Believers Devotional Network

During my early high school years, I studied a subject called Bible Knowledge (BK). As part of our New Testament Studies, we looked at this very question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” The question was asked by John the Baptist after he had been thrown in jail for criticising Herod Antipas for his marriage to Herodias, who had divorced Herod Antipas’ brother Philip so that she could marry Antipas.
The reasons offered in class for John asking this question were that John wanted Jesus to free him from prison, or that due to suffering in jail he was now doubting whether Jesus was really the Messiah.
When I got saved in 2008, I made a commitment before God to dedicate the year 2009 to worship Him. During these days, I would read my Bible daily and pray for about 10–15 minutes before studying my schoolwork. On weekends and school holidays, I would have longer quiet times studying the Bible and praying. One day I landed on Luke 7:18–23, and soon my academic knowledge came to the forefront. As I considered the verses carefully to ascertain the meaning—especially John the Baptist’s question—I prayed and asked God to give me understanding of the Scriptures.

Suddenly, I asked myself whether John wasn’t sure that Jesus was the Messiah, or whether he was at his weakest point and his faith was failing him. It could be possible that John the Baptist was discouraged by the turn of events, but there was no way he could have doubted that Jesus was and is the Messiah—the One to come.
John greeted Jesus while they were still in their respective mothers’ wombs. John testified that he was baptising people with water for repentance, but the One coming after him was far greater than he and would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. On the day Jesus met John for baptism at the River Jordan, John said he was the one who actually needed Jesus to baptise him rather than the other way around. John also saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove and heard the voice from heaven say, “This is My Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” In John’s gospel, we are told that when John saw Jesus and exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). John went on to boldly confirm Jesus as, “I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” Could a prophet with such great testimony and revelation then doubt that Jesus was the Messiah?

Context to Help Our Understanding
In both Matthew 11:1 and Luke 7:18, the Bible tells of a prison visit by John’s disciples. During this visit, John’s disciples shared with him the talk of the time—Jesus’ ministry accompanied by miracles, many healings, and the dead being raised back to life. After hearing this report, John then sent his disciples to Jesus with the question: “Are you the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
The Bible also tells us that at that very hour, “Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind.” In responding to John’s question, Jesus instructed John’s disciples to give a testimony of what they had seen and heard. The testimony included the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, those with leprosy being cured, the deaf hearing, and the dead being raised back to life. Above all, there was the proclamation of good news to the poor, with the big reminder: “Blessed is the one who doesn’t get offended about the testimony of Jesus,” that is, that Jesus is the Messiah.

In answering John the Baptist’s question, Jesus pointed to prophecy and the Scriptures. But the message was not even meant to benefit John alone. Instead, it was aimed first at the large crowd who were there (Luke 7:24–29). Second, the response was directed at John’s disciples so they would trust the Messiah. Third, the response was directed to you and me, so that we would not doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. If we doubt or refuse to believe in Him, we are those who get offended on account of Jesus.
Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and the One to come. His coming had a witness in John the Baptist and was accompanied by the prophetic word that was fulfilled by Jesus. Concerning this salvation, the prophet Isaiah said:

“…they will see the glory of the LORD, and the splendor of our God.
3 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come… he will come to save you.’
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy…
8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way…”
Isaiah 35:2–8.