Matthew 11:2-11 (NRSV)
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Verse 2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples Verse 3and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Verse 4Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: Verse 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. Verse 6And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."
Verse 7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? Verse 8What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. Verse 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. Verse 10This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' Verse 11Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Devotion
The ministry of John the Baptist “in the wilderness” is important. It identifies John with Elijah, who was expected to return before the day of the Lord. Did being in the wilderness also allow John to receive the vision that fueled his preaching? Stripped of the trappings of life, John could see that his only hope – and the hope of his people – was in the “one who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 21:9). Similarly, in Isaiah’s vision the land of Judah had been ravaged and the people and their future cut off like so many tree trunks (parallel in Isaiah 10:33-34). Surveying the devastation, Isaiah caught sight of a tiny green shoot growing out of the stump of Jesse – a sign that God’s promises are sure, despite evidence to the contrary.
Prayer
O God, when we look across the landscape of our lives, give us eyes to see signs of new life where death and destruction appear to prevail. Make us courageous and articulate witnesses to the reality of Christian hope in the world. Amen.