Ever notice that the Bible kind of just lays it all out - the good and bad. I have found that in scripture, there is this willingness to tell the whole truth. There is an authenticity and transparency to scripture and it does not hide the faults of the great heroes of the faith. … even when they look bad. The writers, I am talking apostles and prophets under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, knew they had to tell the truth about the people we have come to know through God’s word, warts and all. And thank God for that – I mean, when I see and read about their struggles – I can relate…
And of all the people in scripture, we would expect John to have the fewest doubts about the person and work of Jesus. I mean, this is John the Baptist we are talking about here… The guy in the wilderness… “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near…” Yeah! that guy. And then he sees Jesus at the river Jordan, and recognizes Him as the Father’s Anointed One (Matt. 3), John is the one that baptizes Jesus and then tells His followers – “follow Him!” Yet even John, a great man of God, wavers when the going gets tough.
So there is John, in a jail cell at Herod’s fortress of Machaerus.. He is there because he stood up to Herod Antipas and pointed out the king’s sinful ways. While in jail, he’s hearing all this stuff about Jesus, good stuff, but there has been no judgment of evil or vindication of holiness, which John expects to happen at the hands of Jesus who IS God’s Messiah (3:11–12). As a result, John begins to question Jesus’ identity, and he sends some of his disciples to inquire of Him (11:1–3).
This is what Matthew's gospel is all about. It answers the essential question facing men; that question is, "Who is Jesus Christ?" That’s is the focus of first 11 the chapters.
And of all the people in scripture, we would expect John to have the fewest doubts about the person and work of Jesus. I mean, this is John the Baptist we are talking about here… The guy in the wilderness… “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near…” Yeah! that guy. And then he sees Jesus at the river Jordan, and recognizes Him as the Father’s Anointed One (Matt. 3), John is the one that baptizes Jesus and then tells His followers – “follow Him!” Yet even John, a great man of God, wavers when the going gets tough.
So there is John, in a jail cell at Herod’s fortress of Machaerus.. He is there because he stood up to Herod Antipas and pointed out the king’s sinful ways. While in jail, he’s hearing all this stuff about Jesus, good stuff, but there has been no judgment of evil or vindication of holiness, which John expects to happen at the hands of Jesus who IS God’s Messiah (3:11–12). As a result, John begins to question Jesus’ identity, and he sends some of his disciples to inquire of Him (11:1–3).
This is what Matthew's gospel is all about. It answers the essential question facing men; that question is, "Who is Jesus Christ?" That’s is the focus of first 11 the chapters.
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