Chapter 38

Waswe John Short Long Faith?

JOHN the Baptizer, wea stap long prison for klosap wan year finis, herem nius abaotem resurrection bilong son bilong widow woman long Nain. But John want for herem stret from Jesus meaning bilong diswan, so hem sendem tufela disaepol bilong hem for ask olsem: “Waswe, iu nao dat Wan wea Bae Kam or, mifela bae lukluk for different wan?”

Maet iumi sapraes long disfela kwestin, from tufela year go finis John nao lukim spirit bilong God kam daon long Jesus and hem herem voice bilong God approve-im Jesus taem hem baptaesim Jesus. Kwestin bilong John maet mekem samfela ting say faith bilong hem weak daon nao. But diswan hem no tru. Sapos John hem start for garem daot, Jesus bae no tok hae abaotem John olsem hem duim long datfela taem. So, why nao John askim disfela kwestin?

Maet John hem laekem Jesus for talem moa hao Hem nao Messiah. Diswan bae strongim John taem hem feel no gud long prison. But samting moa hem insaed long datfela kwestin bilong John. Hem want for savvy sapos narafela man bae kam, wanfela wea bae kam bihaen, and fulfillim evri samting wea olketa profesi say Messiah bae duim.

Long olketa Bible profesi wea John savvy, datfela Anointed Wan bilong God bae kamap king, wanfela man for sevem pipol. But, John hem still stap long prison, nomata Jesus hem baptaes finis for planti month. So John hem askim Jesus: ‘Waswe, iu nao really man wea bae startim Kingdom bilong God long earth, or, wanfela different wan, wanfela wea bae kam bihaen, wea mifela mas waitim for fulfillim evri nambawan profesi abaotem glory bilong Messiah?’

Winim way for talem olketa disaepol bilong John, ‘Yes mi nao dat wan wea bae kam!’ Jesus hem go ahed for showim aot diswan taem hem healim planti pipol wea garem any kaen sik. Then hem say long olketa disaepol: “Go and talem long John samting wea iufela lukim and herem: olketa wea blind they lukluk moa, olketa wea cripple they wakabaot, and olketa wea garem leprosy they kamap klin and olketa wea earpass they herem samting, olketa wea dae finis they laef back moa, olketa poor pipol herem gud nius.”

So diswan show aot kwestin bilong John maet meanim hem ting say Jesus bae duim moa samting and maet mekem John seleva kamap free. But, Jesus hem talem John for no ting say Jesus bae duim moa samting winim olketa mirakol wea hem duim.

Taem olketa disaepol bilong John they go, Jesus tan go long olketa pipol and talem them hao John nao “messenger” bilong Jehovah wea Malachi 3:1 hem talem profesi abaot and tu hem nao profet Elijah wea Malachi 4:​5, 6 talem profesi abaotem. So hem mek hae long John taem hem say John hem semsem withim any otherfela profet wea stap firstaem long hem: “Tru nao, mi talem iufela pipol, Long olketa man wea born from woman no anywan hem winim John the Baptist; but man wea no important tumas insaed long kingdom bilong heven hem winim hem. But start long taem bilong John the Baptist kam kasem distaem, kingdom bilong heven hem goal wea olketa man trae for kasem.”

Long hia Jesus hem showim aot hao John bae no stap long Kingdom long heven, from man wea hem no important tumas insaed long kingdom hem winim John. John readyim way for Jesus but hem dae bifor Kraest hem startim covenant, or agreement, withim olketa disaepol bilong hem, for rul withim hem insaed long Kingdom bilong hem. Dastawe Jesus say John bae no stap insaed long Kingdom long heven. But John bae stap long disfela earth under long Kingdom bilong God. Luke 7:⁠18-30; Matthew 11:​2-15.

▪ Why nao John askim sapos Jesus nao hem dat Wan wea Bae Kam or different wan nao bae kam?

▪ Wanem nao olketa profesi wea Jesus say John hem fulfillim?

▪ Why nao John the Baptizer bae no stap long heven withim Jesus?