What were “all these things” which these disciples “reported” to John the Baptist? Jesus had just raised to life a dead young man near Nain. Immediately before he had, in Capernaum and at a distance, healed “a slave, enduring wretchedness ... about to die.” See Infos AV and AU.
John the Baptist was in prison but his disciples were, thanks to him, now disciples of Jesus. They were keeping John informed about this man whom he had earlier so wonderfully identified and endorsed. See Info AK. “The one mightier than I comes: he of whom I am not an acceptable person to untie the strap of his sandals. He himself will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire; his winnowing fork in his hand to cleanse thoroughly his threshing floor and to bring together the wheat into his storehouse. In fact, the chaff he will burn in unquenchable fire.”
But John is questioning whether or not, earlier, he was correct. What was John’s problem? He had heard about the healing of a dying slave. And about the raising to life of an only son of a widow. But these individual miracles were a far cry from the anticipated national and global leadership expected of a Messiah.
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In fact, the males, having come to be near him, said, “John the Baptist has sent us out to you, stating, ‘Are you the coming one or may we expect another?’” In that same hour he healed many of diseases and sufferings and evil spirits, and he gave grace to many blind people to see. And, rsponding, he said to them, “You having moved, tell John the things you have seen and heard! Blind ones look upwards; lame ones walk; leprous ones are cleansed; diminished ones hear; dead ones are raised up; poor ones are being announced good. And blessed is the one who may not be offended by me.”
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Jesus again showed these disciples the blessings and grace that he was bringing to all deeply needy people. Not only was this his work – the reason why he came – but also this was him, himself. No wonder he instructed the disciples to say, “Blessed is the one who may not be offended by me.”
Some would be offended because he was not a king, a world leader, an international statesman. Those who were “blessed” were the ones who were “not offended” by the whole nature of his work or by him himself.
In fact, John’s messengers having come away, Jesus began to state to the crowds concerning John: “What did you come out into the wilderness to look upon? A reed being shaken under a wind? Instead, what did you come out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Look and see! Those belonging in glorious clothing and in luxury are in the kingly places. Instead, what did you come out to see? A prophet? Yes, I state to you, and much more than that. It is this one about whom it was written, ‘Look and see! I send out my angel before your face, who will make ready your way before you.’ I state to you, among those born of women none is greater than John. In fact, the least in the realm of God is greater than he.”
What do you think about Jesus’ strong challenge to his hearers that they should work out why it was that they had gone out to see John the Baptist in the wilderness? He knew that those who went to John were anxious to go because they knew that John might well be the genuine forerunner of their long-promised Messiah. Indeed, they thought that John might well be “the angel” preparing the “way” of the LORD God. Was he?
“Among those born of women none is greater than John. In fact, the least in the realm of God is greater than he.” Aren’t we all “born of women”? Is there another ‘birth’ which is greater than natural birth?
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| And they - all the people and the tax collectors hearing this – righteoused God, having been baptized by John’s baptism. In fact, the Pharisees and the legal people, in themselves, rejected the purpose of God, not having been baptized under him.
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| Those who had agreed John’s message - and been baptized to confirm that – those were changed within. Those – not others – “righteoused God.” What does that actually mean? In their inner beings God was right. |
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