Reflective Bible Study

On discovering that John the Baptist was not claiming to be Elijah, “the Prophet”, or the Messiah, John the disciple’s gospel includes an amazing statement in this conversation between Jesus’ forerunner in ministry and the priests and Levites.

After John the Baptist has shared that he is simply the one who comes before, “They asked him, and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?’” (v. 25)

This is a valid question. If John makes no claims to be special or significant, than what would give him the right to baptize?

While we learn the reason later on in this passage, the point in time when John shares why he baptizes happens the following day. In John’s direct reply to the priests and Levites, we find a surprising foreshadowing regarding how these spiritual leaders would react to Jesus.

John responds to these messengers by saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (v. 26-27)

In this response, John the Baptist calls these leaders out that they do not know the One who God sent. In many ways this is true, however, Jesus had already subtly showed up on the scene. Jesus had already been baptized publicly by John, but even before this, Jesus had already spent three days in Jerusalem with some of these leaders about 18 years earlier when He was 12 years old.

John confidently challenges these leaders that the One God sent to Israel is alive among them, but also that they would not know Him. This man would follow after John and John admits that he isn’t worthy to even untie the sandal of the One God sent.

John’s statement is amazing foreshadowing, since all throughout Jesus’ ministry, the religious leaders – who should have been the ones to proclaim who Jesus was – were the ones who were standing in the strongest opposition to what He was doing.

One of the interesting events that stand out in my mind happens in the passage we are going to focus on in this journal entry. While there are many places where Jesus casts out impure spirits (or “demons” depending on the translation), there are two interesting distinctions that separate these healings from other similar ones included in the gospels.

On one Sabbath, as Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, a man with an impure spirit interrupts Jesus by shouting, “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (v. 34)

Probably not even looking the slightest bit phased, we read Jesus’ response in the next verse: “‘Be quiet!’ Jesus said sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.” (v. 35)

That evening, after word had spread about what happened, more people bring their sick and demon-possessed family members to have Jesus heal them. Luke tells us, “At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.” (v. 40-41)

In both of these cases, the demons were declaring the truth about who Jesus was, and Jesus silenced them from speaking.

Why would Jesus want to silence these impure spirits? After all, wouldn’t Jesus benefit from being known for who He was?

While there are a number of reasons for not allowing the demons to speak, probably the most notable one is that anything that comes from a liar’s mouth cannot be trusted. If the evil spirits could lie about other things, how would anyone know if what they say here is a lie or the truth? Even though a declaration about who you are carries some weight when it comes from your enemy, if your enemy is a known liar, then there is no way for others to know if he is lying or telling the truth.

Also worth noting is that the popular belief about who the Messiah would be was different than the Messiah Jesus came to be. The people expected a military-minded messiah, not a meek and selfless Messiah. Jesus knew that if too many people knew He was God’s promised Messiah, they might rally around who they think He should be rather than being open to who He really came to be. If too many people knew the truth too soon, they could derail the focus of His mission.

So Jesus keep the demons quiet, in order for Him to build His ministry on His own terms – and not in a way that might jeopardize His ultimate mission of dying for our sins on the cross.

Of the few events that all four gospel writers include, the one that is the most notable in my mind is Jesus’ arrest in the garden. While there are other events that all four gospels include, in this event, every gospel writer includes something that the other three writers don’t include – and in these unique details, we find some amazing truths about Jesus and God.

One of the unique details that Matthew includes is immediately following Judas’ greeting and kiss, Jesus replies to him, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” (v. 50)

This statement is amazing to me.

All this time, Jesus was not caught off guard, or surprised at what was coming. From even before the supper a few hours earlier, Jesus knew who would betray Him, and how it would happen. And Jesus still calls Judas His friend.

Jesus also knows that this mob would lead Him towards the cross. This was not the first mob that tried to get Jesus, but this was the first mob that Jesus humbled Himself to – and this began by humbling Himself to Judas. When Jesus says, “Go ahead and do what you have come for”, we see the Messiah of the world lowering Himself to be betrayed willingly at the hand of one of His twelve closest followers.

This greeting tells us so much about God and His character.

Even when we are actively sinning against God, He is still willing to call us His friend. Even when we mean to do Him harm, He is willing to take the punishment just to be close to us. Even when our hearts don’t understand what our actions will lead to, Jesus is willing to stand by us. Jesus is the clearest picture of the only God worth serving.

I am not sure what it is, but often when I read passages from the gospels, and specifically passages that share what Jesus taught, any sections of the passage that relate to faith, trust, belief, and obedience will stand out in my mind. Perhaps this is because I am looking for examples of each, or maybe these areas stand out because there are plenty of examples.

However, after reading this passage, I get to add another topic to this list: speech, specifically focusing on the words we say. As Jesus is wrapping up this discussion, He shares some profound ideas. One of these ideas is this: “Your words show what is in your hearts.” (v. 34b)

Oftentimes, we will compare talk with action and say things like, “Talk is cheap.” When comparing what we do verses what we say, what we do will often carry more weight than our words alone.

But in this passage, Jesus draws our attention to the importance and significance of our words. He continues by saying, “Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. I promise you that on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.” (v. 35-37)

It seems as though Jesus is elevating what we say into being a salvation issue. If on the day we are all judged, we will be called to answer for every careless word we have said, there are some of us who will have a lot to answer for (myself included). Jesus even tells us that our words will determine our innocence or our guilt. That is a pretty heavy statement.

But perhaps, this statement is one more reason we should accept Jesus into our lives. If we bring Jesus/God into our hearts, then Jesus’ statement tells us that others will be able to see it through our words: “Your words show what is in your hearts.” (v. 34b)

This is a statement that is as positive as it is negative. Our words can show us as being selfless or selfish; our words can point people to our value as children of God, or they can point people to a past ruled by survival of the fittest; our words can help lift each other up, or they can tear others down.

Jesus came to help lift us up by showing us God’s opinion of us. If God loves you so much to send Jesus to redeem you, why put anything but thankfulness and gratitude in your heart for Him!