After declaring Yeshua as the Messiah, Yohanan the Immerser [John the Baptist] is put in prison. While he was there, Yohanan hears about the miracles of Yeshua and sends his disciples with a message
Matthew 11:2-3
2 And when Yohanan had heard in the prison of the works of Messiah, he sent two of his taught ones {disciples}
3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
The question is in code, for the phrase <…the Coming One> would be clear only to those acquainted with Yohanan’s teaching. If he would have asked “Are you the Messiah?” it would have been more difficult for Yeshua to send an answer to Yohanan without clearly revealing his identity, which He was not yet wanting to do.
In the early part of His ministry Yeshua did not make public he was the Messiah, because the people expected a Messiah who would liberate Israel from Rome and rule in glory, not one who would die a criminal’s death. Only at His Second coming will Yeshua fulfill the prophecies concerning the Messianic age of world peace.
By the first century, Judaism had developed a list of major signs the true Messiah could be expected to give as proof of his identity. Healing a leper was one of them. Another was casting out a deaf, dumb and blind demon
Yeshua’s answer to Yohanan’s question is also in code. He refers to the prophecies in the book of Isaiah [and Daniel] of six signs that the Messiah will give when he comes
Matthew 11:4-6
4 And יהושע answering, said to them, “Go, report to Yohanan what you hear and see:
5 “Blind receive sight and lame walk, lepers are cleansed and deaf hear, dead are raised up and poor are brought the Good News.
6 “And blessed is he who does not stumble in Me.”
יהושע → Yehoshua; Yeshua is short for Yehoshua
[Yeshua’s words in purple]
< the blind see>:
Isaiah 29:18; 35:5
18 …and the eyes of the blind shall see out of gloom, and out of darkness.
35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened…
< the lame walk>:
Isaiah 35:6; 61:1
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer…
<lepers are cleansed> [implied in Isaiah 61 but not made specific]:
Isaiah 61:1
1 The Spirit of the Master יהוה is upon Me, because יהוה has anointed Me to bring good news to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,
< the deaf hear>:
Isaiah 29:18; 35:5
18 And in that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book…
35:5 …the ears of the deaf be opened
<the dead are raised>
Daniel 12:2 2 and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth wake up, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches, everlasting abhorrence.
(implied in Isaiah 11 but not made specific):
Isaiah 11:1-2
1 And a Rod shall come forth from the stump of Yishai, and a Sprout from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of יהוה shall rest upon Him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of יהוה,
<poor are brought the Good News>:
Isaiah 61:1-2
1 The Spirit of the Master יהוה is upon Me, because יהוה has anointed Me to bring good news to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,
2 to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה, and the day of vengeance of our Elohim, to comfort all who mourn,
Since he has done all these things (Matthew 8 & 9), the message is clear: Yeshua is the one; Yohanan need not look for another one.
Yeshua’s coded answer is equal to saying “Yes I am the ‘One that is to come’, I am the Messiah.”
[Based on the Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clraksville, MD 21029]
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from The Scriptures
Copyright by Institute for Scripture Research.
Used by permission.