Matthew 11:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They may have wondered if he voiced this uncertainty as an act of defiance against Jesus or if his imprisonment had rendered him more cautious. Had his former testimony concerning Jesus been in vain? Given that the crowds could have entertained numerous such doubts, observe how the Lord addresses their frailty and dispels these uncertainties. According to the Evangelist, after John's disciples departed, Jesus began to speak to the people. Why did He choose to speak after they had left? This was to prevent any misconceptions that He was merely paying homage to John. When correcting the doubters, He did not expose their uncertainties but instead eased their troubled spirits, revealing His awareness of the hidden thoughts of all. He refrained from saying, as He had to the Pharisees, ‘Why do you harbor evil thoughts?’ (Matthew 9:4) because their doubts arose not from malice but from misunderstanding. Consequently, the Savior did not condemn them but sought to clarify their reflections while defending John. He demonstrated that John had not wavered in his prior convictions, portraying him as steadfast and reliable, incapable of betraying the trust placed in him. Yet, rather than directly endorsing John, the Savior reinforced this through their testimony, indicating that their actions, as well as their words, affirmed John’s steadfastness. He then inquires, ‘What prompted you to venture into the wilderness?’ implying, ‘Why did you leave your cities and homes to gather in the wild? Was it to encounter a pitiful and unsteady man?’ Such an idea is untenable. Their genuine zeal and the great multitude flocking to the wilderness to the Jordan River manifest their anticipation of meeting a remarkable and resolute figure. You did not journey to see a reed shaken by the wind—those who are frivolous and changeable, voicing one sentiment today and another tomorrow, akin to a reed swaying in the wind. Observe how the Lord, focusing on their predominant concerns, eliminates the very ground for such light-mindedness.

Joy could not inflate his pride, nor could adversity lead him to despair. John remained steadfast and upright, unharmed by changing circumstances; he wasn’t a reed shaken by the wind. From this, dear brothers and sisters, let us strive not to be like a reed swayed by gusts. We must fortify our spirits amidst the tempests of words, ensuring that our hearts remain resolute. Let us not allow disdain to provoke our anger, nor allow praise to lead us to frivolous delight. May joy not incite pride in us, nor may hardship cause us to falter, so that, rooted in the strength of faith, we remain unshaken by the shifts of earthly matters.

He refrains from telling them, as He did the Jews, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts?" (Matthew 9:4) because their confusion did not stem from malice but from misunderstanding. Thus, the Savior offers gentle correction rather than rebuke, defending John’s character and affirming that he remained steadfast in his beliefs. John is a man of conviction, not capricious or unreliable, and he would not betray the truth entrusted to him.

Here, the Lord points to their own testimony about John, asking them, "What prompted you to venture into the wilderness?" For what reason did you leave your cities and homes to gather in such large numbers in the Judean wilderness? Would you come to see someone weak and indecisive? Surely, a multitude of people from so many towns would not have journeyed with such eagerness to the banks of the Jordan unless they sought to encounter a truly remarkable and steadfast individual!

On the banks of the Jordan, there are many reeds—thin and flexible, swaying with even the slightest breeze. These reeds symbolize individuals who are unstable, who say one thing today and another tomorrow, shifting with every wind of opinion. Did you come to observe a reed tossed by the wind? Is it conceivable that a rugged ascetic, who has fortified his spirit through trials, could be so fleeting? Do you think John resembled such a reed, capable of altering his perception of the One he once honored as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? Would he now be questioning, "Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for another?" Absolutely not!

To counter these speculations, it was vital to remind those who had started to forget John about the throngs that flocked to him in the wilderness of Jordan, eager to hear his preaching about the impending arrival of the kingdom of heaven, to repent and receive baptism. They recalled how he had challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees and the responses he had given to the inquiries posed by the chief priests. Thus, as Jesus spoke to the surrounding crowd, he inquired, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?" (Luke 7:24). In discussing John's significance with the people, Chrysostom noted, "Was it to see some fragile and unpredictable man? No, an immense multitude would not have eagerly traveled to the wilderness unless they expected to encounter a person as steadfast and solid as a rock. Those who are changeable and unreliable, quick to voice one opinion today and another tomorrow, embody the nature of a reed shaken by the wind. But John is not like that; you did not go to see a reed shaken by the wind."

Regarding John, He spoke of his character and ministry to clarify his role as the forerunner, while simultaneously dispelling any erroneous doubts that John's disciples might have stirred among the crowd. The people may have perceived that John was either (1) a capricious individual who had previously professed one belief but had since altered his view about Jesus, or (2) that he had transformed in imprisonment, wishing to abandon his ascetic lifestyle for a more indulgent existence, thereby renouncing his earlier mission. The Lord addresses these misguided assumptions by appealing to their own awareness of what they had anticipated from John and what they had observed. Did they truly believe, when they ventured into the wilderness, that they would encounter a man lacking steadfast beliefs or wavering in his convictions? Or did they expect to find a man who sought luxury? No, they recognized him as a prophet, and indeed he was more than a mere prophet of the Old Testament.

By dispelling their disturbing notions, He demonstrated His understanding of the innermost thoughts of all. When John preached in the wilderness, he was preparing the hearts of the people to welcome the Messiah. The area where John baptized and preached, often flooded by the overflowing Jordan, was filled with light and supple reeds that easily swayed in the breeze. These fragile reeds symbolize individuals who are unstable in their faith and actions, changing their declarations and behaviors inconsistently. Through His questioning, the Lord calls upon His ministers as witnesses to affirm that John was not a vacillating man and could not waver in his belief about Jesus or retract his testimony regarding Him as the coming Messiah.

Behold, they who are clothed with glorious garments and food, in the courts of the king.’ John is not a reed, easily swayed by the slightest breeze; you sought him out as a person of strength and conviction; his coarse attire indicates his rejection of luxury (Bl. Theophylact).