Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

out demons. To the blind he gave sight. What a flurry of evidences Jesus must have provided for John regarding his identity! Both in terms of number and diversity, we can easily suppose that Jesus was fully convincing to the disciples of John that in him the power of the Kingdom of God was present, and that God was working through him to demonstrate deeds of deliverance, healings, and miracles. After this powerful demonstration of his own kingdom authority and power, Jesus answers John’s two disciples with his commentary on the meaning of what he had just accomplished. Jesus instructs them to go and tell John the things that they personally beheld Jesus to do—tell John specifically of the works that they had witnessed him accomplish. “The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” And Jesus closes with the very marvelous saying that the one who is not offended by him is blessed. Here we have in shorthand the clearest sense of Jesus’ own verification of his identity. How did Jesus know that John would understand the meaning of his acts of miracles and healings as a sign of his Messiahship? Why was he convinced that to tell John that the poor are having the Gospel of the Kingdom preached to them would be unmistakable evidence that he, in fact, was the Messiah of God. Maybe a few texts might show why: Isa. 32.3-4 - Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention. [4] The heart of the hasty will understand and know, and the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak distinctly. Isa. 35.5-6 - Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; [6] then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert Isa. 42.6-7 - I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, [7] to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isa. 42.16 - And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.

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