I Corinthians 4:1-5 St. Matthew 11:2-10
Unexpected Messiah
During the Advent Season we sang hymns and read lessons about the promised Christ, the Messiah who would deliver the Children of Israel from bondage.
Many First Century followers of St. John the Baptist as well as followers of our Lord were experiencing confusion as to the nature of the Kingdom of God. When we read the opening lines of the Gospel of John we are reading story of Jesus as it was told one to two generations after the death of Jesus. Judas Maccabaeus and some 50 other leaders of the Jews were thought to be Messiahs by their contemporaries, but proved not to be later. John the Baptist was asked the question, “Are you the Messiah.” It was not an illogical question.
People who seek Christ in our time have in mind the kind of Jesus they want to believe in, as well as the kind of heavenly Father and the type of Church they want to enjoy. First century Jews, subjugated by Rome had their own expectations regarding the way in which the Kingdom of God would be established. Many thought that the Messiah would be a radical political figure who would claim His kingdom through acts of power and
might. It was expected that he would chase out the Roman army of occupation and set up offices in Jerusalem from which place he would rule the world.
This was one of the reasons that St. John the Baptist was asked whether or not he was the Messiah.
Surely one so bold as to openly denounce the king about his scandalous
marriage and to rebuke the religious elite in his fiery sermons had to be
the Lion of the tribe of Judah! But St. John denied the title and pointed to
one Who was to come after Him, the Lamb of God Who would take away the sins
of the world.
We pray in the the Lord’s prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, they will be done.”
In that same spirit, John pointed to Jesus as the coming King and announced the Kingdom would be soon coming.
Jesus and St. John the Baptist were cousins. Would it have been unusual for these two spiritual leaders to discuss their mission in life, their part in God’s redemptive work?
The masses of Jews who came to Jerusalem for the feasts and who waited and prayed for the salvation that would come with Messiah’s reign would not know of Jesus and John and their discussions.
As they heard factions in Judaism say “Christ is here, or Christ is there” they would respond in hope and some with fiery zeal would attempt a revolution.
The Zealots could not understand Jesus’ apparent reluctance to confront the
political power of Rome and the puppet authorities they had set up in
Palestine. A peaceful Messiah was totally unexpected.
When John the Baptist was thrown into prison his followers were shocked.
Messiah wasn’t supposed to fail! What a contradictory sign from God. John whom they hoped would deliver Israel from the Romans languished in a prison, while the One he had pointed to had seemingly no interest in following the agenda. When would He stand up to them and fight for the establishment of His kingdom?
To clarify what was happening, John the Baptist, sent his disciples to be instructed by Jesus as to what it meant to be Messiah. Apparently, some of John’s disciples had not understood what he meant when he said that he would decrease, but the Messiah would
Increase.
John in effect was releasing his Baptist followers to join the Christian soldiers.
The oppressed Jews no doubt liked John’s fiery speeches, his anti-establishment zeal matched their ideas better than those of Jesus Christ.
Jesus words, “love your enemies”; if anyone presses you into service to carry his armor for one mile, go with him twom was more than the nationalistic Jews could bear..
John no doubt knew that his days were numbered and so he sent his
disciples to Jesus Himself with a question. "Are you the Coming One, or do
we (note the plural) look for another?"
I remember hearing and preaching that the question, “Are you the Coming One” indicated that John the Baptist was having doubts about his cousin Jesus.
Although this is possible as none of the biblical characters are ever portrayed
as perfect it “ain’t necessarily so.” Given the relationship between the mothers of these two men, as well as the fact they were cousins, it is unlikely they did not understand their destiny and had discussed.
So, I believe it safe to assume that the fact that Jesus
did not fit the popular image of political zealot would not have effected
the Baptist negatively.but it would have effected his disciples.
Our Lord’s reply to their question was designed to point them back to
Scripture, and away from public expectation. The prophecies concerning the
Messiah, especially those in Isaiah and Jeremiah, were being fulfilled
before their very eyes through the works of Jesus. The promises of God were
incarnate in Christ.the characteristic mark of the Messiah was clear for all
to see.Jesus was the One peculiarly anointed by God’s Spirit to preach good
tidings to the spiritually impoverished, to heal the sick and to raise the
dead.
The statement at the end of Jesus reply was meant to challenge them to
re-examine their presuppositions. "Blessed is he who is not offended
because of Me." Or in other words, "Blessed is he who is not offended because
I am not the Messiah he thought I should be, but the Messiah the Scriptures said
I would be."
Many throughout the ages have been offended by the Messiah simply because He
did not fit their pre-conceived ideas.
In the 1st Century the offence was based on the fact that He was a spiritual teacher rather than a political revolutionary. We might apply this thought to our own times. Which is the more powerful revolutionary, He who coming with the Sword or He who comes with the word of Christ calling us to lay down our armaments and embrace the Peacable Kingdom?
After the crucifixion the offence was based on having to believe in One put
to death as a criminal on a cross. For the Greeks the offence was based on
an apparent lack of eloquence and wisdom. To many in the modern church the
offence is either based on the exclusive nature of Christianity (no man
comes to the Father but by Me) or the inclusive nature of Christianity (if
they are not against us they are for us) or the fact that our Lord chooses
to reign in and through the changed hearts of men, women and children and to
establish His kingdom covenant family by covenant family.
That puts the disciples of St. John the Baptist and us in the same boat. We
simply do not know all there is to know about how the Lord will bring His
kingdom to complete fulfilment.
As the hymn writer, William Fullerton, correctly said, we cannot tell so many things.starting with the incarnation.why He would stoop to love the people of the earth and why He would even bother to seek those who have wandered far from Him.but we know that He did.that He came as a babe in a manger.that He was born of the
Blessed Virgin Mary and that He lived amongst us as one of us. We know our
Saviour has come and thus we are encouraged to look for the consummation of
His kingdom.
The cross is another enigma to many. Even the most graphic portrayal of His
suffering does not do justice to the agony of Calvary. Our minds are too
small to comprehend the gravity of the crucifixion. But we do know the
result of His death and resurrection. And so we know that the Saviour is
present to heal others as He has healed us and many before us.
Neither do we know how He will win the nations and how He will claim His
earthly heritage. We look at the countless prophecies in the Scriptures
plainly stating that all the nations will turn to Him and that He will reign
until He has placed all His enemies His feet (cf. Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 2:8;
22:27-31; Daniel 2:35b, 44-45; Habakkuk 2:14; St. Matthew 28:18-20; Acts
3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25, et. al.), but, like the Baptist’s disciples,
we stumble over the things we previously have come to believe. But we know
that when the end comes, He will have done all that He purposed to do
because He has never before failed in the fulfilment of His Word.
I cannot tell you how He will accomplish what He has promised, but I know
that He will based on what He has already done. Likewise the disciples of
the Baptist were exhorted to believe in Jesus because of what He was doing right there amongst them. They could see the signs.
Life has its unexpected moments, doesn’t it? Each of us faces signs of contradiction all around us. We become angry and frustrated when our core beliefs are challenged. Our Lord taught the bewildered 1st Century believers. The Scriptures do not fail.what God has said, He will do.
In many ways, our participation in the Holy Eucharist is also meant to
Encourage us to believe Him rather than our own muddled expectations. The proof
that God has fulfilled His promise to deal with mankind’s dilemma is here
for all to see. As we come to His Table to participate in the symbols of the
finished work of our Lord, let us bring the many things we cannot fathom
with us and lay them before His feet. And as He feeds us with his Body and
Blood, let us hear His reply once more.
"Do not be offended because I am not the Messiah you expected. I am Whom
the prophets foretold. So take and eat, this is My Body given for you.drink
this, all of you, for this is My blood shed for you and for many for the
remission of sins.and as you eat and drink, remember Me as I am revealed in
Scripture.remember that I am presently reigning as the Victorious King, ever to place all My enemies under My feet. As I have promised, so I
will do as I have done.
Jesus, being present at this table takes the cup along with us. This is a blood oath that He takes saying "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age."
I came into the world to save you.I gave my life for
your life.now trust Me to complete what I started that first Christmas Day."
