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some, but it runs through the length and breadth of Scripture and cannot be ignored by
the faithful student.
We have seen that the great discourses of Matthew's Gospel are ended by the formula,
"it came to pass when Jesus ended" (7: 28; 11: 1; 13: 53; 19: 1; 26: 1) and this
occurs in verse 1 of chapter 11:, which shows it is a wrong chapter division. Verse 1
should be the last verse of the preceding chapter. This verse makes clear that the Lord
followed behind the ministry of the Twelve at a distance, very much like He did with the
Seventy (Luke 10: 1).
"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 dear 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'." (Matt. 11: 2-6, N.I.V.).
John was in prison in Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea, which at this time belonged to
the rule of Herod Antipas. It was more likely this affected John's faith, for, after loyally
proclaiming the good news of God's earthly kingdom and its nearness, how was it that he
was a prisoner, and the Lord had done nothing to rescue him?
We have seen that the Lord's miracles were confirmatory of His Messiahship. They
were not just displays of miraculous power, but were actually those prophetically
declared by the O.T. as marks of the true Messiah (Isa. 35: 5, 6; 61: 1). The answer
of the Lord Jesus to John's doubt amply confirms this (Matt. 10: 4-6) and consists of three
pairs of explanation which could only be understood literally.
Verse 6, with its warning, must have applied to the Baptist. "Blessed is he" shows it
is John who is under consideration. Had it referred to others we should have had
"Blessed are they". The words are a check on John, even though he was imprisoned, for
unbelief is always the deadliest of sins in a believer, and if not eradicated, will certainly
lead to falling away. Doubt is not, as some people think, a proof of superior intellect or
piety. Rather is it the parent sin that has caused infinite trouble in the creation of God. It
denies all that God stands for and even limits Him (Matt. 13: 58).
In spite of this the Lord continues and speaks of John in terms of high praise (10: 7-15).
He asks three questions concerning him (verses 7-9). Did they expect him to bend about
like the reeds near the Jordan, shaken by the wind? If so, they were wrong. John had all
the qualities of a great prophet, which were shown in his integrity, strength of will and
fearless zeal for truth and righteousness, and the Lord declares that "among them that are
born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (verse 11). He was
"more than a prophet", for, in addition to this office, he was the Forerunner of the
Messiah and was His herald, pointing out Him as come (John 1: 29, 35, 36). And the
Lord does not hesitate to quote Mal. 3: 1 to prove this. It is significant that this
Scripture was not spiritualized, but regarded literally. John is the end of one era and the
beginning of another which is related closely to the earthly Kingdom. He has been
likened to the mountain peak between the old and the new.