Our knowledge of good and evil has an enormous bet placed on the effectiveness of the Law. The Law was given to bring our knowledge of good and evil to its knees but it doesn’t like to think so. Like a blind, lame boxer, the Law never had a chance against the Tree of Life. Tragically, without even realizing it, we still remain devotees, even in spite of the law’s failure to give us life.
In John the Baptist, we see the Law’s last stand. The Tree of Life comes out of the ring victorious. A new kingdom was established: a kingdom where righteousness was bestowed by faith, not by works. Oh, how the knowledge of good and evil struggled and squirmed under the new paradigm! No works? No sacrifices? No earthly kingdom? If the knowledge of good and evil were given voice, it would question just like John the Baptist.
Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent {word} by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: {the} BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and {the} lame walk, {the} lepers are cleansed and {the} deaf hear, {the} dead are raised up, and {the} POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” Matt 11:2-6
To John the Baptist, it just didn’t look right. He was offended. What he couldn’t fathom was the Kingdom of Heaven coming without observation. He couldn’t see that the Kingdom of Heaven was coming without a sword drawn and without a single throat cut. The days of old where physical violence was required were over.
John’s calling to drown the old order once and for all in a watery- grave baptism paved the straight road for a new kingdom to arrive. The Law which was contrary to us in that it was not Life was replaced with Life Himself. Within this new kingdom, even the very least are considered greater than John the Baptist.
Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen {anyone} greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matt 11:11
Rejoice! That which was contrary to us is swallowed up by the Tree of Life.