Art Thou He That Should Come?

"Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
And said unto Him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another? (Matt. 11: 2-3)

John the Baptist was born to prepare the way of the Lord. Multitudes gathered around this roughly clothed prophet of the wilderness to hear his message of repentance. There was no doubt about the rampant evils of the age, and he spoke out against it. His harsh words struck fear and anticipation in the hearts of the poor in spirit. But among the pompous powers, the spiritually conceited, his messages loosed the powerful forces of enmity and hatred.

Because of his message courageously condemning adultery, John was cast into prison. But there he heard of the works of Christ. Then "He sent two of his disciples, and said unto Him, Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" (Matt 11:2-3)

This question is full of significance today, for many in our age are looking for an understanding of life, a realistic hope for spiritual peace and mutual understanding. Yet the full weight and significance of this story is contained not in the literal words, but rather in the spirit of the words. It is contained in this spirit, for we read of the New Testament, "Without a parable spake He not unto them." (Matt 13:34) But how does the man of today ask the question, "Art Thou He that should come or do we look for another?"

This question is closely linked to Pilate's, when He asked, "What is truth?" (John 18:38) How can we know the truth? Indeed how can we today come to recognize the way, the truth and the life? The answer lies in the spirit of our reading today.

The prophets of Israel were called prophets, because they spoke the Word of the Lord which came unto them. The Lord said that John was a prophet, "yea... and more than a prophet." (Matt 11:9) As a prophet he represents the Word of God. Through the Word of God, even as through the prophets of old, the Lord speaks to man. To Pilate's question, what is truth, we might well answer, the Word of God (the Bible) is truth; the Word made flesh and dwelling among us is truth, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, who stood before Pilate is truth. (cf. John 1)

But like a living voice, the Word has its external forms, and its internal spirit. With the Word it can be said as with every human utterance, it is not just what is said, but the way it is said. It is the meaning behind the words that counts. The affection and love conveyed are far more important than the mere form that the words take. With the Word of God it is as with any man, the affection and thought, the spirit within, is far more important than the surface appearance. The thoughts and affections within the parables teach us far more than the simple story of their wording.

Now John represents the external of the Word, its literal story and expressions. Sometimes in its external form it appears rough and harsh. But within is the Divine truth itself. John represents that form which we must come to know before we can learn of the internal, just like the words and deeds of others which we must learn before we can really get to know them. We must become familiar with the stories of Scripture just as they are written, before we can hope to see their spirit. Yet the sight of that spirit is the real coming of the Lord which brings clear understanding. That spirit must increase in significance and importance while the literal story, like John decreases in comparison to the Lord Himself.

But today many men, perhaps the majority, neglect the Word or the Bible. It mystifies them. But more than that, it tends to stand in the way of their lust for power and for doing whatever they want. Its simple message of humility and obedience to the commands of God challenge their life styles. Many do not want to hear, Thou shalt not murder, steal, lie, commit adultery, covet. The call of the Word to repentance holds little interest for the ambitious and proud of our day who too often are seeking only to look after number one. And what of the reception of John's simple direct message of repentance to prepare the way of the Lord? Some gathered to hear his words, yet all too quickly he came into conflict with the power structure and was cast into prison. And like John, the Word of our day comes in conflict with the power structure, and too often is as it were cast into prison, neglected by many who try to forget the stinging power of its message. They want so much to forget the "Thou shalt nots." Few would claim that life in our day is patterned upon the Scriptures. Indeed more and more the Word languishes as it were in prison, the self seekers only await the time when they can as it were behead it and gloat over their mocking victory.

But there are fortunately others than the spiritually conceited and pompous. They cling to the Word even as John's disciples clung to him, even when he was imprisoned. In the wilderness of doubt and temptation they did not go to the Word of God to see a reed shaken in the wind. They needed strong commands and leadership, and they knew their needs. They did not expect, as some in our day seem to expect, that the messages of God must always be in soft clothing. Will soft words turn back the tides of evil which rush to and fro in our own hearts and in the world around us? Are soft words going to answer selfishness? Or do we today need the voice of a prophet, yea and more than a prophet? Do we not need the simple, direct and commanding voice of God in His Word? Do we not need to hear openly and plainly taught, "Thou shalt not?"

Yet John always kept in mind that his message was of preparation. The strong commands, the repentance and obedience are but a preparation for the rule of conscience, when we do what is right and serve others from love for them. Obedience orders the mind and heart for that deeper meaning and spirit of life which brings peace and a sense of purpose to everything we do. John said of the Lord, "He must increase, I must decrease." (John 3:30) Our understanding of life and love must increase - mere obedience to commands must decrease.

The higher critics with their alleged authority of science have tried to take away the power of the Bible. They have as it were bound it in a prison of supposed learned discourse. They have cast doubt upon it. But despite this, there are those in our day who want with all their hearts to believe in the Word of God, for they sense that somehow there they can find answers. And to these the Lord comes. He comes as the spirit of truth, in the Writings, the Heavenly Doctrine given by Divine inspiration through Emanuel Swedenborg. These Writings are but the fulfillment, a Revelation of that inner spirit of the Word for which the knowledge of the letter prepares. They fulfill the prophecy, "When He the Spirit of Truth is come He shall lead you into all truth."

Even as John in prison heard of the Lord, those who still accept the Word can read its prophecies of the Second coming. They can look and be waiting for the Son of man to come. Yet they must remember that the kingdom of God cometh not with observation. (Luke 17:20) The Jews looked for an utterly different Messiah than the one who came. It should not be surprising that man has been mistaken when he looked for a personal Second Coming of Christ. Could the second Coming not be a coming which sheds the light of truth upon the clouds of Scripture?

And we in the New Church, who claim that these sacred Writings reveal the spirit of truth within the Word, we who claim according to their teachings that they are the Second Coming of the Lord, must learn to welcome inquiry. At first such a claim can seem fantastic. All things considered a question directed to the New Church regarding the authority of the Writings is certainly justified. When sincerely asked it is no more than what the disciples of John asked, "Art Thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" (text) But the answer the Lord gave is most significant. He was not hurt by their question. He did not make some strong willed claim of authority. He simply answered, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see." (Matt 11:4)

The Writings are not true simply because they say that they are from the Lord alone. Others have made such claims. And man must try the spirits to see whether they be of God or of man, for many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1) What leads to the acknowledgment of the truth of the Writings is the things that man hears and sees in them. "The blind receive their sight." Those who are spiritually groping, find answers to their deepest questionings, answers which make sense. "The lame walk." Those who stumble and falter on the path of life because they do not see the direction and purpose of the course of life, walk uprightly in a straight and narrow way. They become focused and happy in serving others. "The lepers are cleansed." Those who have been unclean profaners and perverters of the Sacred Scriptures have found a new life in their pages. "The deaf hear." Those who have utterly refused obedience to any religious principles, who have been deaf to all the teachings of the Bible, have had their ears unplugged and ardently seek not just to find, but seek in order to obey and to live by what they discover. "The dead are raised." Men who formerly saw life as but a brief span ending in nothing, who formerly married only till death did them part, now see eternal meaning to all their lives, and look for a union with one married partner which will endure forever. "The poor have the Gospel preached unto them." Those gentiles who know nothing of Christianity are not condemned, but rather are welcomed as fellow seekers and learn the good news of the one God of heaven and earth.

These miracles understood spiritually can happen in the New Church when man hears what the spirit says to that Church. The sight of this miraculous spiritual power in the Writings is the answer to John's question. And Scripture adds, "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in (the Lord)" (Matt 11:6)

Yet this message and the miraculous power of the spiritual meaning to Scripture, is seen only by a few. Our generation seems to prefer the ebb and flow of human opinion. One ardent preacher laments our state one day. On another, a different tune is heard. Yet to many it has become an old story, and they are not stirred from their agnostic slumbers. The Lord's words apply equally today. "But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows. And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented" (Matt 11:16).

The Word of God is considered by many in our agnostic age as of use only for the immature and the simple minded. How sad! The Word of God is made of none effect. Some even condemn it and the Christian ethic as a positive detriment to society. They say that its rules of conduct are out of man's reach, that they are not real, that we are not angels. Our age is like that generation of which the Lord spoke. "John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he hath a devil." The Word of God comes with forceful command and they deny it. The New Church, on the other hand, urges a rational and balanced view of morals upon man. This inner view, completely misunderstood, is condemned by many as being merely human even as the Son of Man was condemned two thousand years ago. The critics say religion is not to be rationally understood, that to reason about religion can lead only to drunkenness and man's thinking he knows all. "The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say, Behold a man gluttonous and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." (Matt 11:19)

The spirit of truth is come with miraculous healing power for man's spiritual quest. We can understand! The letter of the Word, represented by John the prophet would soon be forgotten in prison were it not for the spiritual sense of the Word now being revealed again to man. Our generation of spiritual lamenters may say that it is gluttonous to seek to understand, but others can see clearly that we desperately need understanding. Our generation of pipers may accuse us of being friends of sinners, because we do not dance to their tune. "But wisdom is justified of her children." (Matt 11:19). In response to inquiry the Lord said, "Tell them what you hear and see." If our Church is faithful to the Lord's renewed call, inquirers will see something treasured and perhaps something to be treasured.

When those who acknowledge the Lord in His Second Coming have asked the question, "Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?" They have been lead to see the healing power of the Son of Man in His Word. They have seen in the New Revelation the potential for human life, the potential of their own lives. Seeing that power, the Word of God once more and forever becomes for them the Lord Himself speaking to all mankind. He becomes indeed, "The Way, the Truth and the Life."

* * * * *

"It is the same with all the Lord's miracles, which were Divine because they signified the various states of those with whom the church was to be set up anew by the Lord. Thus when the blind received sight, it signified that they who had been in ignorance of truth should receive intelligence; when the deaf received hearing, it signified that they who had previously heard nothing about the Lord and the Word should hearken and obey; when the dead were raised, it signified that they who otherwise would spiritually perish would become living; and so on. This is meant by the Lord's reply to the disciples of John, who sent them to ask whether He was the one that should come:-

Tell John the things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead rise again, and the poor hear the Gospel (Matt. xi. 3-5).

"Moreover, all the miracles related in the Word contain in them such things as belong to the Lord, to heaven, and to the church. This makes these miracles Divine, and distinguishes them from those which are not Divine. These few examples are given in order to illustrate what the spiritual sense is, and to show that it is in all things of the Word and in every particular of it." (Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture 17:4)