Bible Study on Matthew 11, verses 1 to 6, are you the Messiah?

 

Matthew 11:1 ¶  And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 2  Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

 

Verse 3 reveals a blatant deception in a modern Bible version. I have studiously avoided this kind of controversy as it doesn’t help move the narrative along. However, this is so egregious I just felt I had to comment.

 

3  And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

 

See how this verse is published in the so-called New King James Bible.

 

Matthew 11:3 (NKJV) “and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

 

There is something odd about this rendering. The New King James Version was published in its entirety in 1982. In the late 1940s a Satanist named Alice Bailey who, of course, is considered a “New Age” writer rather than a Satanist by Satanists who wish to downplay the truth although the Lucis Trust published her works, wrote a booklet entitled The Reappearance of the Christ. Bailey espoused a doctrine of The Coming One, an avatar that would come periodically to teach and enlighten mankind as the Christ simply because the spirit of Christ never left the earth and has always been here in some form. She considered herself a Thesophist which links her to Satanist of the 19^th century, Madame Blavatsky, who in her late 1800s work, The Secret Doctrine, basically said Lucifer and Christ were the same person. This, too, is interesting as the New International Version seems to agree comparing Isaiah 14:12 and Revelation 22:16 in that version.

 

John is in prison and has been for some time. He wants a final assurance from his cousin that Jesus is the Messiah, that there is no other to come. Remember, there were several stories floating around including that there were two Messiahs. Here are my comments from Luke;

 

“John is seeking confirmation that there is no one to come after Jesus. This seems rather odd for us as John the Baptist is the one who announced Jesus first to the people. However, I read in a book entitled A History of Messianic Speculation in Israel from the First through the Seventeenth Centuries by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver that there was an expectation of two messiahs at times, one; Messiah ben Joseph and, two; Messiah ben David. One is a conqueror and one suffers for the people of Israel and dies fighting the enemies of God and Israel. Jewish tradition also refers to, “The Four Craftsmen.”  Whether these rabbinic teachings of multiple messiahs are later interpolations or not it is clear that John is wondering if all of the prophecies will be fulfilled in one man; Jesus Christ. The Dead Sea Scrolls also speak of something like a war-messiah from the tribe of Ephraim dated to the first century before Christ, a suffering Messiah, and a priestly Messiah figure.”

 

Jesus replies with a “see for yourself” statement. When John acknowledges that the requirements are met for the Messiah he must realize that it is, indeed, Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us;

 

Psalm 146:8  The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

 

Isaiah 35:5 ¶  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

 

For verse 6 keep in mind that offended can mean to make to stumble or fall short like a hapless runner who fails to reach the finish line. Many stumble at the word of God due to their wicked hearts and many will stumble and fall because they do not accept Christ.

 

It is a person’s own hard heart that would prevent them from seeing that He is the Messiah, God walking on earth in the flesh, the Redeemer of all mankind. It is your own sinful nature that prevents you from receiving Christ as your Saviour, to be offended in Him.

 

Isaiah 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

 

1Peter 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.