Lent Reflection #10: Weary in Faith
John the Forerunner is not really a Lenten character, but I've been studying him, so I see connections.
Matthew 11 holds a poignant incident at the end of John's life. He is in prison for speaking the truth about the king's adultery (a sordid story I'd rather not recount here). He has the same response anyone thrown in prison for doing his job would:
1. Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he [a]sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written:
Matthew 11 holds a poignant incident at the end of John's life. He is in prison for speaking the truth about the king's adultery (a sordid story I'd rather not recount here). He has the same response anyone thrown in prison for doing his job would:
1. Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he [a]sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Assuredly,
I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater
than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.
John's response: doubt. John, who from birth was unique and prophesied about, John who had baptized Jesus, John who had told off Pharisees and a king, John who had baptized multitudes with a new interpretation of what the rite meant, this John was doubting Jesus was the One.
And Jesus' response is not rebuke of John. It is to remind him of the prophecies that Jesus himself read in the synagogue at the beginning of his ministry and to assure John that he was fulfilling them. He does rebuke the crowds who flocked to him like some sort of circus act.
There is a lot to be said about this passage. Doubt and questioning are never rebuked in Scripture; disbelief, blame, and accusation of God are (see John's father's muteness!)
In the midst of an exercise like Lent or prayer or fasting or study, we doubt. That is no reason to question what we do, but to be assured of grace that overcomes and is not stifled by our doubt.
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