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our last study we discovered that John the Baptist had heard about the
great miracles that Jesus was performing while John was in prison. John
was having doubts about Jesus, and the miracles only confused him more.
So he sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Expected
One, or shall we look for someone else?” In response, Jesus performed
more miracles and then told John’s two disciples to return and
report to John what they had witnessed. Matthew 11:7 tells us that there
were crowds standing around Jesus while all of this was occurring. What
was the crowd thinking? Since John the Baptist had been telling the people
that Jesus was the Messiah, some of them must have wondered too! When
the herald starts having doubts, others may doubt too! Were some of Jesus’ loyal
followers critical of John the Baptist for having doubts about Jesus?
In this study (Matt. 11:7-11; Luke 7:24-28) Jesus honors John and reveals
his true identity.
Going Away. As John’s two disciples were going away, Jesus started
speaking to the crowd,
As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? (NASB) Matt. 11:7 Luke 7:24 appears to give us a different account of this
event when it says,
When the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?” (NASB) Luke 7:24
Our English translations leave the impression that Matthew and Luke
disagree about when Jesus started speaking to the crowds about John.
Luke says that John’s two disciples had left before Jesus started
speaking. Matthew appears to say that the men were in the process of
going away. The answer is found in the Greek verb that is translated
in Matthew as “going away.” The Greek word is POREUOMENON.
It is a present participle verb which implies the men had been in the
process of leaving Jesus. The men had begun walking away and were still
in the process of walking away. It is a different Greek word than the
one used in Luke. Luke reveals that the two men had essentially left
before Jesus turned to the crowds. Matthew gives us a more vivid account.
After John’s disciples were some distance away, Jesus asked the
crowds, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed
shaken by the wind?” The Greek word that Jesus used for “to
see” is THEOMAI. The word refers “to observing closely
something that is very unusual.” Jesus knew that the crowds had
come not just to see John the Baptist. They had gone out into the wilderness
because they believed John was extraordinarily unusual. That is why Jesus
selected the word He did. They did not go out to see reeds blowing in
the wind. Jesus was being sarcastic.
But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces! (NASB) Matt. 11:8 Nor did they go out expecting to see a man dressed in soft
clothing.
But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. (NASB) Matt. 11:9 They did not go out to see some ordinary person. They had gone out to
see someone whom they believed was a great prophet! They did not go out
into the desert to see a king, reed, snake, or some person just walking
in the desert. They thought they were going out to see one of God’s
greatest prophets.
The Promised Prophet. They did not know that John the Baptist was the
one that Malachi 3:1 predicted. So Jesus announced, This is the one about whom it is written, “BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.” (NASB) Matt. 11:10 This is the same passage that John the Baptist’s father had used
to predict John’s future ministry (Luke 1:76). John was the prophet
that God had promised would come before the Messiah. Jesus did not quote
all of the Malachi 3:1 prophecy, but anyone familiar with it should have
known that it referred to Jesus.
“. . . And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts. (NASB) Mal. 3: We are told that Jesus even went to the temple at the age of twelve
(Luke 2:40-51) and was asking and listening to the religious teachers.
As an adult He went into the temple and removed the money changers (John
2:15). Throughout His ministry He taught in the temple (Mark 14:49; Luke
4:16; 19:47; John 7:28; 8:2).
Jesus established a new covenant (Heb. 8:7-13; 9:14-15). During the last
supper and just before His death, Jesus told the disciples,
This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. (NASB) Luke 22:20
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