WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
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international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday July 5, 2020
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VINDICATING WISDOM
(JESUS and John the Baptist)
(Matthew 11:1-19)
Wisdom is shown to be
right by what results from it, and GOD blesses those who are wise enough to not
be offended by the reality of CHRIST JESUS, our LORD. In Matthew chapter 11,
taking up at verse 1, after JESUS had finished giving instructions to HIS
twelve disciples before sending them out to spread the Gospel, two of John the
Baptist’s disciples came to inquire of JESUS whether or not HE was the MESSIAH
that they had been waiting for.
Here in this passage we see the theme of “disbelief”
being introduced. John the Baptist was now in prison at the palace of Herod
Antipas, awaiting his impending death, and had been hearing about all of the
wonderful things that JESUS was doing throughout the Palestinian countryside. John,
being imprisoned and cut off from his work, was no doubt discouraged and
probably feeling “some kind of way” that someone else may be “high-jacking” his
ministry even.
This passage shows us that even people of
great faith can be challenged and beset with feelings of doubt about what GOD
is doing in people other than themselves, from time to time. John the Baptist was
a man who had always lived in the open spaces of the wilderness where he had
preached the most powerful ministry that any man had ever preached before JESUS
came. However, he was now locked in a very small cell that had, no doubt,
affected his judgment and reasoning to some extent.
Like most of Israel, John probably expected
JESUS to come and, not only rescue Israel from her sinful predicament, but also,
to free her from her oppression by her Roman overseers. However, when JESUS
came bringing “healing to men’s bodies”, and “salvation to men’s souls”, HE, in
effect, had instead, begun “the work of Creation”, all over again, in all
mankind, not just the Jews. And so, it was not “the wrath of GOD” that was on
display in the world at this time, but rather, it was “the love of GOD” that
was being highlighted, through JESUS’ ministry.
When John’s disciples came upon JESUS, HE
was in the midst of curing many people of their various physical afflictions
and casting out demons. Here JESUS subtly affirms to John’s disciples that HE
truly is the MESSIAH, as well as the CHRIST of history’s end. HE relates to his
disciples in such a way that, when they delivered HIS message to John, he would
have no difficulty believing it. JESUS turned from HIS work and told the men to
“go back and tell John what you’ve seen and heard from ME”. And to also
tell him in no uncertain terms that, “GOD blesses those who are not offended
by ME”.
JESUS no doubt made that statement, not
only for John’s sake, but also for the sake of the religious hierarchy in Israel
at the time, who had refused John’s message and baptism. Those religious
leaders were thoroughly offended by John’s words and works, and now JESUS
sought to help John to not fall into that same way of thinking, or attitude,
toward HIM and HIS works. HE sought to encourage John and his followers through
HIS actions, just as John had encouraged others through his.
After John’s disciples had left, JESUS
began to talk to the crowd, who had been steadily gathering, about the greatness of John. HE took advantage of this moment to testify of the importance of John’s
ministry as HIS “forerunner”, and, to inform them that there had never been a
more important prophet than John, in the history of the world. However, JESUS
also stunned many in the crowd by saying that, as great as John was, his
greatest pales in comparison to, even the least most important person, in
Heaven.
Here JESUS is not building up “the personal
creation role” of John the Baptist in the “Kingdom Plan of GOD”, just to tear
him down, but rather, HE is trying to make the point that, “being a great
prophet here on earth” is not nearly as important as being “a member in the
Kingdom of Heaven”. Even the least significant person in Heaven, will have a
greater spiritual capacity than the greatest men of GOD here on earth.
John the Baptist had a “preparatory
ministry” that much resembled that of an “Elijah”, whom Scripture said would
appear before CHRIST’s first advent, and indeed, JESUS said that he was “Elijah”
(Vs.13-14). The devil’s resistance to GODly forces make it difficult for
ordinary men to maintain a life that they are not called to by GOD to lead. However,
spiritually strong individuals who are “called by GOD” can withstand and
overcome the gravitational pull and forces of this world.
Christianity has been preached since the
time of John the Baptist, and the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully
advancing ever since. And now today, more than ever, violent people attack the
very order and concept of CHRIST JESUS, and in fact, we now see the very
beginning of “apostasia” (a great falling away), or, “all-out rebellion against
GOD”, even in these united states of America.
This “falling away” from GOD leads to man’s
desire to eventually do away with his own “law and order” in his own community
and governments (“anarchy”). In this country, this movement towards anarchy is
being fueled by “racial pride”, a tool of satan that takes our focus off GOD
and puts it firmly upon ourselves (worshiping our “race” instead of “worshiping
GOD”), and this “apostasy” (rebellion against GOD’s law and order), the Bible
says, is the first step toward the end of this Age (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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