Even John Had Doubts -- So Can We -- Jesus' promise and encouragement (and warning) in Matthew 11
- mww
- 2 days ago
- 18 min read
We should take comfort in knowing what God is doing around the world.
Bible Study Ideas and Commentary for Matthew 11
In this week's passage, Matthew describes the first of escalating conflicts as Jesus' message spreads far and wide -- John the Baptist, in prison and about to be executed, is worried that he has overestimated Jesus. Jesus responds to John (and to us) that God alone sets His expectations, and we should be comforted by every sign that God is on His throne.
blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me (11:6)
I'm no longer going to try to give you an exhaustive list of every time we've covered this and parallel passages in the past. Here's a related post:
Your Favorite/Least Favorite Cities to Visit
This idea is admittedly a stretch, but it's the kind of topic that people like to talk about. In this week's passage, Jesus is going to list a number of cities -- some that had good reputations, and some that had poor ones. I have no doubt that Jesus' disciples had their own opinions about those cities.
Start with a very open-ended question: where do you like to visit and why? And with that, where do you not like to visit and why?
But then give 'em the ol' Sunday School Spin -- of those cities, which would you like to do Christian mission work in, and which would you not? And why?
Several of the cities Jesus lists in our passage rejected the "ultimate Christian witness", and those people would suffer the condemnation of God. Jesus said this, in part, to help His followers (including us) not take anything for granted when it comes to mission work.
What Stresses You Out?
[Disclaimer: for this topic to make sense, you have to follow my suggestion and cover additional passages in Matthew 11.]
What stresses you out? For me, the list is long. Very long. And not flattering. And the older I get, the more I appreciate the importance of not getting stressed. And so Mathew 11:28-30 has become very important to me. Jesus promises "rest" to everyone who comes to Him. What kind of "rest" would you like to have in Jesus? Do you think it is something He would give?
Related Idea: "Rest in Peace"
The stereotyped tombstone in every Halloween decoration has "R.I.P." on it, right? Have you ever thought about that? Those stereotypes come from the fact that so many tombstones used to have those words inscribed.
What were those family members hoping their deceased loved one would rest from?
I've always found this to be an incredibly profound question. The phrase "I'll rest when I'm dead" exists because enough people seem to actually feel that way. It suggests that life is so toilsome that the only way to break out of it is to die. Is that what God wants people to think of the miracle of life He has given them?
What does Jesus offer to those people trapped in that sentiment? Note: He's not talking about "rest in peace in death".
What Causes You to Have Doubts in God?
The centerpiece of this week's passage is an exchange Jesus has with John the Baptist's disciples. It seems that John's time in prison had caused him to start doubting if Jesus really was who John thought He was (but more about this below in the Big Idea).
I posit that being on death row as a martyr could cause even the strongest Christian to have a crisis of faith, which suggests that every one of us could have doubts in God.
This week's passage is about how Jesus helps John deal with those doubts, which further suggests that God is willing to help us navigate our doubts.
So, for this topic -- which is heavy and depends on your group being comfortable with something like this -- you would start with the basic question, "What is something that has caused you to doubt God?" Those are very serious and often tragic events. And you would then follow it up with, "How have you dealt with those doubts?"
Here's where a group Bible study can get real. If that person is still struggling, other members of your group might be able to help by sharing their own experiences. Key part of leading group discussion: you have to make sure that no one minimizes the struggles mentioned (even unintentionally).
Let that play out, and then turn attention to this week's passage. Jesus gives us a powerful tool for dealing with doubts. Let's make sure our own coping mechanisms align with Jesus' prescription.
Your "Church Shopping" Checklist
Disclosure: I had a different variation of this topic in mind, and then I found this is the Serendipity Bible, and this idea is better than mine.
This list will look different for everybody. Part of my point in even suggesting this topic is that no one, not even Jesus or John the Baptist, could make everybody happy. John the Baptist was too hard for some people, and Jesus was too soft for others.
When you have shopped for a church, what have you looked for?
Based on what I know of human nature, I would venture that even your church -- which I know you love and cherish deeply, right? -- does not 100% mesh with your checklist. Why? Because it's made up of humans. So, how did you decide where to loosen up? And how has that worked out? How have the differences of perspective in your church made you stronger?
In this week's passage, Jesus confronts the people for their crazy, unrealistic expectations of God's chosen leaders. And further, He tells them to look inward -- perhaps those wrong expectations come from a heart that isn't as in tune with God as they think they are.
Where We Are in Matthew
Last week, we covered Jesus' Second Discourse (Matthew 10), and I shared this outline:
Part 2: The Kingdom Grows
Demonstrations of Jesus' authority (Matt 8-10:4)
The second discourse: Sending the Disciples (Matt 10:5-42)
Transition: The ministry expands (Matt 11:1)
Part 3: Opposition Rises
Conflicts with the authorities (Matt 11-12)
The third discourse: Parables of the Kingdom (Matt 13)
Calling this section "Conflicts with the authorities" might not be the best title, in retrospect. Yes, a lot of these conflicts are with the Pharisees, but Jesus also has a conflict with John the Baptist and also His own mother. They are authorities, but in a different way than you might be thinking. Here's the point: the further this goes -- the more time passes and the more Jesus and His disciples say to more people -- the more conflict arises. In some ways, you might think of this as "the honeymoon phase ending". People were willing to give Jesus a "pass" as they waited to see where this was going. As His message becomes clearer, they lose that willingness. This is also just a simple math equation. The more people that hear Jesus' message, the more people that reject it (or at least doubt it).
And that's what's going on in this week's passage. John the Baptist (or at least his followers) has been watching Jesus from afar for a while now, and Jesus doesn't seem to be any closer to overthrowing Rome. And that misunderstanding has led to grumbling and doubts.
But Jesus clarifies that He has been rejected by far more than John the Baptist's followers -- He was rejected in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and even Capernaum -- His home base. (Next week, we get to chapter 12, where the conflict with the Pharisees really escalates.)
But even with all of that, Jesus gives His followers hope. This is a lot for His followers to take in. I'm sure that by this point, they're feeling bewildered and overwhelmed and probably inadequate. But God can and will help them (unlike the Pharisees who won't help anybody).
About Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum
I found a resource that I apologize for not having found and shared before. It's called "Wednesday in the Word", and it's just a compilation of available online resources. Here's the one for Matthew:
It includes a link to a Holman Bible Map that tells us about these towns:
The point is that Jesus is talking about some of the first towns He visited. Yes, He does make it out to Tyre, but Tyre (and Sidon) is mentioned because of its prominent inclusion in the prophecies of Isaiah 23 and Ezekiel 28 for its great pride.
This Week's Big Idea: The Jesus Scandal
Matthew 11:6 is essentially "Blessed is the one who is not scandalized by Me".
This is one of those words that has actually retained its original root meaning, so I'm going to invoke a modern dictionary to explain an ancient Greek word:
scandalize: shock or horrify (someone) by a real or imagined violation of propriety or morality.
This is a key word to understand the opposition Matthew summarizes in these chapters --
John the Baptist (or his followers) was scandalized by Jesus;
common Jews have been scandalized by Jesus;
the Pharisees were scandalized by Jesus;
Jesus' own family was scandalized by Jesus.
How and why?
Think about that. Use that modern definition of "scandalize" to answer those questions. We're just focused on John the Baptist this week, but it's important for us to realize that all of the groups in ancient Israel had their molds and expectations, and Jesus wasn't fitting them. Being able to answer those questions will help us appreciate the extent of the pressure Jesus and His followers must have felt -- and it will also explain just why 11:25-30 is so important.
Bonus Big Idea: Did John the Baptist Really Doubt?
The Lifeway material says that John the Baptist had doubts. That's also the approach that The Chosen takes (this is an interesting scene, less than 10 minutes long) --
Obviously, this could be the case. But I wonder if John had doubts or if his followers had doubts. (Note: even D. A. Carson believes that John himself was having doubts in the vein of Elijah; John was expecting imminent fulfillment, but Jesus was preaching some future event. Just saying. I seem to be on an island here.)
I think John was very realistic about his purpose and his position. His job was to point to Jesus and then recede into the background. As the last of the Old Testament-style prophets, he was to be the "thus saith the Lord" shout who was not quite beholden to Jesus' later command to be both innocent and shrewd (read Luke 3; you'll see what I mean).
I also think that John had a reasonable idea of who Jesus really was (read John 1 for why I say this). The scene above is rooted in a common perception that the Messiah would be a Liberating Conqueror who would destroy the enemies of God and release the prisoners -- like, immediately. We've talked about this misconception many times and how Jesus combated it. I don't think John had that misconception. I don't think John was expecting Jesus to raise a revolution to come and set him free from prison.
I think he understood this. But his followers did not understand this, else they would have already started following Jesus. I wonder if John sent his followers to Jesus with this question so that they would interact with Jesus directly and set into motion shifting their allegiance from John to Jesus.
Just thinking out loud. I don't think it hurts John's credibility in any way if he had started having doubts about Jesus. After all, the man was in prison (for speaking truth), and it was pretty clear that he was going to be executed soon. We should give anyone in those circumstances a lot of grace. Even Elijah had doubts!
Part 1: John's Doubts (Matthew 11:1-6)
When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his twelve disciples, he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. 2 Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples 3 and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, 6 and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”
My comments above about the context and about John should help you see where I'm going with this passage.
Also above, I asked you to answer the question of why John's followers might be scandalized by Jesus. Verse 3 establishes that they are indeed scandalized -- they are openly questioning whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. (I like the way The Chosen set this; being such a public and awkward encounter could explain why John's followers were so cagey in their wording.) Why? Because Jesus wasn't fitting their expectations.
Jesus' answer to John is the same answer we can give to ourselves (and to each other) when we have our own crises of faith: look around; what do you see God doing?
Jesus answers using language from Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61. Isaiah 35 describes God's people when God comes to save them. Isaiah 61 is overtly Messianic, describing how God will lift up the lowly and bring down the wicked.
And what has Jesus been doing? These very miracles. Everybody knows that. (A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned how Matthew has grouped all of these miracles in 8-9 to make this connection as clear as possible to his readers.) So if all of these things are true, don't you think the rest of those prophecies will also come true? Or are you calling Isaiah a liar?
And that's the same "coping skill" for us today. Do we believe that God is at work around the world right now? Yes! Perhaps you need to earmark some of those stories that give us tangible examples of God's work in the world (like from the Voice of the Martyrs website I mentioned last week). Perhaps you should start keeping a prayer journal where you mark your prayers and indicate their resolutions.
Does that make sense? John did not see God doing for him what he had hoped, so he had begun doubting whether God was doing anything. If that could happen to John, obviously it could happen to any of us!
This is where we have to remember what Jesus said to His followers in last week's passage:
“10:26 Therefore, don’t be afraid of them, since there is nothing covered that won’t be uncovered and nothing hidden that won’t be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. What you hear in a whisper, proclaim on the housetops. 28 Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s consent. 30 But even the hairs of your head have all been counted. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
John had feared that God had forgotten about him in prison. But no! God doesn't overlook anything.
Sadly for John, his circumstance was going to end in his death by execution. Jesus knew that, which is why He wouldn't say anything else in response to John. And while that sounds (and is) terrible, Jesus clearly establishes in this passage that this mortal life isn't the end. Your circumstance might not go your way in this life, but you can trust to reward you greatly in the "next life". (See John 15, of course, but also keep reading in this chapter.)
Jesus wanted John to take comfort in everything God was doing in the world. John was not going to escape his imprisonment. But because of his bold witness and role in announcing Jesus, many people would escape their imprisonment to sin and hell.
What We Skip: Matthew 11:7-15
It's worth pointing out that Jesus is absolutely clear about who John was: the returning Elijah prophesied in Malachi 3:1 who would prepare the way for the Messiah. John was no whiny feel-sorry-for-myself sniveler, so no one should develop a bad attitude toward John because of his (or his followers') doubts. John was indeed the greatest of the "Old Testament" prophets. But like Moses, he would die before seeing the kingdom come. He was not given the privilege of seeing how God would fulfill every promise (and more) in Jesus. That's why those of us in the "New Testament" are even greater than John.
That leads to a very debated saying -- "12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been suffering violence, and the violent have been seizing it by force." "Suffering violence" is translated "forcefully advancing" in the NIV; a connotative difference! The challenge is that Greek has a thing called "middle voice" which is in between "active" and "passive", and English just doesn't have anything like it. Basically, this means that "the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing" -and- "the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully resisted".
This is important because it helps us see one of the reasons why John was scandalized by Jesus' ministry. John did not think that anything could "resist" the kingdom of heaven, but indeed people will.
Note: Jesus is not saying that "violent people have found a way to break down the gates of heaven and rush in". But rather, John is the living proof that people are opposing the advance of the kingdom with violence. the ultimate fulfillment of this will be the crucifixion. And yet, that is God's very plan -- to overcome the sin of the world by "falling victim" to it, overcoming it, and forgiving it. John and his followers needed to see this difference.
Part 2: Everyone Else's Hypocrisy (Matthew 11:16-19)
16 “To what should I compare this generation? It’s like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to other children:
17 We played the flute for you, but you didn’t dance; we sang a lament, but you didn’t mourn!
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
Jesus wasn't about to let everyone else off the hook. The people ("this generation") enjoyed John for a time and even cheered him on, but they got tired of him and all of his harsh words and asceticism.
Jesus likens the people to whiny children. I like how Jeremias paraphrases it:
But all you do is give orders and criticize. For you the Baptist is a madman because he fasts, while you want to make merry; me you reproach because I eat with publicans, while you insist on strict separation from sinners. You hate the preaching of repentance, and you hate the proclamation of the Gospel. So you play your childish game with God's messengers while Rome burns!
I added the highlight because that gets to the very heart of what's going on. (And yes, that Rome comment is an anachronism; the author's point is that the people don't really care about the fates of those around them.)
In other words, though John the Baptist was "in conflict" (kinda) with Jesus, both Jesus and John were experiencing conflict with the people at large -- but more about that in the next section.
"Wisdom" is a big reference. Remember when we studied Proverbs?
In the Bible, "wisdom" is a practical thing -- it's about lifestyle, not knowledge. If people truly studied John's and Jesus' lifestyles, they would see that both align perfectly with God's prescription. Humble repentance and scandalous forgiveness are part of God's expectations for His people.
Everyone else, by rejecting those things, was the hypocrite -- claiming to be God's people while not living like it.
Part 3: Entire Town's Rejection (Matthew 11:20-24)
20 Then he proceeded to denounce the towns where most of his miracles were done, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes long ago. 22 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today. 24 But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
Technically, Jesus reaches His broadest scope by going after the entire "generation" in the previous verses, but this is intended to be an escalation from that. Yes, the people are hypocrites, but see entire towns have rejected Jesus, even after experiencing His miracles firsthand.
The word for "denounce" is one of Jesus' strongest. Matthew seems to think that Jesus was "set off" not by what people were saying about Him but what they had said about John. And so Jesus launched into the equivalent of a tirade about these cities.
I shared a map above.
The miracles by which Jesus "proved" His Messianic mission to John's followers were performed in those cities. Jesus "excuses" John for doubting their importance, but not the people who were there.
Here are three huge theological conclusions that you might not have time to get into:
God has "contingent" knowledge. In other words, He knows what would have happened had circumstances been different.
God does not "owe" revelation to anyone. In other words, God is not being unjust by not sending a prophet to certain city.
God accounts for "opportunity" in His judgment. Hell is hell, but somehow, there are degree of torment in hell.
To me, those truths are earthshattering, especially that second one. We might read that second one and get focused on the remote tribe in Africa who hasn't heard the gospel yet, but we should be equally concerned with the opposite -- lots of people in our community have had plenty of exposure to the gospel and plenty of opportunities to repent. that will not go well for them in judgment.
Part 4: The Rest of the Chapter
I don't want to end this lesson there. What Jesus says next gives purpose and meaning to all of that difficult truth.
10:25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this was your good pleasure.
Rather than be offended by God's control over the revelation of truth, Jesus took great comfort in it -- as should we.
Members of "this generation" misunderstood Jesus' mission and message. Many, including the leaders of, entire towns rejected Jesus because they did not see the divine element of His ministry and miracles. Matthew is just about to talk about the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders who will also reject Jesus on similar grounds.
Paul got it:
1 Cor 1:20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
Paul's point: Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.
We should trust God more than we trust ourselves. Jesus says this to encourage John and us, and also to convict everybody else.
10:27 All things have been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
Above, we learned that God decided for Himself to whom He would reveal the knowledge that led to salvation. Here, we learn that God has invested that same authority in Jesus. Not only does Jesus have the authority to forgive sin on God's behalf, but also He has the power to save. You and I know that; think about Matthew's original audience.
And then here's the kicker:
10:28 Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Does all of this seem overwhelming?
Said to John and his followers who are suddenly coming to grips with a reality that isn't what they expected.
Said to Jesus' followers who have been targeted by the hypocrites and by their neighbors who have rejected Jesus.
Said to the poor and lowly who have never been given a reason to believe that God loves them and looks after them.
Said to Jesus' followers who have been pushed to the limit of what they thought they were in for -- who are close to being scandalized by Jesus.
Said to the masses who have been taught their whole life that God helps those who help themselves.
Are any of those you?
"Yoke" is regularly used as a metaphor for discipleship. The Pharisees sought to put a "yoke of the law" on everybody, an impossible burden (that they themselves were unwilling to bear!). But Jesus' yoke is to Himself. He does the work for and freely provides salvation. He has borne the unbearable burden.
In John's Gospel, Jesus uses the image of "being grafted into Him"; here, it's the yoke of learning -- learning Jesus' wisdom. Wisdom for salvation. Wisdom for living. Jesus is lowly and humble, and He wants us to be as well. It's not an easy task -- what Jesus demands is more than anyone else. But it is an easy yoke because Jesus helps us bear it.
In other words, to get back to my early discussion idea, Jesus gives us that "Rest in Peace" goal now in this life.
What an amazing, wonderful promise. I pray it encourages you as it has me.
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