Thursday, March 11th, 2010 | Author: Chris
What did you find interested about today’s reading, Matthew 11?
Category: Daily Scripture Reading
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6 Responses
Thursday, 11. March 2010
John the Baptizer, Jesus’ own cousin who said Behold the Lamb of God about Jesus, doubted. What could make such a sold out lover of God doubt who Jesus is? His circumstances! He was in prison about to die so he must have thought what the heck Jesus are you just going to let your own cousin rot in here? I thought you were somebody maybe your just a nobody like me.
We know that God could deliver him from prison. He did it for Paul and Peter. Why didn’t he do it for John. Jesus’ response is “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk…” Then He goes on to talk about John. It’s almost like Jesus is speaking at his funeral.
So why did Jesus let John die? It wasn’t because He didn’t love him or think that he was worth it. Jesus said “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;” He went on to say “yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” Does that mean that John wasn’t in the kingdom?
Anyone with any ideas I really want to hear your thoughts.
Thursday, 11. March 2010
I’m a little bit confused after today’s reading. Why would John in 11:2-3 send his disciples to ask Jesus if he is “the one who is to come,or should we expect someone else?” When in Matthew 3:13-17 he not only acts as if he knows exactly who Jesus is by saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” but he is right there after Jesus baptism when heaven opens up and the Spirit of God descends on Him , and God SAYS “this is my Son,whom I love,with him I am well pleased.
Thursday, 11. March 2010
To respond to your question Danny, if you notice, John is in prison. So I am assuming, John knows he is going to be sentenced to death and, like all of us, he got scared and began to doubt a little.
As for me, verses 16-19 were really interesting to read. Jesus here is portraying the mindset of the world. The way he went about it was genius. He talks about how the world or people in the world can never be satisfied with other people. They either judge others when the person is not happy, or judge them for not being sad. For John, they called him a demon because he did not eat or drink, but for Jesus they called him a drunkard and a glutton because he ate and drank. hahaha…. wow… This is so true in our day in age, especially in my life. There were some people in my life that no matter what I did, they always found something to tear me down with. There was never any satisfaction. But the crazy thing is that I see this mentality working in me with regards to myself. Like, sometimes, I am never happy where I am at. No matter the change, I always find something negative in me to overcome the positives.
Thursday, 11. March 2010
1) Jesus quotes from Isaiah 61 in Matthew 11:1-6 to answer John’s doubts. Jesus indicates that the answer to whether or not He is the Messiah is found in His fulfillment of Old Testament Scripture. You’ll be happy if you trust in Him (Romans 10:11).
2) In Matthew 7-15 is like an endorsement from Jesus to John’s ministry. He is an OT prophet sent by God. As far as people go, John was a great one. But the righteousness Jesus offers is even greater.
3) The analogy of the children in the marketplace (16-19) communicates a truth about the two different Covenants.
The Law (and to some extent John’s ministry as a prophet was an extension of this Covenant I believe) was a system of rules and regulations that mankind was unable to follow (Paul actually says it was “hostile” to us). It was like a sorrowful funeral dirge because of the condemnation it brought.
The Second Covenant in Jesus is something to rejoice over, like the flute music. It brings freedom and joy because God is offering complete forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus is beginning to reveal this Covenant, though in perhaps a veiled way at times.
Jesus tells His hearers that they are like those children because they didn’t respond to either John or Himself. They didnt respond to John’s intense message of repentance or Jesus’ offer of freedom. They accused both of evil because they did not conform to their beliefs.
Isnt that the way it is with people? If you tell them that they have broken God’s Law they say “Well nobody is PERFECT! God will forgive me!” But, if you tell them that all of their righteousness is like filthy rags before God and that they need to trust in His grace completely and that they ought to have no confidence in their own good deeds, they find that more offensive! You cant please them with Law OR Grace! If they persist in that thinking, they will be destroyed by God in fiery judgment.
Friday, 12. March 2010
One more thing about Matthew 11:
Jesus offers an easy yoke for His followers. Yes suffering accompanies faithfulness to God, but if you’re weary from trying to “do” Christianity, its time to enter into God’s rest (Hebrews 4:1-13)!
Friday, 12. March 2010
@Cecile
My thoughts are that Jesus is emphasizing the different “ages” and Covenants (for some reason Evangelicals and Catholics don’t think these are worthy subjects to discuss, and that is why in my opinion they’re Theology is usually disjointed and contradictory).
The Bible speaks of this current age as evil (Galatians 1:4). God is ultimately in control, but He has let satan have a LOT of power (Luke 4:6-7) after the episode in the Garden (Genesis 3). God is ushering in a new age through the Second Covenant established in Jesus’ blood.
I think John was a believer in Jesus by all means, but he died before Jesus established the Second Covenant. John was a prophet of the Law, and therefore I think Jesus was referring to John not receiving the Spirit like believers did at and after Pentecost.
At least, thats my take on what Jesus meant. So, in other words, while John was living he may not have partaken in the Kingdom as fully as New Covenant believers do. However, I think he will be raised up with us when Christ calls him out of his grave.
If anyone else has something to say I’d love to hear it too.