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Gospel of Matthew Chapter 11 Vindication of John

by Paul George  
6/10/2008 / Bible Studies

Matthew 11:7-19

When the disciples were going away Jesus asks three questions:

First question, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind?" Regardless of the reason for going out into the wilderness the people saw a man who was firm in what he believed and preached. He was not wavering in his principles; he was steadiness and constant; he was strong in spirit. He was not swayed by the applause of man or the rejection by the religious leaders of his day. Facing the rage of Herod he stood his ground; he did not back down; he stood firm in his convictions.

John's ministry was not the ministry of a reed. John was not double minded. When questioned by the religious leaders of his day John did not do what we hear today, make excuses for what they say or apologize for preaching the truth when it offends those who pervert and compromise the Word of God. When we apologize for preaching the truth and revealing the perverting and compromising of the Word of God, what are we telling those who have heard what we have preached and accepted the truth we preached? We are telling them we are not trustworthy and there is more behind our ministry than making disciples. We are telling the people we will do what ever it takes to win the approval of men.

If we expect to hear praise from the Lord we need to follow the example of John. Above all we need to follow the example of Jesus. He expressed compassion for the weak, the needy and expressed indignation toward those who through their traditions and their seeking glory for themselves were heaping burdens upon the weak and needy.

Second question, "But what did you go out to see, a man in soft clothing?

When the people went out into the wilderness they did not see a man dressed in the soft clothing of those in the kings' houses. They saw a man dressed in the clothing of a prophet.

Third question, "But why did you go out, to see a prophet." Again, regardless of why the multitudes went out into the wilderness; not everyone who went out into the wilderness went out to see a prophet. We have the same situation today. Everyone who walks through the church doors is not coming to hear the good news concerning Jesus Christ and they do not want to hear they need to repent and turn from their evil and wicked ways. There are those who attend church because they believe it is the proper thing to do and through their attending church and partaking of the ritual they will be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven.

Verse nine answers the question who John was and what the people saw when they came into the wilderness. What did Jesus tell the people? Jesus told them they saw "much more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he."

What did Jesus say? Jesus said John was greater than all the prophets God had sent to Israel. Jesus said John was much more than a prophet he was the forerunner of Christ. The Old Testament prophets saw the coming of the forerunner and the Messiah as something occurring in the future. John saw the Messiah. The people saw the forerunner. The Old Testament predicted the coming of the Messiah. John announced the Messiah has come.

Note the honor Jesus places on John in verse eleven, "Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer."

Of all the prophets that God rose up John is the most eminent, even greater than Moses. Yet in the kingdom of heaven the least saint in heaven is greater, and knows more, and loves more, and does more in praising God, and receives more from God, than the greatest in this world. All the true greatness of men is derived from the manifestation of Christ to them. We should be thankful that we have advantages of light and love that John did not have. This is why we have a greater responsibility to be faithful to our calling. We must never lose sight of the fact the greater the advantages, the greater will the accounting of how we have responded to the advantages that did not exist in the days of John.

John not only had the privilege of being the forerunner of the Messiah he had the privilege of setting into motion a new age. Jesus said, "From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" there is a comparison between those who are entering the kingdom of heaven and an army taking a city by storm. Prior to John this comparison could not be made. There is also a comparison between those who are entering the kingdom of heaven and an intruder who has no right to enter the home or business of another. Is Jesus making the claim there are those who have no right to entering the kingdom of heaven but are entering the kingdom of heaven by the use of force.

Here is one of those statements by Jesus you need to dig a little deeper to find what Jesus is referring to. Prior to the coming of John the religious leaders identified certain people as having no right to enter the kingdom of heaven. According to them only the physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac, and Jacob had the right to enter the kingdom of heaven. Gentiles could achieve the right to enter the kingdom of heaven through conversion.

The question we need to answer is "who are these violent men?" They are the men who believed the gospel message preached by John the Baptist. The Pharisees and scribes rejected John's message, therefore they can not be identified as the violent men. Those who believed John's message were the tax collectors, the soldiers, and those considered by the scribes and Pharisees unworthy to enter the kingdom of heaven that came to where John was preaching and baptizing. They came from Jerusalem, all Judea, and the entire district around the Jordan (Matthew 3:5-6).

The second question we need to answer is, "why did Jesus use the word violence?" The word violence denotes strength, vigor, endeavor, and an earnest desire. Evidence of an earnest desire to enter the kingdom of heaven is they left the comforts of life in Jerusalem, the cities and villages in Judea, the districts around the Jordan, and their homes and came into the wilderness to hear John's message. However, there is more involved in hearing the preaching of the good news. There must be a positive response to the message. The response involves the confessing of sins, a difficult thing for the sons of Jacob to do; a difficult thing for church members to do. Entering into the kingdom of heaven requires the denying of self, submitting to the will of God, and putting off the corrupt nature. A battle many do not want to get involved in.

Those who deny self, submit to the will of God, and put off the corrupt nature exhibit the elements of violence. They exhibit the ability to exert the effort to accomplish a goal, to withstand the effects of stress without altering the goal they have set. They vigorously and effectually apply the power given through their obedience to the Word of God. They put forth an effort to accomplish the goal they have set and do not back down when they encounter obstacles. They exhibit a longing to achieve something that promises enjoyment and satisfaction. What is the goal of these violent men; the kingdom of heaven.

The third question we need to answer is "what is Jesus referring to when He said, "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John" (Matthew 11:13 WEB).

Before John the Law and the prophets spoke of the coming of Christ and His kingdom. The prediction of the coming of Christ and His kingdom was limited to the sons of Jacob, but since John the Baptist appeared the announcement of the coming of the Christ and His kingdom is proclaimed to Gentiles as well as Jews. With the coming of John the preparation for the coming of the Christ and His kingdom, is no longer a call to a nation to prepare for the coming of the Christ and His kingdom it is a call to individuals to prepare for the coming of the Christ and His kingdom. Therefore, every man who is expecting the coming of the Christ and His kingdom must prepare for His coming and the preparation for the coming of the Christ and His kingdom begins with a confession of sin.

With the coming of John the blessed are the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the peacemakers, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, and the persecuted. Beginning with John the gospel is preached and the eyes of the people are opened, and they are no longer striving to keep the laws and rituals imposed upon them by the religious leaders of the day.

With the coming of John two predictions became outdated, the first the prediction of the coming of the Christ and His kingdom; the second the predication of the coming of Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6). Jesus said, "If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come" (Matthew 11:14 WEB). Jesus is not claiming John is the Elijah the sons of Jacob were expecting. Even John denied he was Elijah (John 1:21). What Jesus is referring to is what was spoken by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:17). What Jesus is referring to in verse fourteen would not be easily understood by those whose expectations was the coming of a political Messiah.

There are two important points in Jesus' statement, "If you are willing to receive it;" the first point is, if you will receive John and his ministry as that of the promised Elijah, he will be an Elijah to you and you will prepare for the coming of the Christ and His kingdom. The second point involves the great truths of the Gospel; Jesus is the Savior, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and John an Elijah, to those who will receive the truth concerning them.

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

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