施洗約翰的疑問：信心的考驗 John the Baptist’s Question: A Test of Faith

文／Cathy Chen

【經文範圍】 

「將要來的那位就是你嗎？還是我們要等候別人呢？」（路加福音 7:19）

「然而，我常與你同在；你攙扶我的右手。你要以你的訓言引導我，以後你必接我到榮耀裡。除你以外，在天上我有誰呢？除你以外，在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。」（詩篇 73:23-25）

關於施洗約翰 

施洗約翰，是佇立於新舊兩約交界處的關鍵人物。在神沉默了四百年的先知時期後，神透過他再次發聲。約翰宛如一道清晨的曙光，既承襲了舊約先知的傳統，又親身為彌賽亞的到來鋪平道路。以下是他的五種身份，以及他所面臨的終極考驗：

1. 神蹟生下的孩子 

施洗約翰的降生，本身就是一個神蹟。他的父親是祭司撒迦利亞，母親是年邁不孕的以利沙伯。天使加百列向撒迦利亞顯現，宣告他們將得一子，起名為「約翰」（意即「耶和華是恩典」）。在人看來早已斷絕指望的年紀，神卻親自介入。天使預告這孩子「在主面前將要為大」，且「從母腹裡就被聖靈充滿」（路加福音 1:15）。約翰的出生不僅是家族的喜事，更是神救贖歷史重新啟動的標誌；正如經上所記，主的手與他同在（路加福音 1:66）。

2. 生來便賦有神聖使命 

約翰並非成年後才蒙召，他是「未出母胎便被分別為聖」。天使預告他將帶著以利亞的心志和能力行在主的前面，叫為父的心轉向兒女，叫悖逆的人轉從義人的智慧，又為主預備合用的百姓（路加福音 1:17）。他那被聖靈充滿的父親撒迦利亞也預言，這孩子將為主的救恩預備道路：「因我們神憐憫的心腸，叫清晨的日光從高天臨到我們，要照亮坐在黑暗中死蔭裡的人，把我們的腳引到平安的路上。」長大後，他如預言般棲身曠野，身穿駱駝毛衣，吃蝗蟲野蜜；透過呼籲百姓悔改與施洗，為即將到來的救主預備人心。他深知自己的配角身份，極其謙卑地宣告：「我就是給他解鞋帶也不配。他必興旺，我必衰微。」（約翰福音 3：30）

3. 新約最後一位先知 

在神學意義上，約翰是最後一位深具「舊約先知」風骨的人物。他如以利亞般，站在君王面前直言不諱。然而，他也是「最後一位」：他親口宣告彌賽亞的到來，親手為耶穌施洗，終結了上帝長達四百年的沈默，成為引領百姓從律法走向恩典的橋樑。

4. 在死牢中等待刑罰的囚徒 

這位偉大先知的一生，並未以輝煌的凱旋落幕，而是被囚禁在分封王希律安提帕死寂的監牢中。原因無他：他不畏權勢、傳講真理，公開指責希律霸佔兄弟之妻希羅底的不義。希羅底因此懷恨在心，最終希律為了一個輕率的誓言與君王的面子，將約翰斬首。約翰入獄並非因為犯罪，而是因為他對真理的勇氣與堅持。

5. 屬靈巨人信心的考驗 

在陰暗的獄中，這位屬靈巨人經歷了肉身的折磨與心靈的劇烈試煉。他差遣門徒去問耶穌：「那將要來的那位就是你嗎？還是我們要等候別人呢？（路加福音 7：20）」。這或許不僅是他身陷囹圄，又因為耶穌的作為與他預期的彌賽亞大相徑庭。約翰曾預言彌賽亞會用聖靈與火施洗，手拿簸箕施行公義的審判（路加福音 3:16-17）；但他聽聞的，卻是耶穌在醫病、趕鬼、與罪人同席。當上帝的工作方式與我們的預期藍圖不符，甚至對我們所遭受的不義保持沉默時，信心便會迎來最嚴峻的考驗。

耶穌的回答與評價 

當約翰從牢裡差人去問耶穌：「將要來的那位就是你嗎？還是我們要等候別人呢？」耶穌並未責備約翰的軟弱，反而引用舊約先知以賽亞的預言來回應他：「就是盲人看見、瘸子行走，麻瘋病人得潔淨，聾子聽見，死人復活，窮人聽到福音。凡不因我跌倒的有福了。」（路加福音 7:21-23）。耶穌用實際行動向約翰證明，彌賽亞的國度已經降臨。

然而，這裡隱藏著一個耐人尋味的深意：耶穌引用的舊約神蹟多處出自《以賽亞書》，如盲人看見 35:5；瘸子行走 35:6；窮人得福音 61:1 等，藉此表達「人們等待的彌賽亞就是我，神蹟已經發生」。可是，《以賽亞書》中同時也應許了「被擄的得釋放、被囚的出監牢」（賽 42:7；61:1），耶穌的回答卻沒有暗示約翰能活著走出監牢。

因此，那句「凡不因我跌倒的有福了」蘊含著極其深沉的意義：即使上帝的拯救計劃裡，並未以我們所期盼或理解的方式解除眼前的苦難，我們若仍堅定信靠祂，這人就是有福的。

最後，耶穌親自為約翰的身份作了至高的見證：「凡婦人所生的，沒有一個興起來大過施洗約翰的。」（路加福音 7:28）

【反思 Reflection】 

對於一個一生聽聞主、矢志忠於主的人來說，約翰的經歷帶來了極深的震撼。

我們身邊或許有這樣的人：從小在信仰中長大，聽聞過家族經歷的神蹟，或是深知自己帶著從神而來的祝福與引導。他們順服從小領受的福音，忠心服事，將一生獻給神。然而，當現實的考驗猝然降臨，在堅守信仰的同時，卻落入人生的「死牢」（疾病、破產、孤立無援、惡人當道），而神又遲遲不彰顯他們所殷切期盼的「公義」時，這巨大的落差可能會讓最堅強的心靈產生動搖。那是何等深沉的幽暗！

在那樣的黑夜裡，我們的心中難免充滿困惑：「主啊，如果我是祢所揀選的，為何會落入這般光景？」「為什麼祢不照我的期待為我伸冤？」「難道我從小聽見關於我的那些神奇見證，只是家人的想像與謠言？」

又或許如果這不是發生在我們身上，而是發生在一個昔日大有信心的人身上，我們是否會詫異惋惜：「唉，那麼愛主的人，怎麼也會軟弱懷疑？神為什麼要這樣對待他？」

約翰的提問告訴我們：即使是帶著使命出生的偉大先知，在絕境中仍有人性的軟弱與掙扎。對此，我們理當多一份慈悲與體恤。而如果我們自己正身處那樣的低谷，耶穌的回答則提醒我們：真正的信心，不能建立在上帝是否按照我們的劇本行事上。當環境剝奪了我們期盼的「神蹟」，當上帝似乎不為我們「打開監牢的門」時，這固然艱難，但或許正是神邀請我們跨入更深信心的時刻。單單只因為祂是神，而信祂，將一切主權交託予祂。

【禱告】 

主啊，祢就是舊約預言的彌賽亞。施洗約翰一生在等待、在見證，是為祢鋪平道路的忠僕。即便他從母腹裡就被聖靈充滿，是家喻戶曉的先知，他仍謙卑地自認不配替祢提鞋。他所做的一切，皆因單單定睛於祢。那麼，他對祢的定睛與忠誠，最終辜負了他嗎？

感謝主，謝謝祢回應了約翰在死牢中的疑問。這同樣也是我們許多人心底的疑問。當環境順遂時，我們能輕易開口讚美；但萬一我墜入孤立無援的光景，失去一切能為祢見證的神蹟與能力，連過往深信的屬靈經歷都顯得虛幻時，我該如何看待我這一生？

主啊，在那樣的時刻，約翰在死牢中仍然尋求祢；而我們在現實的打擊下，必定比約翰更加軟弱。我們的心會像《詩篇》73篇的作者亞薩那般痛苦。看見行惡的人得享平安，狂傲的人凡事亨通，我們甚至會抱怨：「我實在徒然潔淨了我的心，徒然洗手表明無辜。」

但主啊，祢必用祢的真理來托住我，讓我明白祢的計畫遠比我的眼界更為廣闊。即便祢沒有按我所能理解的方式行事，祢仍是與我同在的神。求祢帶領我進入祢的聖所，思想祢的公義和永恆的應許。願我們對他人的處境多些慈悲和憐恤，願祢所愛的孩子，即便在最深的黑暗中，仍能堅定宣告：

「然而，我常與你同在；你攙扶我的右手。你要以你的訓言引導我，以後你必接我到榮耀裡。除祢以外，在天上我有誰呢？除祢以外，在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。我的肉體和我的心腸衰殘；但神是我心裡的力量，又是我的福分，直到永遠。」（詩篇 73:23-26）

禱告奉耶穌基督的名，阿們。

於 3／2／2026

John the Baptist’s Question: A Test of Faith

By Cathy Chen

【Scripture Passage】

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
(Luke 7:19)

“Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.”
(Psalm 73:23–25)

About John the Baptist

John the Baptist stands at the pivotal boundary between the Old and New Testaments. After four hundred years of prophetic silence, God spoke again through him. Like the first light of dawn, John carried forward the tradition of the Old Testament prophets while personally preparing the way for the Messiah. Here are five aspects of his identity—and the ultimate test he faced:

1. A Child Born by Miracle

John’s birth itself was miraculous. His father, Zechariah, was a priest; his mother, Elizabeth, was elderly and barren. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and announced that they would have a son, to be named “John” (meaning “The Lord is gracious”). At an age when hope seemed long extinguished, God intervened. The angel foretold that this child would be “great before the Lord” and “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). John’s birth was not merely a family joy—it marked the reawakening of God’s redemptive history. As Scripture says, “the hand of the Lord was with him” (Luke 1:66).

2. Set Apart with a Divine Mission from Birth

John was not called only in adulthood; he was set apart before he was born. The angel declared that he would go before the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” turning the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared (Luke 1:17). His father Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied that this child would prepare the way of salvation:

“Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high… to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

As he grew, John lived in the wilderness, clothed in camel’s hair and sustained by locusts and wild honey. Through preaching repentance and baptizing, he prepared hearts for the coming Savior. He clearly understood his supporting role and humbly declared, “I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal… He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

3. The Last Prophet of the Old Covenant

Theologically, John was the final figure bearing the spirit of the Old Testament prophets. Like Elijah, he confronted kings without fear. Yet he was also the last of his kind: he proclaimed the Messiah’s arrival and personally baptized Jesus, ending four centuries of divine silence and serving as a bridge leading God’s people from Law to Grace.

4. A Prisoner Awaiting Execution

This great prophet’s life did not end in triumph but in the silent dungeon of Herod Antipas. His crime? Fearlessly speaking truth and publicly rebuking Herod for unlawfully taking his brother’s wife, Herodias. Resentful, Herodias harbored hatred against him. Ultimately, because of a rash oath and concern for royal honor, Herod ordered John beheaded. John was imprisoned not for wrongdoing, but for courage and fidelity to truth.

5. The Testing of a Spiritual Giant’s Faith

In the darkness of prison, this spiritual giant endured physical torment and deep inner trial. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Luke 7:20). Perhaps this question arose not only from confinement, but because Jesus’ ministry differed greatly from John’s expectations. John had proclaimed a Messiah who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, executing righteous judgment (Luke 3:16–17). Yet what he heard about Jesus was healing, exorcism, and fellowship with sinners. When God’s ways diverge from our expectations—and when He appears silent about our suffering—faith faces its fiercest test.

Jesus’ Response and Commendation

When John sent messengers asking whether He was the One to come, Jesus did not rebuke him. Instead, He answered by echoing the prophecies of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah:

“The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed… the poor have good news preached to them.” (Luke 7:21–23)

Through action, Jesus demonstrated that the Messianic kingdom had indeed arrived.

Yet something profound lies beneath His answer. Many of the signs He cited come from Isaiah (e.g., 35:5–6; 61:1), affirming that He was the promised Messiah. However, Isaiah also speaks of “the captives set free” and “prisoners released from the dungeon” (Isaiah 42:7; 61:1). Jesus did not indicate that John himself would walk free.

Thus the words, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me,” carry a sobering depth: even if God’s saving plan does not remove our suffering in the way we hope or understand, blessed is the one who continues to trust Him.

Finally, Jesus gave John the highest commendation regarding his place in the kingdom:

“Among those born of women none is greater than John.” (Luke 7:28)

【Reflection】

John’s experience deeply unsettles us. Some people grow up hearing of God’s miracles in their family, sensing divine calling and blessing. They faithfully serve God, dedicating their lives to Him. Yet when harsh trials suddenly descend—illness, financial ruin, isolation, injustice—and God does not visibly vindicate them, the gap between expectation and reality can shake even the strongest soul.

In such dark nights, we may ask:
“Lord, if I am chosen by You, why am I here?”
“Why do You not defend me as I expected?”
“Were those early testimonies about my calling only imagination?”

Or when this happens to someone once strong in faith, we may wonder:
“How could someone who loved the Lord so deeply begin to doubt?”

John’s question reminds us that even a prophet born with divine purpose wrestled in despair. We should respond with compassion. And if we ourselves are in such a valley, Jesus’ answer reminds us: true faith cannot rest on whether God follows our script. When He does not “open the prison doors,” He may be inviting us into deeper trust—trust grounded solely in who He is.

【Prayer】

Lord, You are the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. John spent his life waiting, witnessing, and preparing Your way. Though filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb and honored as a prophet, he humbly declared himself unworthy even to untie Your sandals. Was his unwavering focus on You ultimately in vain?

Thank You for answering John’s question in his final darkness. It is also our question. When life goes well, praise flows easily. But if I lose everything—if I fall into isolation, stripped of miracles and spiritual experiences—how shall I understand my life?

Like Asaph in Psalm 73, our hearts may ache. Seeing the wicked prosper, we may cry, “Surely in vain have I kept my heart clean.”

Yet Lord, uphold me with Your truth. Help me see that Your plans stretch far beyond my limited vision. Even if You do not act as I expect, You remain the God who is with me.

Lead me into Your sanctuary. Anchor me in Your eternal promises. Give me compassion for others in darkness. And may we, even in the deepest night, still declare:

“Yet, I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
(Psalm 73:23–26)

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.