December 11, 2016

​Sometimes a text can have a lot more in it when you look at the text around it. The text I've been looking at recently is the focus on John the Baptist that comes after he's in prison (Matthew 11).

The discussion usually focuses on why John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus. Did he send them for his benefit, because he was doubting, or was it for the benefit of his disciples, in the hope that they would eventually follow Jesus instead? This is another of those situations where it could easily be both.

It may help to notice that the text (11:2) says, "Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ...." Notice that it doesn't say, "Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of JESUS...." The Christ is someone who's anointed, and the last time that Christ was anointed, John the Baptist was doubting Jesus' decision-making then as well. John thought that he should be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus wanted it the other way around.

That may be a bit comforting for us, that John the Baptist could also make mistakes.

And it may be a bit intellectual to propose what others have previously pointed out, that Jesus, in the previous section of narrative, is healing people in three sets of three, and in between each set is some of Jesus' teaching. That's quite an interesting structure, almost too much to be a coincidence. I think it's a nice reminder of the Trinity.

Matthew 11 could be John's suggestion of a good tenth miracle for Jesus to do. That's a nice, even number. It makes sense that John would think that he could be more helpful out of prison. Not this time though.

Jesus wanted a sinner's baptism. Jesus wanted John to be left in prison. I think I see a pattern working here.

And at the end of the book, the reader hears two stories that are continuing to the present: 1) someone stole the body, and 2) Jesus actually appeared to his followers; he was very caring to them, and said he would be with them until the end. I prefer the second one.