The last moment of waiting in John the Baptist’s life comes near the end of his life, when we find the prophet languishing in prison. The Baptist never hesitated to speak truth to power, and so he did not spare Herod Antipas or his mistress Herodias from the truth: He condemned their adulterous relationship. As a result, he was thrown into prison.
If we pay close attention, this event in John the Baptist’s life is as mysterious as it is sad. Ask the Lord to open your heart so that you can imagine how John must be feeling during this episode in order to appreciate what this story means.
The story begins with a question that John relayed to our Lord through his disciples, and it ends with our Lord’s answer.
But…there is something wrong with both the question and the answer. Can you guess what they are?
Read the following passage from the 11th chapter of Matthew as contemplatively as you can, putting yourself in the position of John the Baptist.
Beyond the words you read in the passage, what is going on here?
As it often happens in Scripture, what is left unsaid between the lines is as important as what has actually been said.
Play the following music as you read this poignant account about our Lord and his cousin, John the Baptist.
Let the music play on as you pray over the following:
What struck you or moved you in this scene?
What seems wrong about both John the Baptist’s question and our Lord Jesus’ answer?
Let the music keep playing as you think about these questions.