Episode Details

Did John the Baptist begin to doubt Jesus while sitting in prison?

Matthew 11 opens with John sending his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Rather than simply saying yes, Jesus points them to the evidence: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor hear the gospel.

Glenn and Steve consider whether John himself was struggling with doubt or whether he may have been intentionally sending his remaining followers to Jesus. They also discuss why John was imprisoned, whether Christians should speak publicly about moral issues, and how Jesus described John as a bold prophet rather than a reed shaken by the wind.

The study then moves into Malachi’s prophecies, John’s connection to Elijah, the deity of Christ, the relationship between the Law and the Prophets and the kingdom, and the meaning of Jesus’ difficult statement that “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence.”

Matthew 11:1–15 | The Book of Matthew — Session 19

  Questions discussed in this session include:

• How do I know whether to keep silent on moral issues or speak out and risk persecution?
• What should we do if we have doubts? 
• Of what value is it being in Christ’s kingdom? 
• Are churches receptive to people asking doubtful questions? 

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May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve