The appearance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus convinced John of the former's Messiahship. (Matt 3 - John 1:32-33) From Prison John sent two disciples to inquire of Jesus if he were really the Messiah (Matt11:2-15)
2007-07-21 02:33:34 · 9 answers · asked by plyjanney 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
John like many other Jewish people of his day was expecting the Messiah to deliver the Jews from Roman oppression. When he found himself in the prison of King Herod who was an Idumean put over the Israelites by the Romans and Jesus not taking over as the King of the Jews he had doubts about what he had seen and believed.
2007-07-21 02:39:52 · answer #1 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because he wanted his disciples to know without a doubt that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that he, John, had only been the herald of His coming.
John knew Jesus was the promised Messiah, but he also knew that his time on Earth was finished. So by having his disciples ask this question, he was directing his disciples to follow Jesus as the Messiah so that there would be no conflict between Jesus' disciples and John's disciples.
2007-07-21 02:42:39 · answer #2 · answered by Foxfire 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John's fiery oration describing Jesus (Luke 3:17) supports this idea that he "anticipated a Messianic figure who would bring freedom from the political oppression of Rome." [BY.JT, 50] John had evidently had his disciples watch Jesus after he went to prison (Luke 7:18; Matt. 9:14). When he heard that Jesus was not kicking the Romans around, but performing miracles and teaching, he sent his disciples to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" No doubt hearing that his expectations of a political Messiah were not being fulfilled - added to the dreary condition of imprisonment he suffered under an unjust political system!
http://www.tektonics.org/af/berryr01.html#is403
2007-07-21 02:42:49 · answer #3 · answered by D2T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John the Baptist was in the flesh while in prison. He was not able to first hand witness the miracles of Jesus, therefore he had to confirm that this in fact was the Messiah.
It was not until after John was beheaded that his spirit was released. Spirits can see into the physical world, but spirits in flesh bodies can not see into the spiritual world.
2007-07-21 07:29:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was questioning his own eyes, not if it was true or not that Jesus Christ was standing before his eyes. John was preaching the coming of the Messiah, and when he saw the Messiah standing before him, he couldn't believe his own eyes, not what Jesus was.
Read on. You will see that John asked the people to fellow Jesus Christ not him, for He was the one whom they were waiting for all that time.
2007-07-21 02:38:38 · answer #5 · answered by Bravado Guru 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
John is not to only one who has doubts about Jesus. Jesus invites John, his disciples, and us to have faith in Him because of His works, and despite our doubts. Even miracles cannot persuade those who refuse to believe.
2007-07-21 02:39:41 · answer #6 · answered by Little Stuart 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because Jesus' geneology was uncertain at the time, and Jesus was accused of ignoring and disobeying his mother.
( And His father was unavailable for questioning.) These circumstances led to great controversy and doubt concerning the undertaking of His ministry, for as a Jewish man, these issues were of the greatest concern.
2007-07-21 02:51:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
He had to make sure he was sending the messenger to the right person. XD
2007-07-21 02:43:46 · answer #8 · answered by nhprodigio 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think they both had a little too much opium that day.
2007-07-21 02:42:59 · answer #9 · answered by Agnostic Front 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋