Day 102: Matthew 11:2–5

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent a message by his disciples and asked Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” (vv. 2–3).

People who seem to live out the faith almost flawlessly inspire me; but I am also moved to meditation by those who grapple and wrestle with it. I find that rather than give me “permission” to doubt, their stories usually give me permission to move through my doubt to a place of spacious faith. May God use today’s reading toward such an end.

Both Luke and Matthew tell us that John the Baptizer sent messengers to Jesus asking if He was the Messiah. Jesus told them to return to John and tell him just what they had seen: “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” (Luke 7:22).

Matthew, however, gives us one additional piece of information about the situation. John sent his disciples, all right . . . from his prison cell (Matt. 11:2). Mark 6:17–18 tells us that John was there because he confronted King Herod about his adultery. Do you suppose John’s location may have influenced the question he sent his disciples to ask Jesus?

My heart is awash with compassion for a man who sat in prison two thousand years ago. Four walls closing in surely must limit your vision. The facts to support Christ’s messiahship were all there. I’m pretty certain John knew it. Furthermore, the baptizer knew Jesus was the Messiah the moment he saw Him at the Jordan River. But time and circumstances can dull the image on your faith perception, and leave you feeling not sure what you believe.

I don’t think John’s sudden bout with doubt had anything to do with public merit. It was a private matter. John had heard the wonders Christ had done for others. I think maybe his faith was shaken because he could have used a wonder for himself, and he didn’t appear to be getting it. John knew with his head that Jesus was the Messiah. Sitting in that prison cell, I think he was having a little trouble knowing it with his heart.

We don’t have trouble relating here. Have you known Christ long enough to witness His marvelous works? Have you heard testimonies of His intervening power? Even after such evidence, has your faith ever been greatly shaken because of something He didn’t do for you personally? Like John, have you ever found yourself waiting and waiting on Christ to come through? Have you ever endured long stretches of suffering on a certain matter while hearing all sorts of wondrous works He was doing elsewhere?

It hurts, doesn’t it? We can be believers in Jesus for years, literally seeking Him, finding Him, and serving Him—then suddenly have a staggering bout with doubt. Overwhelmed with guilt and fear, we’ll think, “How in the world could I be doubting after all this time?” It’s a horrible feeling!

I’d like to suggest, however, that these kinds of doubts are probably not coming from our heads. They’re coming from our hearts. Our feelings. Our emotions. Our hurts.

John was not like “a reed swayed by the wind” (Luke 7:24). Rather, he was a man of absolute conviction. That’s exactly what faith means. Pistis, the Greek word translated “faith,” means “firm persuasion, conviction.” For our purposes today, “firm persuasion” or “conviction” represents head-faith! Perhaps John had questions, but they weren’t enough to sway the reed! If John had truly harbored deeply embedded questions about Christ’s authenticity, I don’t believe Jesus would have hesitated to rebuke him. He certainly didn’t hesitate with some others. Yet Christ was very gentle with John. He simply reminded him that He was fulfilling His job description to the letter.

I believe the root of John’s question was, “Why am I sitting in prison while Jesus is going about His business all over the countryside?” Surely John was wondering how he was supposed to “prepare the way” for Him from prison. If Jesus were meeting all the criteria of messiahship, He was supposed to be proclaiming freedom for the prisoners (see Luke 4:18). And John knew a prisoner who could use a little freedom.

John’s ministry had lasted only about a year. The baptizer could not have imagined that his purposes had been so quickly fulfilled. John couldn’t have foreseen that he was a shooting star leading the way in the night until the dawn would rise.

Our discussion raises an important question: If a real difference exists between head-doubt and heart-doubt, is heart-doubt “no big deal”? When our emotions begin to override what our minds know is true, can we just surrender to our heart-doubts? I don’t think so. Our heart-doubts can be very dangerous if we remain in them. But, if we wrestle through them with the Lord Jesus, when we get to the other side of our crisis, we will find ourselves spilled into a place of spacious faith!