John the Baptist was not clothed like the respectable clergy of the day. This and other actions, including his open-air preaching in unofficial places, caused him to be resented by many. But he was God’s messenger. Still, even John needed his faith strengthened, and Jesus understood his question. John stood at the end of the past Old Testament religion, and Jesus stood at the beginning of the New Testament. As John had to learn, this was a new era and he must become part of it. You, too, make sure of your readiness for the face-to-face relationship with God, which is the next grand chapter in his saving program.
Mat 11: 1-19
John the Baptist…
It came to pass, when Jesus had finished commanding His twelve disciples, He left there to teach and to proclaim in their cities.
When John heard in the prison of the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples. And they said to Him, Are You he who should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John again those things which you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel proclaimed to them.
Blessed is he, whoever shall not be offended in Me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say to the crowds concerning John, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? What did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, they who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet. For this is the one of whom it is written, “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You.”
Truly I say to you, Among those who have been born of women there has not risen a greater one than John the Baptist. But the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he and from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force.
For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you will receive it, this is Elijah who is to come. He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.
What shall I compare to this generation? It is like little children sitting in the markets and calling to their playmates, saying, We played the flute to you, and you did not dance! We mourned to you, but you did not wail!
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He has a demon. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man who is a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners. But wisdom was justified by her children.
