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发表于 30-1-2015 21:05:46|来自:北京
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John the Baptist Questions Jesus
While John the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod (Matthew 11:2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples), it was apparent that he began to doubt that JESUS actually was the MESSIAH, even though he had seen the HOLY SPIRIT descend upon JESUS at HIS baptism. Just as we often do, John began to battle doubts when he faced adversity. This shows us that John was an ordinary person like the rest of us.
JESUS replied to John's questions by speaking of HIS authenticating miracles. The blind, lame, deaf and leprous were being healed. Even the dead were being raised. Only the MESSIAH sent from GOD could do such things.
John's doubts may have also stemmed from his misunderstanding of GOD's WORD, just as our misunderstanding of GOD's WORD sometimes fuels our doubts. Perhaps John was expecting the MESSIAH to set up the long-awaited kingdom, as the Old Testament promised HE would. John's problem is that he didn't sufficiently understand all that the Old Testament promised concerning the MESSIAH. With HIS reply, JESUS may have been pointing him back to Scripture, specifically to a messianic prophecy in the book of Isaiah. JESUS knew John realized that Isaiah 40:3 (A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God”) was a reference to his own ministry. John had once quoted it, explaining his identity to some Jewish priests: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, Ô Prepare a straight pathway for the LORD's coming.” In HIS reply to John, JESUS may very well have been quoting from Isaiah 61:1 (The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners), a passage that refers to the MESSIAH's healing and preaching ministry.
Although John experienced temporary doubts about JESUS, JESUS still called him the greatest man who ever lived. This indicated that John wasn't great because of anything he did, but because of what GOD did through him. He was chosen before conception in his mother's womb to be a prophet, a prophet who would prepare the way for the MESSIAH. His ministry had been foretold in the Old Testament. GOD made him into a bold, anointed preacher, and multitudes of people repented as a result.
The amazing thing that JESUS said is that "even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of GOD" will be greater than John the Baptist. John was the greatest person who ever lived because of what GOD did through him, but every one of us will one day be able to rightly consider ourselves greater, because of what GOD will do through us in HIS kingdom! Wow! Perhaps it will be then that JESUS' amazing promise of John 14:12 will come to pass: "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works..." John the Baptist never performed any miracles, but, speaking of HIS miracles (see John 14:12), Jesus said all believers would do the same works and even greater works! Can you imagine being used by GOD to heal the blind, lame and deaf, or raise someone from the dead? The Bible says that we will one day rule with JESUS for a thousand years over the whole earth, and perhaps it is then that we can look forward to being used by GOD so greatly!
Q. When we are tempted to doubt that JESUS is the MESSIAH and SON of GOD, what would be the best way we could eradicate our doubts?
A. By re-examining the evidence for these facts in the Bible. GOD's WORD builds faith within us.
Application: In the final part of today's reading, JESUS compared those who rejected HIM to children arguing with one another, who, no matter what, can't be pleased. JESUS' enemies found fault with John the Baptist for his fasting and abstinence, and criticized JESUS for HIS feasting and drinking. It wasn't that they couldn't believe; it was that they didn't want to believe, and so they used any and every excuse they could think of to remain unbelieving and disobedient. As sad as it may seem, there are some people who will never be convinced to believe the gospel.
Scripture study: Luke 7:18-35
Jesus and John the Baptist
18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,who will prepare your way before you.’28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:“‘We played the pipe for you,and you did not dance;we sang a dirge,and you did not cry.’33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
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