Two possible reasons that John sent his disciples to Jesus to ask if he is the Messiah:
God had shown John that Jesus was the Messiah when John baptized him (Matthew 3:11–17), and John had confessed that Jesus was the one
who was to come
(Matthew 3:11), so this question does not show unbelief—or he would not have asked Jesus himself. Rather, John shows a lack of understanding, because Jesus was not bringing the prophesied judgment, peace, and the new world order (Matthew 3:11–12), nor was Jesus freeing his servant John—so was Jesus also only a forerunner of the true Messiah? Even in John’s ignorance of God’s plan of salvation, he still showed faith by bringing his doubts to Jesus.The second part of John’s question (
shall we look for another?
) shows John doubting whether Jesus was only a forerunner like himself, so he was not pressuring Jesus to say that he was the Messiah.
Interpretation 1:
God had clearly shown John that Jesus was the Messiah when he was permitted to baptize him (Matthew 3:11–17). He had also confessed that Jesus was the one who was to come
(Matthew 3:11). His question here, therefore, is not an expression of unbelief. If it had been, he would not have directed his question to Jesus himself. His questions rather express a lack of understanding. God had revealed to him that the one coming after him would bring judgment and, through the outpouring of the Spirit of God, would inaugurate peace, and the new world order (Matthew 3:11–12). Now, however, he heard that Jesus was preaching in Galilee (doing preparatory work). Yet John now wondered why he was not being delivered from prison. Could it be that Jesus, like himself, was also merely a forerunner of the true Messiah? Even though John did not at that specific moment understand the manner in which God’s plan of salvation was unfolding, he nevertheless showed faith by bringing his doubts to Jesus.1
Interpretation 2:
Perhaps John wondered whether Jesus himself would have been some kind of forerunner, and that the actual Messiah was still to come, which would have also led him to doubt the value of his own ministry. From the second part of the question it becomes evident that this had not been the intention of John the Baptist to incite Jesus to publicly declare that he is the Messiah, but rather that he genuinely doubted and wanted an answer.2
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples