Matthew 11

John the Baptist asked Jesus, from prison, if He was the one they were to be expecting. This sounds odd because John was the one who announced Jesus as the one we've all been waiting for. Perhaps John had a momentary lapse in faith while he was suffering in captivity. But Jesus didn't rebuke John, instead Jesus told John's disciples to go back and give testimony to John about everything they heard and saw. Jesus, rather that freeing John from prison, sent word that would be sufficient to strengthen John's faith.

When Jesus gives testimony about John He says some things that sound strange to us. In the part where He says that "among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he," Jesus is pointing out that John's prophetic mission was the greatest of all the prophets that came before him because He was the one who made the path for the Messiah. And yet John is least in the kingdom of heaven in that he did not get to actually walk with the Messiah or become his disciple.

Then Jesus rebukes Israel because they have always treated their prophets with contempt and disrespect, even though one like Elijah - whom they were all supposedly eagerly awaiting - had come. And John the Baptist was like Elijah in a lot of ways - not the least of which was his appearance and behavior.

Then Jesus goes on to rebuke the unrepentent people in the places where He had already done the most miracles because their hard hearts prevented them from believing even the signs that had been done right in front of them.

Then Jesus promises that He will give rest to those who are truly seeking Him. Those whose minds have not been so overly educated that they can no longer believe, and those who have no earthly refuge to turn to who are honestly seeking relief from the things of this world.