NOT PROPHESIED BY JOHN - THAT PROPHET

NOT PROPHESIED BY JOHN

His enquiry dampens the contention of church
Now when John had 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? -Matthew 11:2-3

At the outset this enquiry of John to Jesus, whether he (Jesus) was he, that was to come or that they should look for another - disproves the passage under reference John 1:26-342. And what more evidence is required to rebut the Church and to prove that this passage is a mere interpolated part subsequently added in the Gospel John by the Church to justify the main prophecy under discussion relating to the person of Jesus himself? Yet let us examine other reasons too.

1. John’s enquiry to Jesus whether he was he that was to come, unveils the hidden fact, that John, as we said above, was in know that one was yet to come.

2. John had sent his disciples to Jesus to enquire whether he was he that was to come, only after hearing the works done by Jesus. That means those tremendous works of Jesus made him think that Jesus might be that one who was to come, and this infers that he who was to come must be a greater one. This point is also corroborated in the main prophecy saying as “He that cometh after me is mightier than I.”

3. “ Art thou he that should come or do we look for another?” This enquiry of John about Jesus, undoutedly proves that though John already was in know about the advent of that prophet, the correct person and the definite time of his advent was not in his knowledge.

4. And this question of John also provides a marvelous record proving the historical fact that until the time of Jesus, that promised one, the prophet of this prophecy about whom the person of John himself was in expectation of , had not appeared.

5. And also infers that until that time, John regarded Jesus, only as an ordinary prophet like himself, but not as a greater one who was to come.

John enquired from prison-until then Jesus was regarded as an equal prophet to himself
In the light of these points, one can easily imagine the confounded state and uncertain opinion of John about Jesus. If this had been the state, we would like to ask the Church that, how can it ascribe the prophecy which has been made so explicitly pin pointing about one to come, to have been said by John relating to Jesus himself?

And another reason is
Jesus did not give any direct answer to the question of John. For argument’s sake for a while let us agree that Jesus had answered John saying that he himself was he who was to come. The readers are requested to bear in mind that John had sent this question from prison, wherefrom having not been released and while yet in the prison itself he had been beheaded by Herod the then ruler.

If this be the fate of John, we would like to question the Church, that where was the chance for John to come before the people and declare pointing Jesus, saying as - “ Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man etc?” (John 1:26-34)

Before imprisonment?
The Church may try to defend this by saying that this was proclaimed by John, even before his imprisonment. Such explanations rather deprive the Church of getting any strong hold on this issue, because until the time that John had sent his enquiry from prison, he had not at all regarded Jesus himself as one mightier that was to come. If this be the fact about his uncertain opinion about Jesus until the time of his enquiry from prison, how can Church make one believe that this prophecy and proclamation under John 1:26-34 were made by John even before his imprisonment? Our further discussions in connection with the attitude of John towards Jesus will also help readers to understand our argument more clearly.

John never declared about Jesus - neither before imprisonment nor after - a strong point to rebut the claim of the church

The summary of our arguments made so far to rebut the contention of Church and to prove that this was not prophesied by John relating to Jesus is as follows:-

The prophecy is obvious to have been prophesied by one with definite knowledge and with decisive opinion beyond any doubt. But the opinion of John about Jesus was indecisive and indefinite and not beyond doubt, and he had no definite knowledge about the person who was yet to come. So John was not the prophesying person.

If this be the confounded state and indecisive opinion of John about Jesus, how can this prophecy which had been said by one so vehemently and decisively with definite knowledge and firm opinion, be attributed to have been said by John himself? (and that too about Jesus?)

Prior to imprisonment, John regarded Jesus only as an equivalent prophet to himself and was curiously expecting for a greater one to come. And therefore he could in no way have proclaimed this prophecy relating to Jesus. And after questioning Jesus from prison whether Jesus himself was one that was to come (even if it is agreed that Jesus had answered in positive) he had no chance to come out of the prison to declare this before people, as he had been beheaded even while yet in the prison. These two points evidently prove that John had never prophesied this either before his imprisonment or after or at any time during his term of life.

When once it is agreed and proved that this was not prophesied by John, the passages, records, verses whatever are found in Gospels showing this prophecy to have been stated by John relating to the person of Jesus, can be regarded as mere interpolations made subsequently to justify their presumptive interpretation. Our arguments made so far proved that this was not prophesied by John. Thus the first point of the Church has been rebutted. Then who prophesied this and about whom? -is the curious question which needs a careful examination.