Matthew 11:2-3 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Greetings Friend,
I hope the Father is drawing you to the Word of God, Jesus, and pray that you always yield to the power of the Holy Spirit.
Know that I too am laboring by day in the world as men must do. My work is menial and wages low, but I am glad if you find in me a kindred spirit for this sake. I pray now more than ever that I might labor for God day and night, however, it is enough that I am able to put my hand to the plow at all for the benefit of both of us.
In Mathew 11:2-3 John the Baptizer asks a question about Jesus Christ that everyone who is looking for the Kingdom of God will ask. Let’s find out how this happens to John and where we might receive the answer to this ultimate question in life.
John the Baptizer rips into the sheepfold of the house of Israel preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Filled with the Holy Spirt from birth, John will ready a people prepared to accept the Messiah, witness the heavens open and declare Jesus as the Son of God, and be thrown into prison when attempting to call leadership to repentance. Prior to his death, hopelessness sets in and breaks John, leading him to test Jesus as the Israelites at Horeb did to Moses when they wondered whether the Lord was with them or not. Jesus answers and John is beheaded by Herod.
The Gospel According to Luke
1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
1:7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 1:9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
1:14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
1:20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
1:21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
1:22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
1:23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his
ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 1:25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
The Angel Gabriel appears next to the altar of incense, one of the two Cherubim of the Veil behind him, and announces to Zecharias that he and his wife Elisabeth, both beyond the age of conceiving a child, will indeed have a son, to be named John, who will be filled with the Holy Spirt from birth and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
The Gospel According to Luke
1:57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
1:58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
1:59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
1:60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
1:61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
1:62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
Instead of being named Zecharias after his father, he will be called John. This signifies that John will not be following in the priestly order of Aaron as it stands in Israel. Although John inherits that calling from his lineage, God is calling John out of the Church and priesthood of the Jews. He will be like Aaron, reverting to the original calling of the priesthood given by God, but with a prophetic calling that fulfills Holy Scripture concerning the herald of the Messiah.
Malachi
4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse
Notice the reference to part of the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt when they were given the Law at Mt. Sinai in Horeb. John also leads the people along that journey, but first his father will be filled with the Holy Spirit and prophecy about the coming Messiah and the role of John as a prophet of the Most High.
The Gospel According to Luke
1:64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
1:65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
1:66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 1:70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 1:72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 1:73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
1:76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 1:77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
1:80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
God prepares John in a similar way to His Son, Jesus.
The Gospel According to Luke (in reference to Jesus)
2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
The Gospel According to Luke
3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 3:2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
And where was John baptizing?
The Gospel According to John
1:28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Israelites made this crossing east of the Jordan River during their journey into Canaan. However, this crossing deals with a people prepared and ready to enter the land given them by God (Moses and Aaron were dead; representing the law and the prophets alone) (Jacob and Caleb, or Faith and Salvation, now represented the spiritual state of the people). Where else do the Israelites make a passing through water? During the Exodus from Egypt through the Red Sea.
The Second Book of Moses: Called Exodus
14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
The Israelites needed only to believe God and it would be counted to them as righteousness.
The First Book of Moses: Called Genesis
15:6 And he (Abram) believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Here Moses is the Christ-like figure, but representing the Law of God. The Israelites pass through, or are baptized in the water because they are convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit and are turning to God for forgiveness, or safe passage. The Egyptians are rebelling against God by pursuing the Israelites in vain attempt to bring them back into slavery and sin in Egypt. God then passes judgment on the Egyptians, or the rebellious and unrepentant, as He did in the days of Noah.
The Gospel According to Matthew
3:6 and they were baptized of him (John) in Jordan, confessing their sins.
Repentance involves conviction by the Holy Spirit, that is God, to understand how we each have turned away from Him or rebelled against His Law. Then we must be brought into sincere sorrow and regret that readies our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to receive the Word of God.
The Gospel According to Matthew
3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
John wore sackcloth girded about his loins. He lived life in a constant state of repentance, or obedience to God, while at the same time staying in a state of readiness for his calling by God.
The Gospel According to Matthew
9:14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?
John fasted and taught his disciples to fast, which is a sign of repentance. Even the Pharisees, often in a way to show their repentance publicly, fasted. John, however, sees through this false form of repentance and challenges the Jewish priests observing his preaching of baptism.
The Gospel According to Mathew
3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
John first likens the priests to vipers, which is fitting considering some of the garments worn about their heads and they way they would have appeared standing in the grass around the ‘sheep’ who were waiting to confess their sins and be baptized. Sincere repentance bears fruit, or produces change from within the heart. False repentance trusts in the cleansing act of the water on the flesh. Jesus likewise reproves the Jewish priests:
The Gospel According to Matthew
23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Now what happens after the Israelites repent and pass through the Red Sea?
The Second Book of Moses: Called Exodus
16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
After having made it out of sin and slavery in Egypt, receiving a baptism of repentance through the Red Sea, they are now weaned off food sacrificed to idols and begin to starve literally and spiritually as they move into the Wilderness of Sin.
The Second Book of Moses: Called Exodus
16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
16:6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: 16:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 16:8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
And what does John the Baptizer say to the lost sheep of Israel after all had been baptized (that is all from the lineage of King David except Jesus of Nazareth)?
The Gospel According to Luke
3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
The Gospel According to John
1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
John now fulfills his calling from God. He begins witnessing that Jesus of Nazareth is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, is the Son of God, and that Jesus is God. The lost sheep of the house of Israel, having been baptized beyond the river Jordan, passed through from the east bank of the river to the west by this baptism of repentance, and are now moving in the spiritual Wilderness of Sin as did their forefathers during the Exodus from Egypt. John has readied the people to accept the Word of God, or Manna from Heaven, and the Father will begin to draw them to His Son, Jesus.
The Gospel According to John
6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 6:31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
True repentance, that is conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, brings us to Jesus Christ. It opens our eyes, ears, and hearts to receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Father then reveals to us Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It is this faith, this believing on His name, that saves us from the penalty of sin.
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans
6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The Gospel According to John
3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
3:24 For John was not yet cast into prison.
3:25 Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
3:31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John begins to show how true repentance bears fruit. This is the repentance the leads to the forgiveness of sins as we begin seeking the Lamb of God, the Son of God, who is Jesus Christ.
But why does John keep baptizing?
Remember that the purpose of the baptism beyond the river Jordan was to anoint the King of Israel in the line of the house of David, that is the Messiah; the Lamb of God who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
But John must now witness this to those seeking the Kingdom of God.
He moves the baptism along the West Bank north towards Salim (The Age of Peace) witnessing about Jesus, preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and preaching other good news. The water is plentiful there as God the Father is trying to ready Israel to accept His Son Jesus.
Repentance for the forgiveness of sins is the baptism in the name of the Father.
Friend, this is the eternal, living Word of God. It is a beautiful tapestry woven to an unsearchable depth. There is so much here that I could say, but let’s explore these things in other sermons. I will decrease as John says so we may continue to hear the Word of God.
John states that Jesus Christ must increase, and he must decrease. As we come closer to Jesus Christ, we begin dying to sin (ourselves or our flesh) and living to Jesus, or life. This is why John (or repentance for the forgiveness of sins only) and we must decrease, and Jesus Christ must increase. Repentance alone results in God’s wrath abiding on us. We cannot seek repentance only and pass from judgment into life.
The Gospel According to John
5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The Gospel According to Luke
3:19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 3:20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
John is removed from his ministry. He moves spiritually to Horeb, instead of Salim, where the Israelites quarrel and test God for lack of water. The Holy Spirit pours out of John and his flesh begins to dry up. John is removed from hearing the Word of God.
The Second Book of Moses: Called Exodus
17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 17:3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 17:4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
17:5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
The Gospel According to Matthew
11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 11:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 11:5 The blind receive their sight, 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.
11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
John the Baptizer, a chosen vessel of God, once filled with the Holy Spirit, witnessing the Heavens open, the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus Christ, hearing the Father’s voice from the covering clouds, begins to break for the first time and doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. He begins to doubt his testimony because the Holy Spirit, the great restrainer of evil, is being poured out of him in great measure and the sinful flesh is breaking through.
John’s disciples are told to bring John the words and works of Jesus and John’s life of repentance finally meets with the truth in the Word of God.
Remember John’s calling as he himself remembered when coming to Jesus through His words and works in that prison cell.
The Gospel According to Matthew
3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
The Gospel According to John
1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
What does Jesus Christ then say about John the Baptizer after answering John’s disciples?
The Gospel According to Matthew
11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus Christ, who is God, honors John the Baptizer as the greatest among men born of women and hints that John is the Elias prophesied to come.
The Gospel According to Matthew
14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
14:5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
14:6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
14:8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.
14:9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
14:11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
14:12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
How does Jesus carry on in the Wilderness of Sin?
The Gospel According to Matthew
14:13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
He withdrew from the people as the Holy Spirit withdrew from John. The people, however, not being held in prison, began to follow Him as they were drawn by the Father to the Son.
The Word of God symbolizes John the Baptizer as repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Through this symbol God shows us that repentance alone leads to imprisonment and death, just as John was imprisoned and died. However, John the Baptizer is not John the man. John was called the greatest among men by Jesus for a reason. From Adam to the last, no man will ever stand where John did in that prison.
Before he died, having received the Word of God through his disciples, John stood between to worlds; between two covenants. Because he will die before Jesus Christ, he is under the Old Covenant. He must live a life of repentance that leads to an ever increasing understanding of the Law and Prophets (Five Books of Moses including the Major and Minor Prophets) with a heart searching after the coming Messiah that will take away the sins of the world and restore Israel to God.
We can imagine him, one foot grounded in the Old Covenant, the other nearly touching stone in the New as he finally receives the Word from Jesus in his heart. He knows he is Elias to come, but instead of moving into Salim, he is moving towards the rock in Horeb, whereupon his Master Stands. The rock must be struck. The Lamb must be sacrificed. Believing on the Lamb will cause living water to satiate and save men’s (and women’s) souls.
John realizes he is the Elias to come before the Lamb, not the King. Therefore, he knows he will be cut off. But he has made the connection between the Old and New Covenants, that the Messiah to come is Jesus of Nazareth, the Lamb of God, the Son of God; a monumental feat that not even Jesus’ closest disciples could understand.
It is this Jesus who is the stone that the builders rejected. He offered Himself up to be sacrificed on a cross, to die for the sins of many, to be struck by a spear and pour out water and blood on the earth so that we who believe on His name may have eternal life.
The First Epistle General of Peter
3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Grace and Peace to You, Friend,
Brian