John is in danger of, although he certainly did not reject the Lord. He, “God revealed in the flesh” ( ), did not come to seek the glory of the kingship, but for the redemption of suffering people. John did not think about that.

‏ Matthew 11:4-6

The Question of John

When John hears in prison what Christ is doing, doubts arise in his heart. Despite his prophetic gifts, Jewish expectations and concepts remain in his heart. It is therefore understandable that John, when he hears about all that the Lord Jesus does for others, wonders why He does not use His miracle power for his benefit, His predecessor. Christ is there, setting all kinds of unworthy persons free from all kinds of diseases and plagues, but evidently does not think of him.

This confuses him and leads him to the question he lets his disciples ask. Sending his disciples to the Lord shows that he has complete faith in the word of the Lord as Prophet, but that he is ignorant of His Person.

His question shows doubt as to whether Christ is the promised Messiah Whom he announced. His question stems from a misrepresentation of the coming and service of the Messiah. Our doubts also often arise from a misrepresentation of the Lord and how He acts. We imagine a certain pattern of action and get confused when things go differently. We then think we can dictate to God how He should act, when we don’t know His plans or haven’t properly examined them.

There comes no word of reproach from the Lord’s lips. Full of love and grace, He answers His forerunner’s question. John’s disciples should go and tell him what they have heard (His word) and seen (His works). He sums it up for them. This summary shows that He uses His power to relieve people’s needs and not to drive away the occupying power, the Romans.

He has never used His power for Himself, but always in grace and mercy for others. What He does and says is the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 35 (Isa 35:5-6). From His deeds one can see that He is the Messiah. Nowhere in the Old Testament are the eyes of the blind opened. That only happens when He is here.

The Lord concludes His answer for John with a gentle reproof. He calls them “happy” who do not take offence at His humiliation and the lack of external glory and do not reject Him for it. That is what John is in danger of, although he certainly did not reject the Lord. He, “God revealed in the flesh” (1Tim 3:16), did not come to seek the glory of the kingship, but for the redemption of suffering people. John did not think about that.