7: 18-35 John the Baptist’s disciples saw and heard all that Jesus was doing throughout his travels and reported what they witnessed back to John. John was in prison at the time. When he heard the news, he was confused. Although he was doing the work of the anticipated Messiah – the teaching and the healings, he had not acted to overturn the Roman rulers or free the prisoners who were not guilty, as the Jews had anticipated a Messiah to do. John sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” He wanted clarification to clear up his confusion.
Up to that point, Jesus had cured many people of their diseases, illnesses and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Jesus told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard – The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor are told the good news, and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.” These things that John’s disciples had seen and heard went beyond the prophecy of the Messiah.
After John’s disciples left, Jesus explained to the crowds the significance of John and his ministry. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in expensive clothes? See, those who are dressed in expensive clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written” See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
John the Baptist was not one who fit in with the current culture or comfortable surroundings. He had nothing to do with royalty or the accumulation of money or things. John was a prophet and the forerunner for the Messiah. No human up to that point was greater than John the Baptist. However, in the future, the weakest follower of Jesus would have greater spiritual resources than John because they would have the Spirit dwelling within them as Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit while up to that point, John baptized with water only.
When they heard this, everyone – even the tax collectors – agreed that God’s way was right, for they had been baptized by John. The Pharisees and religious experts; however, refused to repent and humble themselves to be baptized by John, and thus rejected God’s plan for them.
Jesus continued, “To what can I compare the people of this generation . . . how can I describe them? They are like children playing a game in the public square. The complain to their friends, ‘We played wedding songs, and you didn’t dance, so we played funeral songs, and you didn’t weep.’ For John the Baptist didn’t spend his time eating bread or drinking wine, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it.”
Jesus was disappointed saying that it was impossible to please the people of his generation. They would not respond to a happy sound or a sad sound. John the Baptist led a very strict lifestyle, but even he was accused of having a demon. By contrast, Jesus was accused of living loosely and eating with sinners and as such, was called a glutton and a drunkard by the religious leaders.
We tend to shy away from what we don’t understand. Rather than taking the time to listen to someone or understand a situation, we are quick to judge based on what our culture says is good or not good, while looking at the person or situation through the veil of our own experiences and fears. The religious people studied the Mosaic Law. This became their identity and they looked down on anyone who were not like them. The law became very rigid and did not allow for love and grace, especially to anyone who was considered an outsider.
Jesus was healing and loving others unconditionally, which fell outside of what the religious leaders could understand. How could someone who was not like the religious leaders (the gentiles, tax collectors, and sinners) be loved unconditionally?