What is the meaning of Matthew 11:3? to ask Him John, confined in Herod’s prison (Matthew 11:2), dispatches two disciples to Jesus. Even a prophet can feel the weight of uncertainty when circumstances collide with expectation. • Luke 7:18-20 recounts the same visit, tying both Gospels together. • In John 1:29-34 John had boldly proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Now hardship drives him to seek fresh confirmation. • Scripture records similar moments: Elijah under the broom tree (1 Kings 19:4-8) and Asaph wrestling with envy (Psalm 73). God welcomes honest inquiry, and Jesus does not rebuke John for sending the question. Are You the One “The One” points to the singular, promised Messiah. • Deuteronomy 18:15 foretold “a Prophet like me from among your brothers.” • Isaiah 61:1-2, later quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18-21, describes the anointed Servant. • Throughout the Gospels people echo this hope: the Samaritan woman in John 4:25-26, the crowds in John 6:14. John’s wording shows he still trusts there is exactly one divinely appointed Savior; he simply wants Jesus to declare it plainly in light of present conditions. who was to come Old-Testament expectation is forward-looking. • Genesis 3:15 promises a Seed who will crush the serpent. • Isaiah 9:6-7 announces a Child who will reign forever. • Malachi 3:1 speaks of “the Lord you seek” suddenly coming to His temple. John’s phrase echoes that prophetic drumbeat: the Deliverer is not a human idea but God’s long-scheduled arrival. or should we look for someone else? This half of the question reveals tension between prophetic vision and present reality. • John’s imprisonment (Matthew 14:3-4) suggests delay or misalignment with popular expectations of a conquering Messiah. • Jesus answers by pointing to observable works: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor” (Matthew 11:4-5), fulfilling Isaiah 35:5-6 and 42:7. • He closes with a gentle caution: “Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me” (Matthew 11:6). Signs, not circumstances, prove His identity. summary John’s question slices his sentence into two options, but Jesus’ answer leaves no middle ground. Prophecy, miracles, and Jesus’ own assurance converge to certify that He is indeed “the One who was to come.” Doubt is dispelled not by changing circumstances but by anchoring to the fulfilled Word and the unmistakable works of Christ. |
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