Scripture: Matthew 11: Verse 3
John the Baptist was put in prison by Herod Antipas because John reproved him for taking his brother, Phillip’s wife, Herodias. While John was imprisoned his disciples gave him an account of the work and ministry of Jesus.
They told John about the miracles Jesus had done: the healing of the centurion’s servant; the raising from the dead of the son of the woman from Nain; the feeding of the 5000 people from 5 loaves and 2 fishes; the healing of the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years and many more miracles.
In spite of all that the disciples of John had seen and heard, they were not fully persuaded that Jesus was the true Messiah. Their suggestions to John about Jesus caused John’s faith in Jesus to waver. In his moment of doubt, he sent two of his disciples to be proper witnesses of what they saw and heard and to ask Jesus, face to face, not hearsay, direct from the mouth of Jesus, “Are you the expected one?”
After six months in prison John’s faith continued to flicker. He was imprisoned facing death. His freedom was now restrained and his expectations about Jesus were not fulfilled. He would not see the fruits of his labour as the forerunner of Jesus Christ.
John, an inspired prophet who was favoured with visions of the supernatural, now his belief gave way to doubts. When he baptized Jesus the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Jesus, and a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
In his state of doubt and despondency, John wanted to know if he should look for someone else. Jesus removed all his doubts and told his disciples to go back to John and “tell him the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is being preached to the poor”.
Look no more.
