Matthew 11:1 John the Baptist - For The Glory of Jesus

Print or Share

John the Baptist

John the Baptist was in prison. He heard about what Jesus was doing and sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask Him a question.

This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references mentioned.

If you do not have a Bible, I invite you to go to BibleGateway.com or another online Bible.

Matthew 11:1-19

1. “Having sent out His disciples, He Himself goes out. How important it was to get the Word of God out to the people! And in our day it is equally important.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 62)

2. It is not difficult to sympathize with John as he suffered in prison. He was a man of the desert, yet he was confined indoors. He was an active man, with a divine mandate to preach, yet he was silenced.” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 40)

3. John the Baptist “wondered why there were no signs of the imminent judgment of the wicked that he had predicted (Matthew 3:10).” (Blomberg, Craig L., The New American Commentary, Volume 22, Matthew. [Nashville: Broadman Press], 185)

Report to John the Baptist

4-5. “Our Lord’s reply to John revealed both tact and tenderness. He reminded John of the Old Testament prophecies about the works of Messiah (Isaiah 19:18-19; 35:4-6).” (Wiersbe, 40)

“Jesus’ reply simply points again to his works, but he now itemizes them. Probably Jesus wants to remind John of the messianic significance of some of the specific miracles of healing.” (Blomberg, 185)

6. “In beatitude form Jesus encourages John, and everyone else with similar doubts, to remain faithful to him no matter what may come.” (Blomberg, 185)

Jesus Praised John the Baptist

7. “After answering John, Jesus then praised him. John was not a ‘popular preacher’ who catered to the crowd, nor was he a reed in the wind who vacillated with every change.” (Wiersbe, 40)

“In our day, the pulpit has become very weak because it is in subjection to somebody sitting out there in the pew who doesn’t like the preacher. Or the message is tailored to suit a certain group in the church.” (McGee, 62)

“The setting of John’s wilderness ministry made it obvious that those who went to see him would not be expecting a fragile, weak, or vacillating individual (‘a reed swayed by the wind’).” (Blomberg, 186)

8. “Or one who enjoyed the ease of material comfort (‘dressed in fine clothes’).” (Blomberg, 186)

9. “Those who sought out John went to the desert only because they expected to see a prophet. Jesus confirmed that, whether they realized it or not, their expectations were fulfilled—and more.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

10. “The crowds associated John with the role of a prophet, both by the clothing he wore and the harshness of his message (recall 3:1-10).” (Blomberg, 186)

Greatest – John the Baptist

11. “‘Born of women’ was simply a Semitic idiom for human. Jesus is contrasting all those who lived prior to the advent of the new covenant with those who will live to see the new age established.” (Blomberg, 187)

12. “The context indicates that Christ’s advancing kingdom would be forcibly opposed by violent, hostile people. As Christ’s kingdom advances, the opposition to it would increase”. [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

13. “The ‘Prophets and the Law’ have pointed forward to the time of John’s ministry, but now Jesus is bringing the age of fulfillment.” (Blomberg, 188)

14. “John in fact is, literally, Elijah, the one who is to come, I.e., not the literal Elijah of old returning to earth from heaven, which John himself denies being (John 1:21) but one who comes in Elijah’s ‘spirit and power’ (Luke 1:17).” (Blomberg, 188)

15. “Even though John’s fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6 is absolute truth, not all would accept it. So Jesus preceded the claim with if you are willing to accept it, and followed it with He who has ears, let him hear.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

This suggests “that Jesus’ teaching is not entirely self-evident, particularly to those who only superficially listen and think.” (Blomberg, 188)

Childs Play

16-17. “Jesus compared disbelieving Israel to children, because their disbelief was so immature and childish. Referring to common children’s games, which required responsiveness in participation, Jesus indicated that Israel had ‘refused to play’ no matter what the tune.” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

18. “‘No man in his right mind would behave in such an eccentric way,’ went their reasoning. ‘Only a demon could have caused such insanity!’” [Max Anders and Stuart K. Weber (2012). HNTC Vol. 01: Matthew. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]

19. “There are some folk that you simply cannot please, and you are better off to forget about them. There are a lot of people whom no one can please, and that was certainly true in our Lord’s day.” (McGee, 64)

References

In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.

Blomberg, Craig L., The New American Commentary, Volume 22, Matthew. Nashville: Broadman Press
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
Robertson, A. T., A Harmony of the Gospels. New York, HarperCollins Publishers
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004

Disciple Repented

Print or Share