Matthew 11:7 Meaning and Explanation
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →As John's messengers leave, Jesus turns to the crowds and begins to honor John, asking what they had gone to the wilderness to find.
What Does Matthew 11:7 Mean?
With John's disciples on their way, Jesus speaks to the multitudes about the man in prison. He asks a series of questions, the first picturing "a reed shaken with the wind" -- the tall, swaying reeds along the Jordan, bending with every breeze. The crowds had streamed into the desert to hear John; surely not to see something so common and unsteady.
The image is pointed: John was no reed. He did not bend with shifting opinion or sway before Herod's power. Jesus defends His forerunner the moment he is absent and most vulnerable. There is tenderness here -- the Lord honors the doubting prophet publicly, refusing to let imprisonment diminish him. True greatness is not the crowd-pleasing flexibility of a reed, but the rootedness of a soul anchored in God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 11:7
What does Matthew 11:7 mean?
As John's messengers leave, Jesus turns to the crowds and begins to honor John, asking what they had gone to the wilderness to find.