When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”     Matthew 11:2

Was John the Baptist having a moment of doubt? Could it really be that he actually had second thoughts about the identity of Yeshua? Doubts? – Even after he had heard a voice from Heaven say,
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”?
Second thoughts? – Even after John, himself, testified:

I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.    John 1:32-34

But, if John was not doubting that Yeshua was the Messiah, then what is the meaning of his question, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” There are a couple of possibilities.

First, in the writings of the Qumran community, we find two Messiahs mentioned. The first is a Priestly Messiah and the second is the Teacher of Righteousness. Many scholars agree that the Qumran community influenced John’s theology, yet this is not the answer.

The answer is found in Rabbinic Literature. There exists in Rabbinic Literature the belief that there would be two Messiahs. The first Messiah is the suffering Messiah – the One who suffers for the sins of Israel. He is the fulfillment of prophecies like those found in Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 9:9. He is called Messiah, son of Joseph, because his suffering is compared to that of Jacob’s son, Joseph, who suffered at the hands of his brothers and still forgave them. The second Messiah is called Messiah, son of David. He is the Messiah who will fulfill all of the prophecies of the kingly Messiah and bring victory over all of the oppressors of Israel.

While rabbinic tradition was not written down until the second century CE, we can still reasonably assume that it reflects, to some degree, Jewish thought of the first century. Could this have been John’s question…“Are you Messiah, son of Joseph and Messiah, son of David? Or, should we expect another who will rule?” This seems most plausible since John had already declared:

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!     John 1:29

And, it also seems quite probable if we look at Yeshua’s answer to John’s question:

Jesus replied, “⁴…Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” Matthew 11:4-5

We read Yeshua’s words, yet somehow, we fail to fully comprehend their intended meaning. When Yeshua tells John’s disciples to report to John, “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor,” He is actually speaking of the passages in Isaiah concerning the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. John would have been quite familiar with these passages:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.
Isaiah 61:1-2

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.      Isaiah 35:5-6

This would certainly have been welcome and comforting news to John as he sat in the darkness of his prison cell. And, these would certainly have been things that John would have expected the Messiah, son of David to accomplish, so Yeshua sends John an answer that would confirm His dual role.

Then, Yeshua, knowing that John would not be released from prison, but would meet his end there, admonishes him to hold on to his faith by adding:

“Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”    Matthew 11:6

Yeshua, sensing that the crowd, and future pastors, might think that John was in doubt; speaks of His confidence in John as He goes on to say:

“What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?”   Matthew 11:7

Brad Young cites this Scripture in reference to the midrash “The Oak and the Reed” in his book The Parables:

“Which is more powerful, the reed or the oak? The first response is the majestic oak. But in a storm with violent gusts, the oak is broken while the reed is merely shaken. In such a storm, the flexible reed proves stronger than the mighty oak.”

Yeshua assures the crowd that John’s faith will not fail and that he will not succumb to Herod’s pressure because he is, indeed, the one chosen by God to declare and prepare the way for Yeshua’s ministry:

If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’” Matthew 11:8-10

He then goes on to say:

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  
Matthew 11:11

Rabbi Yeshua says that there is no human being greater than John, but then, He turns His statement around by saying, “yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Does Yeshua mean to imply that John is not in the Kingdom of Heaven? No, His words simply reflect the topsy-turvy nature of the Kingdom. Yeshua’s concern has always been with the least, the poor in spirit, the broken hearted, and the meek – for they will be great in the Kingdom. The first will be last and the last will be first. John is the greatest of all human beings, He says, but greatness in the Kingdom is not measured by human standards.

John has had his question answered and we have been given another example of a recurring theme taught by Yeshua: that to be great in the Kingdom we must humble ourselves in this life, even to becoming as little children.

It was not doubt that fueled John’s question, but a faith that we should all emulate. It is not doubt to question what you have been taught about Messiah. Humbly questioning, as a child, leads to truth and builds great faith.

Just as John had to question the teachings of his forefathers and find out for himself the truth about Messiah, so too our call is to examine what we have been taught by our church fathers. Messiah's teachings can only be understood in the context of First Century Judaism. That is the time the Father chose for Yeshua to come into the world.  There were those like John and Yeshua’s followers who were seeking and they found Messiah and they found a first First Century Jewish Rabbi. If that is not how you have come to know Him, then the articles, teachings and information on this web-site are here to assist you in your questioning.

Kehilat Sar Shalom