Matthew 11:1-19 John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus
Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’
“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
John is in prison, having offended Herod by telling him that it is illegal for him to marry his brother’s wife. Notice that Jesus begins to travel and work miracles on a large scale only after John is no longer ministering. It’s as if the ministry baton passes to Jesus. While John has baptized Jesus and has seen the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus, he remains worried. Has he suffered for nothing? John knows he is about to die. Jesus LOOKS like the Messiah but is he REALLY the Messiah?
“Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
Jesus gives John an answer straight out of Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”
Now Jesus turns to the people who are busy scrutinizing and criticizing. Having spent time with the Essenes and having come from a priestly family, John has lived very moderately, on a vegetarian diet (locusts and honey), fasting frequently. (Incidentally, although locusts as insects are kosher, there are also trees belonging to the locust family bearing carob pods. The Israelis refer to carob as “St. John’s bread,” raising the question as to whether John was eating insects or carob. John was also a Levite so followers could have brought him show bread from the temple after it had been removed from display.)
Jesus is both amused and frustrated. “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
The critics have accused John of having a demon because his diet is so restricted and he fasts frequently. Now the same people are accusing Jesus because he shares meals with society’s undesirables and only fasts as required by the Law of Moses. These guys can’t make up their minds!
John came as the prophetic forerunner to prepare the way for Jesus. John came preaching a message of repentance, and his ministry was mostly carried out in the wilderness. During John’s ministry, the people came to him. Jesus as the Messiah has been called to preach, teach, and heal, and he is going where the people are in the cities and towns. As the saying goes in the American South, “Same dog, different fleas.”
You have to arm wrestle my husband Bob to get him into a fancy 3-piece suit. Bob swears that he went into the U.S. Navy because they tied their neckties loosely. Bob’s favorite fancy dress is a northern Ghanaian smock. Bob does NOT look like an evangelist. But as a former fire fighter, EMT, police officer and Navy veteran, Bob has a special ministry to anyone in uniform. We have lots of checkpoints on the Ghanaian roads, and Bob prays for the police and immigrations officers at these checkpoints. Bob also prays for janitors, store clerks, waiters, and waitresses, and just about anybody else he feels needs prayer. In an average day when we are traveling, Bob may pray for ten or fifteen people, and these people are always thrilled and blessed that someone has taken the time to notice them. Only in eternity will we know how many of these people Bob has prayed into the Kingdom.
If you roll out cookie dough, you can use a cookie cutter to cut the same shapes repeatedly. But God doesn’t make cookie cutter disciples. God has created each of us with unique abilities and callings. Nobody else is occupying exactly the same spot in creation as you are. May God help you to find your calling and to refuse to compare yourself with others!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen and wait so that You can reveal our calling to us. Help us to realize that no matter where we are, You have a ministry for us right there and then. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment