MATTHEW 11: 2-24
John's Doubt (vv. 2-6)
In the early first century, the time when Jesus lived, everyone in Israel had expectations. They had expectations about the Messiah, the One who would come into the world. Some had a highly militant portrait in their minds. They expected a Caesar of sorts, someone who through military might and political revolution would bring a new exodus for God’s people from the bondage of Roman rule. Others expected that the Messiah—whether he was a military man or not—would act like a holy man and in righteousness proclaim God’s judgment upon evildoers—Romans, Greeks, barbarians, and even unrighteous Jews, like Matthew the tax collector.
John the Baptist and his disciples fell into this second camp. Matthew’s Gospel includes three passages that focus on John (cp. 16:14; 17:13). There is our present passage, chapter 14 (his gruesome murder), and also chapter 3, where we are first introduced to John as he is baptizing in the wilderness and preaching repentance. From all these texts, especially chapter 3, we learn that John, a preacher of fire and brimstone, seems expectant of that same heat from our Lord. He expected that, as the Messiah, Jesus would judge lawbreakers like Herod (14:4), who actually would have John’s head (and not the other way around as it should have been).
John was likely fine with Jesus the healer and Jesus the Savior. He was fine with Jesus showing he had the power to conquer disease, and sin. But in 11:2, 3, it seems, he began to wonder where the justice and judgment were. John warned those who wouldn’t bear fruit with repentance that “the axe is laid to the root of the trees” (3:10a). But now “in prison” (11:2) and soon to die for proclaiming God's righteousness and the coming Messiah, John wondered where this axe was and when Jesus was going to start swinging it.
Pretend you are John for a moment. As the prophets foretold, you expect not just a Year of Jubilee but an era of full and final jubilee—when all die wrongs would be righted. Yet here you are—the most righteous of righteous men—imprisoned for months in the fortress of a scoundrel, the least righteous of unrighteous men. And while you are imprisoned, out there Jesus is befriending Torah-breakers. Jesus is not acting like God's “Son” (remember what the heavenly voice said about Jesus at his baptism, 3:17, which John perhaps heard?). People are saying that this Jesus seems more like the “rebellious... son” of Deuteronomy 21:20—a boozer and a glutton. It’s bad enough that Jesus is eating and drinking so much (what holy man would do that?); it’s even worse with whom he is eating and drinking (tax collectors and sinners, political and moral traitors).
So pretend you are John. Your mind begins to flood with thoughts. Why did Jesus need to be baptized in the first place if he wasn’t a sinner? That still doesn’t make sense. Why, when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness (given the opportunity to have earthly power), didn’t he take it? That could have helped our cause. And then, what’s with him asking four fishermen (of all people) into his inner circle and then telling them their mission is to catch men for salvation, not to judge men for rebellion? And in that Sermon on the Mount, as it’s now being called, what's with the opening monologue, the bit about “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (5:9)? And what’s with the idea of loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (5:44)? And now that I think about it, why isn't Jesus in Jerusalem, the Holy City, the capital city? What’s the Messiah doing in Galilee when he should be in Jerusalem? What’s Jesus doing in the backwoods of the world with the backwards of the world? It’s fine to heal people, but why those people? Why be a do-gooder to the done-bad? Heal a leper; fine, but not a centurion’s servant. Save a cripple from his sin, but not a prostitute from hers.
Of course, we don’t know what specific misgivings John had about Jesus. But what person cooped up in a Roman prison wouldn’t. It’s not like a Tanzanian prison, with a nice book to take your mind off your predicament. But it does look like he had misgivings or even doubts. We tend to think that the prophets knew everything, that with them faith was not needed. Here we see an ordinary yet very brave man. And he is coping as best he can. We turn to verses 2, 3: “John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word to his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
This is a fairly straightforward question (Jesus likes such questions.) It’s one that shows John’s honest confusion. It seems that like other prophets who have gone before him—Elijah despairing of his life after the victory of Mount Carmel as Jezebel pursued him (l Kings 19:4), Jeremiah cursing the day he was born as he was grieved by the impending doom to come upon God’s people (Jeremiah 20:14-18)—John, has a moment of misery and misunderstanding that has led to honest misgivings.
So with a loving correction Jesus graciously answered him: Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. (vv. 4, 5)
Jesus also said in essence, “And tell him not to feel slighted by what I’m up to, for ‘blessed is the one who is not offended by me’ [v. 6]. He can trust me. I’m the one. I’m the right person.”
Without directly quoting the Bible, Jesus relays a message that John would understand. He asks John to “see” and hear” what the Word says about the Messiah and then, based on that word, to change his expectations. If John could grasp that what Isaiah’s Messiah was to do, it would fit what Jesus has been doing.
John asks in effect, if Jesus is the coming one, which is likely a reference to Isaiah 35:4, where Isaiah speaks of God coming “with vengeance” to judge. Jesus answered in essence, “Yes, I am coming to judge [in fact that’s how Jesus will end our text—with judgment], but first I’m coming first to save.” Listen to Isaiah 35:4-6a (this is where Jesus is directing John to go):
Say to those who have an anxious heart [like John], Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
Jesus is not simply saying, John, who can raise the dead? Who can give the blind sight? Look and listen—I’m so powerful I must be the Messiah He is saying, “Scripture says that when Messiah comes, these miracles will happen, and so will judgment. I haven’t forgotten about the judgment part of the promise. In fact, I’ll start with a bit of judgment the moment I’m done disquieting your doubts.”
“So tell John,” Jesus says to John’s disciples, in effect, “to reread Isaiah 35:4-6—the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, and so on—and then to reread Isaiah 61:1, 2” (the text about himself that Jesus would read in the synagogue in Luke 4:18):
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives [the spiritual exile is over], and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.
The day of vengeance is coming. God’s enemies will get their reward. But first Christ must bring the gospel to the poor. The poor must “have good news preached to them”. That’s Jesus’ answer to John.
Stop and think here for a second. As I look at John’s doubt and how Jesus alleviates it, two thoughts come to mind. First, if it’s okay for John to have a period of doubt concerning Jesus, then it’s okay if you or I have our bouts with misunderstanding. Secondly, if we are in doubt, perhaps because like John we are experiencing hardship, we should doubt as John did—a faithful doubt, an asking doubt. It’s okay to pray, I don’t understand, please explain this to me.
John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask John’s question because his expectations about Jesus were not aligning with his experience. But the fact that he went to Jesus for answers shows he knew where to go, and in faith he did go to him.
When we are in misunderstanding, we must doubt like John doubted and go to God’s Word for answers; and go in prayer for answers.
For we believe, don’t we? Lord, help our unbelief.
Tri-Cities of Disbelief (vv. 7-24)
In verses 2-6 we have John’s doubt and Jesus’ cure for that doubt. And I surmise, mostly because of Jesus’ extremely positive comments about John in verses 7, that John listened to the word. He saw afresh that Jesus’ works were in accordance with the Word, and though he never got out of the depths of that dungeon, he did get out of the depths of his doubt.
Next we come to verses 7-24. Here Jesus turns his attention from John and John’s disciples to the crowds. “As they [John’s disciples] went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds” (v. 7). What would he have to say to them? He speaks words of judgment! John will not stay long offended by Jesus, but the crowd, which I take in part to be those people from the towns mentioned in verses 21-24, would. Like spoiled children, they would accept nothing God put before them. John came through town, sang his sad song of repentance, and they said, “Oh, he’s a madman!” Jesus came through town and sang his happy song of salvation, and they said, “Oh, he’s immoral!” God gave them John, and they did not repent. God gave them Jesus, and again they “did not repent” (v. 20). Fascination? Yes. Faith? No. Curiosity? Yes. Contrition? No.
Thus in verses 20-24, following the pattern of the oracles against the nations in Isaiah 13—20, Jeremiah 46—51, Ezekiel 25—32, and Amos 1:3—2:3,6 Jesus pronounces the coming woe of judgment upon these Jewish cities. He pronounces God’s woe upon God’s “holy” people (the Jews) in God's Holy Land (Israel). Here Jesus makes these seemingly exaggerated claims that Tyre and Sidon, two cities that epitomized Israel’s enemies in the Old Testament (cp. Isaiah 23; Ezekiel 26—28; Amos 1:9, 10), had they seen Jesus do what he did in Chorazin and Bethsaida, “would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (11:21). Then he claims that on judgment day Sodom (that’s code for "the worst city ever!”) will get off with a slap on the hand compared to Capernaum.
But why such woes for Capernaum, which had been Jesus’ base for missions thus far and even his adopted hometown? What had they done that deserved this? Like most normal people in the world, they were not guilty of any notorious crime or of “anything particularly offensive or inhumane.” Here we find no abnormal atrocities—genocide, ethnic cleansing, or the sodomy of the Sodomites. Here we simply have the normal perversity of disbelief in Jesus.
Disbelief? Is that the worst sin in the world? Everyone ranks sins differently—murder, adultery, stealing, parking in a handicap space without a sticker, eating trans fats. But disbelief—failure to trust in Jesus? That’s not even on some people's lists. Well, it’s on Jesus’ list, at the very top!
We struggle with disbelief being so diabolical because today’s media “ethicists,” if I can call them that (whether they are religious or secular personalities), say the opposite. To believe in Jesus—that he is the only way to God, that his commandments are authoritative for all nations, and that every knee should bow before him in worship (themes that will come up in Matthew repeatedly)—is seen as unethical. Moreover, to take it all a step further, to preach this good news to others (as Jesus suggests in chapter 10)—is seen by many today as being as unethical as stealing a lollipop from a three year old girl on her birthday. The strong sentiment is that disbelief is not a sin, and further that belief in Jesus, as he is presented in the Bible, is on the top of society's sin list. The fundamentalist’s faith in this Jesus is viewed as fundamentally wrong.
Whose voice will you listen to? Who’s the universal ethicist? Who has authority in Heaven and on earth to tell you what to think and do? Is disbelief in Jesus contemptible or is it intellectual? Is it condemnable or commendable? Jesus says it’s contemptible and condemnable, and especially so for those so close to the action.
When you haven’t seen and heard Jesus, as John the Baptist hadn’t for a while, and confusion sets in, that’s one thing. Such lack of knowledge can be dealt with in a correctively loving manner. But when you have seen and heard Jesus, as the people in these three cities had, and disbelief sets in, that’s another thing altogether. Such hardness of heart cannot so readily be softened; such calloused stones cannot be easily smoothed. It’s better to tie the whole bundle up and throw them into the bottom of the sea.
Jesus judges the disbelief of the people of these three cities so strongly because they saw the mighty works of the Messiah the most, and yet they did not repent and believe. Notice the phrase used in verses 21 and 23: “If the mighty works done in you had been done” in those secular cities would have believed. Jesus denounced the cities “where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent” and believe (v. 20).
A contemporary comparison would be a person who grows up in a Ecclesia where accepting the Faith is prominent or at least normative, has been surrounded by the gospel taught and lived out at a large Ecclesia and home by Christadelphian parents, grand-parents and others, and yet rejects the saving grace of God. Perhaps this describes you. Be warned. It is no trivial matter to know so much and not believe.
So, why the woes? Why is Jesus so upset at these people? First, the powerful miracles should have produced faith. Second, the person of John should have likewise produced faith. Look with me at verses 7-15, and I’ll explain what I mean. Starting in verse 7 Jesus gives what we might call his “Sermon on John.” But think of it this way: for every point Jesus makes about John, he also makes a point about himself.
In verse 7b-9, speaking about John, Jesus said, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? [No.] What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?
[No.] Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’” (see Malachi 3:1)
John was more than a prophet because “he was prophesied. He is more than a bearer of prophecy; he is an object of prophecy. John is the prophet promised as the advance man for the Messiah.”
“If that is John,” says Jesus, “then who am I?” Malachi 3:1 reads, “Behold, I [the Lord] send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.” In Matthew, Jesus changes the pronouns: “Behold, I send my messenger before your face who will prepare your way before you.” These second person singular pronouns—“you” and “your”. What is Jesus doing with these pronoun changes and additions? Does he think he is the Lord? Does he think he is the Lord and the Messiah? Absolutely. Both with his earlier allusion to Isaiah 35 and now with this quotation from Malachi 3, the point being made is that the coming of Christ has come! The prophecy has come to pass before their eyes.
Now back to Jesus’ “Sermon on John.” Next point: “Truly, I say to you among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. As Brother Abel points out in Wrested Scripture the AV text is not helpful here. The text does not say that John is less than them. John is at least the equal of any other prophet outside the New Covenant of Jesus.
What is Jesus doing here? Here’s the argument: as great as John was, his ministry was old Covenant. He is the last and greatest Old Testament prophet. Now even the littlest newborn who has come to faith in Jesus, is greater—not greater in stature or holiness - but truly greater (because the new covenant is a “better covenant” than the old, Hebrews 7:22; 8:6) better than the greatest old era man, John. And with that thought in mind, here is what we’re to dwell on, to “hear” as Jesus would put it in verse 15. Here is the a fortiori argument: “If John is the greatest man ever born, and if the most insignificant person in the coming kingdom of heaven is greater than John, what does this make Jesus, who is the bringer of that kingdom?” Let’s think about it. How high can you go?
So in verses 7-15 we have Jesus’ three-point sermon on John.
• Point 1: If John is the greatest-prophet, what does that make Jesus?
• Point 2: If John is the greatest pre-kingdom man, what does that make Jesus as the King of the kingdom to come?
• Point 3: If John is “Elijah”—not some reincarnation of Elijah (see John 1:21), but the one who has come, as the Jews expected, in the “spirit and power” of Elijah (Luke 1:17; cp. Matthew 17:12), as the “Elijah” of Malachi 4:5, the one who would prepare the way, for the Messiah —who then is Jesus?
John is that Elijah-figure who is to come, who has come. He is the one who each Passover they had set a place for hoping he’d show up. He has shown up because Jesus is the Lord. That empty chair has been filled, for behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Expectations, Expectations
Back in our question: why the woes? Why does Jesus judge so severely? First, the powerful miracles should have produced faith in him (vv. 20-24). Second, the person of John should have produced faith in the person of Jesus (vv 7-15).
I began talking about expectations. We all have expectations. Some might expect that if there is a God, he should write his name and message in the stars—“God exists, Yahweh is my name, and Jesus is my Son”. Then they would repent and believe. But God has expectations too. He expects human beings to repent and believe because he has done something greater than writing something up there.
First he sent his prophets—from Moses to John—to prepare the way for the Lord. Many of these prophets wrote down what we should expect God to do in history. Then, in the fullness of time, God sent his own Son to teach, perform miracles, be lifted up on the cross, and rise again from the dead (all before eyewitnesses). And yet we ask for more. We want God to scribble signs with the stars when he has plainly given his word in Scripture and his word made flesh, in his Son. What spoiled children we are! What wedding jig do you want God to play before you will dance, what dirge to sing before you’ll cry? The Word of God and the Son of God—that should be enough (see Luke 16:29-31). That should be enough to get all of us to repent and believe, to follow the Lord Jesus in faith.
(R. Kent Hughes. and Douglas Sean O'Donnell., 2013; edited Carl Hinton., 2020)