What happens when we doubt? What was it that John doubted about Jesus? James tells us that the man who wavers in doubt will receive nothing from the Lord (James 1:5-7). So, what was the difference between John’s doubts about Jesus, concerning which Jesus showed mercy, and the Jewish authorities’ doubts about his being the Messiah, and Jesus’ judgment upon them? The worldviews of both John and the Jewish authorities, as it pertained to the Messiah, were basically the same: namely, the Messiah would come and solve all their problems, usually meaning physical problems, vis-à-vis their basic needs for food and clothing, sicknesses and political servitude (Isaiah 61:1). So, what are we missing?
When 5000 men, plus women and children were fed to the full with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, the Jews fell all over themselves in an effort to make Jesus their king (John 6:14-15), showing that worldview was commonly held by all. Yet, John was a captive, held in prison for doing God’s will, and Jesus hadn’t set him free. Instead, Jesus had been proclaiming that folks should love their enemies, do good to them who hurt and abuse you (Matthew 5:44), and to go the extra mile with your oppressor (Matthew 5:41). What was Jesus doing?
It has been said, “It is difficult to free a fool from the chains they revere.”[1] Wrong worldviews, if held strongly enough can be a most impenetrable prison of one’s mind. The scribes and Pharisees and other Jewish authorities couldn’t believe in anything they couldn’t control. So, in questions pertaining to Jesus being the Messiah, they demanded a sign (Matthew 12:38), yet Jesus had already performed many miracles, so what sign would be enough for them to believe? They would always be in doubt and would need a sign for everything Jesus told them.
However, John wasn’t like this. He may have believed similarly to the Jewish authorities, but he was ready to change his worldview, if he could be shown he was wrong. It is what he didn’t ask Jesus that is important here. When he sent his disciples to question Jesus, he didn’t ask to be released as a sign that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. He allowed Jesus the freedom not to do that. Therefore, Jesus pointed John to the signs/miracles he had been doing and continued to do, which fulfilled the prophesies about him (Matthew 11:4-5) and he added, “blessed is he who will not be offended in me” (Matthew 11:6; cp. Matthew 15:10-12; Mark 6:3). John would have recognized those prophesies in Jesus’ reply, and that was enough for him (Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1).
As John’s disciples left Jesus with his reply for John, Jesus turned to the multitude and made what seems to be a self-contradictory statement: “Among them that are born of women, which includes all mankind, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11). First, Jesus claimed there was no one greater than John, then as though he didn’t realize what he had just said, Jesus says anyone, even the least, in the Kingdom of Heaven was greater than John! How is this not contradictory?
Well to begin with, I believe Jesus uses “born of women” as a technical term for initiation into the Mosaic Covenant, vis-à-vis Jews were born into a covenant relationship with God. The New Covenant wasn’t like that; one chose to be in a relationship with God. Therefore, I think, Jesus is comparing the Old Covenant participants with the New Covenant participants. Notice how John puts it in his Gospel narrative. There it is said that Jesus came to his own, vis-à-vis the Jewish nation, born under the Law of Moses (Galatians 4:4-5), but Jesus was rejected (John 1:11). Nevertheless, those Jews who did receive him, Jesus enabled to become the sons of God, vis-à-vis those who trust in Jesus’ name (John 1:12).
These, however, were not born into the Kingdom of Heaven by women, nor were they put there by the authority of the king or their father, nor were they able to attain to the Kingdom of Heaven through their own will power. Instead, they were in the Kingdom of Heaven through being born of God (John 1:13). Thus, it can be said that among men who are born into the Covenant by women, there were none greater than John. However, he who has been born of God into the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31) is a partaker of divine nature (2Peter 1:4). Thus, that one is greater than the best of those born of women, vis-à-vis those born into the Old Covenant.
Therefore, the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is preached in a new age, beginning with the days of John the Baptizer! He was of the former age, which included the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 11:13). The change in worldview comes through violence (Matthew 11:12), and those willing to fight for it, vis-à-vis those willing to embrace the struggle to enter into it, the same who endure to the end will lay hold of it.
For the purpose of context, John is Elijah whose days were prophesied to come, and whose responsibility it would be to turn the hearts of the fathers and the children back to God (Matthew 11:14; cp. Malachi 4:5-6). Thus, of course, only they who are called are able to “hear” or understand their call (Matthew 11:15).
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