The Doubting Father
Gordon, Jeff, and I became friends in sixth grade. They were considered
very cool; everyone who was anyone in our school liked them. Could their
popularity be explained by the fact that Gordon and Jeff, played guitar
and starred in their own rock and roll band.
In September 1967, having graduated from sixth grade, I was off and
heading for Junior High. Having listened to singing groups since I was
in the fourth grade like the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five, the Rolling
Stones and other Sixties rock bands provided courtesy of the British
Invasion to our shoreline the words of Danny & The Juniors lived
deep in my heart.
ROCK AND ROLL IS HERE TO STAY
Danny & The Juniors
Rock 'n roll is here to stay,
it will never die
It was meant to be that way,
though I don't know why
I don't care what people say,
rock 'n roll is here to stay
(We don't care what people say,
rock 'n roll is here to stay)
Many in the 1960’s became interested in learning to play the
electric guitar. I was no exception. As a much younger child my parents
provided me with piano lessons. Soon after my parents divorced lessons
ceased. According to my mom, she no longer could afford the cost of
the private lessons.
Other than the “Big Bopper,” born Jiles Perry Richardson
Jr., October 24, 1930 in Sabine Pass, Texas, the Bobs Big Boy original
double deck hamburger or the “Big Kahuna,” there were other
things that were big. The price for a new electric guitar; amp and guitar
lessons cost “Big Bucks.” After approaching my mom about
learning to play the electric guitar, she decided it was okay to bring
the subject up to my dad.
When I approached, dad about buying me a guitar, amp and lessons he
offered to do so once I showed him I was worthy of his venture capital.
In seventh grade I enrolled in a guitar class being offered at my Junior
High School. As with my piano lessons, I was committed to practice on
the school’s acoustic guitar faithfully.
As the school year passed quickly by, I began working odd jobs in the
neighborhood in order to save money. I soon had enough earned money
to purchase a used Fender electric guitar and Gibson amp. When my dad
visited again, I demonstrated my new developed talent on my used electric
guitar and amp. Being impressed with my performance, he now offered
to pay for a new electric guitar, amplifier and lessons. I respectfully
declined his offer.
The Skeptic Mother
I have this distinct memory from early childhood about my mom and me
standing in the medical office of our family physician, Dr. Smith. My
mom asked Dr. Smith to put emphasis on what she had already stressed
earlier to me regarding telling the truth. Mom’s maternal instructional
training included that one should tell the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth and take responsibility for your individual actions.
In response to my mom’s request, Dr. Smith stated to me, “When
a group of boys are playing baseball and the ball is hit and breaks
a neighbor’s window and everyone runs, then everyone becomes a
possible suspect.” “Under these circumstances what would
be the best decision to make?” “The best decision to make
is to stay put at the scene and admit either you were the one that hit
the ball that broke the window or that you were not.”
A couple months after Dr. Smith’s talk, which I took to heart,
Dr. Smith’s hypothetical example happened to me. I was playing
baseball with other neighborhood boys, in front of my parent’s
house. It was my turn up at bat. I hit the underhand pitched ball up
and into the air. The foul ball took off like a rocket in the direction
of my next door neighbor’s residence. POW, CRASH, SMASH, the baseball
landed inside our neighbor’s living room passing through the house’s
front window.
Having been mentally formed to take responsibility for my actions,
by telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, after
feeling a bit queasy, I advanced to my neighbor’s residence front
door. Answering my knock, Mr. Moon opened the door. Explaining the circumstances
that led to why a baseball unintentionally was now sitting in Mr. Moon’s
living room rather than in my baseball mitt, I was handed the ball by
Mr. Moon. My parents and he made financial arrangements in order to
get the living room window pane repaired. Shortly, following this event,
my parents divorced. With dad having moved hundreds of miles away, our
family continued moving forward with his absence. It was now just mom
and me.
Soon after my parent’s divorce; mom first started refusing to
accept my word about matters that involved my telling the truth. Mother’s
skepticisms continued forming a sizable rift between the intimate parent
child relationships we once shared. She died in 1992. The rift never
mended. I can still recall thinking to myself, upon hearing of her demise,
“Thank God I will never be abused by her again.”
What a sad commentary, coming from a son, adopted from birth, for a
mother who spent a significant amount of time in her son’s early
developmental years introducing him to the virtues, arts and the philosophy
of St. Augustine of Hippo and St Thomas Aquinas.
The Unbelieving Son
Surviving the pubescent years, having developed appropriate, good and
healthy male friendships, I began looking for a young woman to keep
company with. Observing a young lady I found attractive, I ventured
out into the deep uncharted waters ahead and ask her for a date. She
accepted.
I could not wait for the date to talk with her. I wanted to know everything
about the girl. I wanted to share with her about myself too. I called
her on the phone. When I telephoned my date to be, I conducted myself
like a police detective investigating an alleged criminal complaint.
These conversations would lead to marathon phone calls sometimes lasting
anywhere from two to four hours. Sometimes, these phone calls would
carry on into the early a.m. As the length of the call continued, I
would probe for undiscovered discrepancies in an alibi story while investigating
a villainous suspect. I can recall my mother saying, “You know,
you just talk too much on the phone.” My mom was correct. These
long phone calls sabotaged any potential connection that may have developed.
As I pursued the object of my suspicion in conversation, we found ourselves
drifting further and further apart loosing interest in one another.
When the calendar day arrived, for our date to begin, she changed her
mind or so her father said to me on the phone. I told myself, see, I
was right all along. See, she was lying all the time. See, she really
did not care. See, she just wanted to use me for a free night outing.
My behavior resulted in acquiring a self fulfilling prophecy.
Shared Experiences
The Doubting Father, The Skeptic Mother and The Unbelieving Son, what
did these three shared stories have in common. Yes, of course, these
stories are shared experiences coming from a treasure chest of the author’s
life experiences. Let’s move away from the obvious, shall we and
dig, going deeper. The first story shares the mistrust of one person
towards another person in relationship to doubt; the second story shares
the mistrust of one person towards another person in relationship to
skepticism while the last story shares the mistrust of one person towards
another person in relationship to unbelief.
Doubt: My dad had doubt. He wanted to be sure his investment had a
payoff. Never having given my dad a reason to not have confidence in
me, he chose rather to have a feeling of uncertainty about the fact
that I would follow through with practicing the guitar.
Like a caterpillar turning into a colorful butterfly, dad’s hesitation
and uncertainty once he heard me play, metamorphosed from doubt into
pride. His pride played zilch in my guitar playing accomplishment. I
worked hard earning money to purchase the music equipment. Attending
a public school, through the public tax payers generosity, lessons were
provided free of cost. Private lessons were later paid for through my
mom’s generosity.
Skepticism: From early childhood my mother promoted a virtuous way
of life for me. I was cultured to follow a lifestyle of character values
which included in speaking the truth and telling no lies. When circumstances
warranted it, I demonstrated, to the best of my ability, what I was
trained in. Secondly, I do not recall a memorable signal event that
I intentionally, maliciously and willfully lied to either of my parents
in order to avoid punishment. Lastly, I do not recall a memorable signal
occasion that I silently stood by, allowing another to take blame for
an action when I was in fact the guilty party.
After my parents divorce my mom began to question the very values she
initially instilled in her son growing up. She simply became skeptical
with the answers refusing to accept my word about matters that involved
my telling the truth when they had related to problematic situations.
There was this wooden blue sign with white letters hanging on a wall
in my late friend’s Italian restaurant manager’s office
which read, “Hire a teenager when he still knows everything.”
In this case, it was my mom that thought she knew everything, especially
when it pertained to her only son’s character. As I grew older,
she began to see me not through the eyes of the mom that began raising
her adopted son with life’s first principles, rather as a son
not to be believed, not to be trusted. She abandoned faith, first in
herself and then in me.
Unbelief: In my case, I wanted to believe the girl, I just chose not
to. I did not have a parent or mentor early in my pubescent years as
a roll model to show me the ropes. To the relaxed onlooker the motivation
behind these marathon phone calls may be invigorated from energy resulting
from puppy love to infatuation. Actually, I was being moved from a different
direction, mistrust and unbelief. It was not that I liked guys. LOL.
I really was attracted to women and this one in particular. So what
was the issue? The problem was that I simply did not believe the young
woman’s sincerity. I did not trust the woman’s words and
actions. Yes, the women accepted my invitation to go on a date. The
problem rested within me.
Skepticism And Unbelief A Contrast
Dr. Alister McGrath, an Oxford University author, professor and scholar,
recently wrote a book in 2006 called, Doubting. In his text, he shares
a definition for skepticism that I feel is pertinent to describe my
mother’s mistrust towards me. “Skepticism is the decision
to doubt everything deliberately, as a matter of principle.” “Skepticism
is not unbelief,” Dr. McGrath adds, “Unbelief is an act
of will, rather than a difficulty in understanding,” (Doubting
2006). As for my unbelief towards women, I have been helped in my unbelieving
outlook.
For some unbeknownst reason, following my parents divorce my mom stopped
believing in me and stopped believing my word. I was never able to control
my mother’s will. Since my mother is dead, I may never fully know
the answer to, why. Alas, I will likewise never experience again the
parental child intimacy we once shared.
Doubt Skepticism And Unbelief The Human Dimension To The Spiritual
Dimension
I would like to change gears here and move from the human plain to
that of the spiritual. Under the heading of, “Doubt versus Unbelief
versus Skepticism” on Yahoo.com, a person wrote this question,
“I'm doing a Bible study on these three ideas, and I'm just wondering
how to best differentiate the three. I know that Thomas is an example
of a doubter and the Pharisees are examples of unbelief. Would you say
that Nicodemus is an example of a skeptic, i.e. one who has an outlook
of enquiry and curiosity?”
I referred her to Dr. Alister McGrath’s book earlier mentioned,
Doubting 2006.
The person seeking information offered this supposition that Thomas
was an example of being a doubter, “I know that Thomas is an example
of a doubter.” I make stipulation that the coined term, “Doubting
Thomas” has been historically passed down to mankind resulting
from the behavior of the Apostle Thomas in the first century. Yet, does
the biblical text suggest Thomas in fact doubted?
Jesus’ Appearance to the Disciples
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples
had gathered together and locked the doors of the place because they
were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and
said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this,
he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when
they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with
you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after
he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy
Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you
retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.” St John 20:19-23
The Response of Thomas
Earlier in Jesus’ ministry, Thomas, in the company of the other
disciples, heard the Lord’s prophetic words recorded in the Gospel
according to St Mark 8:3 … “And he began to teach them,
that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the
elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and
after three days rise again.”
Thomas becomes the first recorded person in Holy Writ; the disciples
shared the Gospel with, after receiving the Holy Spirit through the
breath of the risen Lord. “Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of
the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told
him, “We have seen the Lord!” St. John 20:25
Thomas replies, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his
hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my
hand into his side, I will never believe it!” 43 St. John 20:25
Believe what?
There is conjecture made from the New English Translation (NET) Bible
website location http://www.bible.org/netbible/index.htm of what Thomas
was referring to. “43tn the word “it” is not in the
Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek
when clear from the context. The use of “it” here as direct
object of the verb (pisteusw) specifies exactly what Thomas was refusing
to believe: that Jesus had risen from the dead, as reported by his fellow
disciples. Otherwise the English reader may be left with the impression
Thomas was refusing to “believe in” Jesus, or “believe
Jesus to be the Christ.” The dramatic tension in this narrative
is heightened when Thomas, on seeing for himself the risen Christ, believes
more than just the resurrection (see St. John 20:28).”
Is there any difference between Thomas refusing to believe that Jesus
had risen from the dead, as reported by his fellow disciples, from Thomas
refusing to “believe in” Jesus, or “believe Jesus
to be the Christ?”
The passage found in the Gospel according to St. John 20:25 furnishes
evidence where Thomas’s heart was positioned, in orientation to
his faith on the prophetic pronouncement of the Lord Jesus and on the
disciples’ anointed eyewitness testimony.
What does the Apostle Paul state regarding the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus? “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead,
how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But
if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And
if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is
also vain. Yea and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if
so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not
Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are
yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men most miserable.” 1Corinthians 15: 12-19
1 Corinthians 15:12 states; "Now if Christ be preached that he
rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection
of the dead?" Verse 17 states; “And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
Is this not the Apostle Thomas's heart's confession? “But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 Apostle Thomas states,” Except I
shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into
the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not
believe." St. John 20:29
Jesus’ Response to Thomas
“Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house,
and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then
he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands.
Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief,
but believe.” Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet
have believed. Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the
presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But
these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
St. John 20:24-31
What then is the response of the risen Lord to the Apostle Thomas's
confession of unbelief; “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your
finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into
my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” St. John
20:27
Thomas Response to Jesus
… “My Lord and My God.” St. John: 20:28
Psalter/Hymnal of the Christian Reformed Church
Thomas Troeger, 1984,
These things did Thomas hold for real:
the warmth of blood, the chill of steel,
the grain of wood, the heft of stone,
the last frail twitch of blood and bone.
His brittle certainties denied
that one could live when one had died,
until his fingers read like Braille
the markings of the spear and nail.
May we, O God, by grace believe
and, in believing, still receive
the Christ who held His raw palms out
and beckoned Thomas from his doubt.
… “Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.”
St. John 20:27
Moving On To John the Baptist
Before Thomas the Twin there was John the Baptist: the Holy Bible is
the Word of God, rather than diluting the Biblical text with a cursory
summary review in order to save a bit of time, I would like to add full
Old and New Testament Scripture texts when it serves to cover the subject
of the Baptist, John as I did with the Apostle Thomas.
Birth Announcement of John the Baptist
“Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and
prophesied, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has
come to help and has redeemed his people. For he has raised up a horn
of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through
the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago, that we should be saved
from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us. He has done
this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant
– the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham. This oath grants
that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, may serve him without
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live.
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you
will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge
of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. Because of our God’s
tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high to give light
to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our
feet into the way of peace.” And the child kept growing and becoming
strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he was
revealed to Israel.” St Luke 1:67-80
“A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a
witness to testify about the light, so that everyone might believe through
him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the
light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into
the world. He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but
the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, but his
own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him –
those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become
God’s children – children not born by human parents or by
human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.” St John
1:6-13
“Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders
sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I
am not the Christ!” So they asked him, “Then who are you?
Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” “Are you
the Prophet?” He answered, “No!” Then they said to
him, “Who are you? Tell us so that we can give an answer to those
who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
“John said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way for the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet
said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) So they asked
John, “Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor
Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
“John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands
one whom you do not recognize, who is coming after me. I am not worthy
to untie the strap of his sandal!” These things happened in Bethany
across the Jordan River where John was baptizing.”
“On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look,
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one
about whom I said, ‘after me comes a man who is greater than I
am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but
I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.”
Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove
from heaven, and it remained on him. And I did not recognize him, but
the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one
on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is
the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have both seen and
testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.” St John 1:
19-34
As time went on John the Baptist found himself placed in Herod’s
prison cell. King Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in
prison because John had repeatedly told the King, “It is not lawful
for you to have Herodias, your brother, Philip’s wife.”
St. Matthew 14:3-4. Standing for the Law of Moses, John identified the
sin of Herod and Herodias that was being broken. (Leviticus 18:16; 20:21).
Keeping this in mind, exhorting a King of Israel, John the Baptist was
carrying out his prophetic office. Remember King David was rebuked by
the prophet Nathan for the role King David played in the lives of Uriah
the Hittite, a soldier in King David’s army and Uriah’s
wife, Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 12:1-24
“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done,
he sent his disciples to ask a question: “Are you the one who
is to come, or should we look for another?” St Matthew 11: 2-3;
St. Luke 7:18-19
John the Baptist’s doubt was in good company. Recall the prophet
Elijah, hiding from Queen Jezebel. Elijah experienced profound despair.
Despair, to the extent that “he even requested for himself that
he might die.” 1Kings 19:4. This occurred in Elijah’s life
after he passionately invoked the true LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and
of Israel to respond to his prayerful cry. God responded by having the
fire of the LORD fell from heaven upon Mount Carmel consuming the burnt
sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up
the water that was in the trench prepared by Elijah. 1Kings 18:38 “And
when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said,
The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. And Elijah said unto
them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they
took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew
them there. 1Kings 18:39-40
Attempting to escape from the clutches of Queen Jezebel, Elijah himself
“went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down
under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;
and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not
better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,
behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, arise and eat.
And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baking on the coals, and
a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him
down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and
touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great
for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength
of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”
1Kings 19:4-8
All that Scripture states is that Elijah despaired of life. Elijah
still had true faith in the true LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of
Israel. After forty days and forty nights God spoke to Elijah in a still
small voice heartening him that he was not alone. “Yet I have
left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed
unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 1Kings 19:18 With
his faith strengthened, Elijah continued preserving in his prophetic
office doing what God wished of him. 1Kings 19
Many have an opinion attempting to answer the question why, why would
John the Baptist call two of his own disciples and send them to Jesus
to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for
another?” St. Matthew 11: 2-3; St. Luke 7:18-19
Commentaries are filled with human speculation. In order to avoid,
either adding another proposal to the mix or renovating other opinions
already written, I choose to abide with Solo Scriptorium (Scripture
Alone) for an answer. It appears to me, that Holy Scripture texts are
silent as to explaining the motivation behind John the Baptist’s
request.
“The Doubting Why” Question
For those that are spiritually invested in a Christian Apologetics
and Research Ministry, they may feel it is essential, (sine quo non),
to answer the “doubting why question” as it pertains to
John the Baptist as an obligation to defend the Judeo Christian faith.
For those that wrestle with doubt themselves, they may feel it is essential,
(sine quo non), to answer the “doubting why question” as
it pertains to John the Baptist as an obligation to justify themselves
as being members of the universal Christian faith. I leave these people
to the Lord’s grace.
It is my educated and prayerful viewpoint we may never know the answer
to the “doubting why question.” This is because John is
not here to tell us why and truthfully he may not consciously have known.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against
the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” Ephesians
6:12
If there is no Biblical explanation to answer John the Baptist’s
“doubting why” question then why have a Bible study about
John the Baptist’s “doubting why” question? First,
the importance of having a Bible study on the subject of John the Baptist’s
doubt may be to examine, how the Lord Jesus Christ answers the John
the Baptist question that was sent to Him by John’s through his
two disciples. “When the men came to Jesus … at that very
time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits,
and granted sight to many who were blind. (The Messiah was to have a
healing ministry, Isaiah 53:4; heal the blind, the deaf, the mute and
the lame Isaiah 29:18-19; Isaiah 35:5-6; Isaiah 42:7; raise the dead;
Daniel 12:2 and walk on water Job 9:8 etc.), Jesus answered them, “Go
tell John what you hear and see: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers
are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have
good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense
at me.” St. Luke 7:20-23
Being in the wilderness, forty days, Jesus responded directly to Satan’s
verbal attacks with Holy Scripture. (St. Mark 1:13). In like manner,
referring back to the Hebrew Scripture Messianic Prophecies, Jesus answers
John the Baptist’s question empowering once again John the Baptist’s
faith. “Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what
is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
Secondly, the importance of having a Bible study on the subject of
John the Baptist’s doubt, may be to observe how the Lord Jesus
Christ’s testifies to the crowd in His day about the character,
person, and ministry of John the Baptist. Note that Jesus does not rebuke
the Baptist for his doubt, rather, while John’s two disciples
were going away; Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What
did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? Look, those
who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings! What did you go out
to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is
the one about whom it is written: ‘Look, I am sending my messenger
ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ “I
tell you the truth, among those born of women; no one has arisen greater
than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven
is greater than he is. From the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold
of it. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John appeared.
And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come. The
one who has ears had better listen! St. Matthew 11: 2-15
A parallel passage of this same event is chronicled by St Luke: “When
John’s messengers had gone; Jesus began to speak to the crowds
about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A
reed shaken by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in
fancy clothes? Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury
are in kings’ courts! What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes,
I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is
written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will
prepare your way before you.’ I tell you; among those born of
women no one is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom
of God is greater than he is.”
St. Luke 7:24-28
The people’s response to Jesus testimony about John the Baptist:
“Now all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, acknowledged
God’s justice, because they had been baptized with John’s
baptism. However, the Pharisees and the experts in religious law rejected
God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized
by John.”
Jesus response to the people: “To what then should I compare
the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like
children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; we wailed
in mourning, yet you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine,
and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ The Son of Man has come eating
and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, a glutton and a drunk,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is vindicated
by all her children.”
St Luke 7:24-33
Our True Example
One Solitary Life
Attributed to James Allen Francis.
Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant
woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop
until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office.
He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot
inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place
He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.
He had no credentials but Himself...
While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against
him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over
to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed
upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners
gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat.
When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of
a friend.
Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece
of the human race and leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched,
all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat
and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected
the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary
life.
Being Spiritually Practical
One rule that may be drawn from examples found in Holy Scripture that
may leave us with a comforting thought Jesus recognizes that his followers
will have times of doubt. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the
throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need.” Hebrews 4:16
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” St. Matthew 11:28-30
“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you
fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your
faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so
that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. But
if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all
generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. But he
must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts, is like a
wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person
must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he
is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.” St. James
1:2-8
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that
ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect,
stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 St. Peter 5:10
“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of
the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold,
we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job,
and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and
of tender mercy.”
St. James 5:10-11
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans
8:38-39
“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of
God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto
us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto
us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance
patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and
abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in
the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things
is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged
from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make
your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never
fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2 St. Peter 1:2-11
