“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, ‘I am not the Messiah.'”
Part of John the Baptist’s unique character is his awareness of his own mission. He waited in the wilderness until God told him it was time to start preaching. When he did preach, he was very clear about what he was saying, and who he represented. He was also very clear about who he was not.
Q: Why did the Jewish leaders think to ask John if he was the Messiah?
They not only did they ask John if he was the Christ, but also if he was Elijah or a prophet. He had knowledge about God that they lacked.
While what he shared with them possibly rang true to them, they may have threatened by John since they were the supposed experts.
Thanks Robster! You make a great point. John’s words and actions were very different. They set him apart, and not in a bad way. Like Jesus, his words had authority because they came from God.
A closed mouth is never fed,..these guys knew a Messiah was coming and so they thought to ask even if they didn’t believe, they’re doing the elimination process. Seems like the only ones they were eliminating were themselves.
John,
Very interesting thoughts! In Luke 12: 35-48 Jesus speaks in a parable about the good and the bad servants. Both know the Master will return someday, but the good servant is ready and the bad servant has turned to his own pleasure. Your words apply equally well in this passage, too.
Right on John, we need to become nothing so God can make us something. By the time they understand it will be too late.
The Jewish leaders had been looking for signs of the Messiah for a very long time. In research I found out that it was ingrained into the traditions and culture of the Jewish people itself. It was not just the Jewish leaders who were looking, but the Jewish people as a whole people. The Jewish leaders regularly sent priests and Levites to “investigate” when they heard that there may be a sign or claim. The line of questioning in the scriptures seem to support this methodology, starting from the top and working its way down. I read a lot of speculation on the motivation of those inquiries; the two main being truly looking for the Messiah and political power. I think what I took from today is that the timing of Christs (first) coming was perfect. The social and political soil was ripe and rich, and Christ came and planted the seeds of the church. If it were today, I don’t believe the results would have been the same (and that of course is my speculation).
Chris,
Your point is quite interesting. If the Jews were actively searching for signs of the Messiah, then it makes total sense that they would have been interested in John the Baptist. John’s response puts them in a bit of a conundrum: He acts like a Messiah, but he says he is not the Messiah. This, in and of itself, is a mark of John’s authenticity. Any other Messiah wannabe would be clamoring for attention. If asked “Are you the Messiah?” they would say, “Yes!” The task of the Jews would then be to test them, and of course they would find them lacking.
In the case of John the Baptist, he proclaims the coming Messiah but does not claim to be that person. Even when Jesus is revealed, he is hard to pin down. The Jews cannot claim he is not the Messiah unless he first claims to be the Messiah. Thus, they are confronted by a paradox.
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33)