“When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:1–3 ESV).
We return to our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Beginning in Matthew 11:1 to 12:50, the narrative concerns the signs Jesus provided to authenticate His rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.
After Jesus instructed (διατάσσω; diatasso) or gave orders to the Twelve Apostles prior to sending them to the Jewish towns and villages (Matt. 10), He also departed to teach and preach in their cities. The reference to “their cities” would be the cities, towns and villages surrounding the Sea of Galilee. Except for Judas Iscariot, who was from the southern region of Moab, the remaining eleven apostles originated from the Galilean region.
Today’s text explicitly states that Jesus taught and preached. To teach (διδάσκω; didasko) means to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting. To preach (κηρύσσω; kerysso) means to announce or herald news. This too may be done in a formal or informal setting. Jesus did both.
It was during this time that John the Baptist had heard about Jesus’ miracles (Matt. 4:23-25). John was in prison. The reasons for John’s imprisonment are found in Matthew 14:1-12.
John sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask Him a question. It was, ““Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” Even though John acknowledged that Jesus was the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29), he was having doubts. This was because Jesus had not fulfilled people’s expectations of what the Messiah should be and do. The Jews anticipated a political deliverer who would free them from the oppression of Rome and not necessarily their sin.
“Among the more persuasive evidences for the authenticity of Scripture is the Bible’s willingness to tell the whole truth about the people it describes even when they look bad. Scripture does not hide the faults of the great heroes of the faith. The authors of the various biblical books could have passed over the occasions on which figures like Moses doubted the Lord (Ex. 4:1–17). Such episodes are included because the apostles and prophets, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, knew they had to tell the truth about these people, warts and all,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“Of all people, we would expect John the Baptist to have the fewest doubts about the person and work of Jesus. After all, he is the Messiah’s forerunner and has already baptized Him, recognizing Him as the Father’s Anointed One (Matt. 3). Yet even John, a great man of God, wavers when the going gets tough. John’s righteousness in standing up to Herod Antipas has landed him in a jail cell in Herod’s fortress at Machaerus, located southeast of Jerusalem on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea (4:12; 14:1–4). There has been no judgment of evil or vindication of holiness, which John expects to happen at the hands of Jesus, God’s Messiah (3:11–12). As a result, John begins to question His identity, and he sends some of his disciples to inquire of Him (11:1–3).”
It is easy for our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to falter or fail when life gets difficult. It is during those moments, whenever they occur, to return to the Scriptures and remind ourselves of the person and character of our Lord. In the Scriptures, this is what Jesus is teaching and preaching to us.
Soli deo Gloria!
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