Matthew 11:2-11

Advent 2 | December 11, 2022 | Matthew 11:2-11 | Judson F Merrell |

² When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples

 ³ and said to him, „Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?“

 ⁴ Jesus answered them, „Go and tell John what you hear and see:

 ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

 ⁶ And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.“

 ⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: „What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

 ⁸ What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces.

 ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

 ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written, ‚See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.‘

 ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Mat 11:2-11 NRSV)

As we continue through this season of Advent it seems odd to hear John the Baptist seemingly doubt the identity of Jesus.  Just last week our Gospel lesson from Matthew made clear that John was announcing the coming of the Messiah.  Following that text we find the story of Jesus being baptized by John.  Matthew presents that story as if everyone who was gathered around, including John, saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Jesus.  John also would have heard God’s voice say “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  So why, now 8 chapters later in Matthew’s account of the Gospel of Jesus, do we have this doubt?  Perhaps that doubt started when John was imprisoned.  Certainly he had great expectations of Jesus, but being locked away meant he wasn’t able to be the witness to Jesus that he thought he was supposed to be.  John’s disciples would have come and visited with him in prison, and report what they had seen and heard.  This message that Jesus was not in Jerusalem sitting on a throne but instead out in Galilee probably created some confusion for John.  Like many faithful Jews, John had a mental picture of what the Jewish Messiah looked like and how the Messiah should be acting to fulfill the promise God made to David.  Jesus in no way fit that picture.  He didn’t dethrone Herod, he didn’t kick out the Roman occupiers, and he wasn’t even in Jerusalem.  So therefore John has to ask: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

As I think about John’s doubt, I realize that John isn’t necessarily having a crisis of faith, which is what it seems.  Instead, John is wrestling with his faith.  John is seeking clarification for his faith.  He fully believes the Messiah is coming.  He believes in the covenants that God made with his people.  He is strong in his faith.  But he is seeking clarification if Jesus is indeed THE ONE.  Perhaps John is thinking of the very passages in Isaiah that Jesus references as he responds to John’s disciples:

Isaiah 35:5-6:

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

⁶ then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.  (Isa 35:5-6 NRS)

and

Isaiah 61:1

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; (Isa 61:1 NRS)

Notice though that as Jesus seems to reference these two Isaiah passages as “proof” of what he is doing and as “proof” that he is the Messiah, he leaves out part of Isaiah 61:1 “to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners.”  I am not sure why the Lord did this, perhaps because John was in prison.  Matthew doesn’t tell us that John requested to be free, but it is interesting how the context of this lesson fits with these Isaiah texts.  Although Jesus does leave that part out, he doesn’t stop.  Looking at our text we see that in place of that missing part of Isaiah 61:1 Jesus adds a blessing to his response: “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”   It’s almost as if Jesus adds this blessing because he left off the part about releasing prisoners.  We don’t know.  That is a point that we have to wrestle with just as John was wrestling with Jesus’ identity as the Messiah.  Wrestling with our faith can be a good thing.  As we continue to move through this text, we note that Jesus did not rebuke John in any way for his doubt or need for clarification. Instead, Jesus actually praises John. “Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  Jesus calls John the greatest human to have ever been born.  John is indeed THE prophet, THE one to announce the coming of the Lord.  John is the fulfillment of the prophecy.  That honor didn’t go to Moses or any other Old Testament prophets.  It goes solely to John, who is the voice crying out “Prepare the way of the Lord.”   If the greatest human in the history of the world can wrestle with his faith and seek clarification, what does that say of our own faith?

As John seeks clarification in his faith, Jesus not only provides that clarification to him, but also to all those gathered around and even to us.  This clarification helps us to build up our faith.  It gives us confidence when we share the good news with others.  It helps us as we live as disciples of Christ.  Like John, there will be moments where we may need clarification.  That’s ok.  It’s important to seek out clarification, to wrestle with our faith, to ask questions.  But like John, that doesn’t mean we are in a faith crisis, but instead seeking to continue deepening our faith and our relationship with God.  We are so blessed because we have a God that wants us to call on his name.  He wants us to love him as much as he loves us, and to live into the life in which he has called us.  We give thanks that in the waters of the font we have received the gift of the Spirit, who helps us as we journey together and with all the church.  Like John, we are on a mission…a mission of faith, a mission of relationship, a mission of discipleship.  In this Advent season, this gives us hope and joy as we continue to prepare the way of the Lord, celebrating how God continues to be at work in our midst.  In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

judsonmerrell@bellsouth.net

Grace Lutheran Church Gilbert, SC 29054
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