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Look We For Another? This is the big question that is raised for the deliverance and salvation of all who will accept the answer. Mat 11:2-3 (2) Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, (3) And said unto him, Are you he that should come, or do we look for another? Luk 7:16-20 (16) And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God has visited his people. (17) And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about. (18) And the disciples of John showed him of all these things. (19) And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Are you he that should come? or look we for another? (20) When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist has sent us unto thee, saying, Are you he that should come? or look we for another? In the days of Jesus and John the Baptist there was amongst the Jews, an inherently strong desire and expectation of a deliverer who would rise to power from among them and they would be restored to their former glory and independence. Over sixteen decades earlier Judah Maccabee raised Jewish hopes when he led them in the aptly named Maccabean Revolt* against the Seleucid Empire (167–160 BC). Speculation that he could be their promised deliverer and Messiah naturally arose, especially when he secured the restoration of Jewish worship at the temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, removing all of the statues depicting Greek gods and goddesses, and purifying it, something which continues to be remembered and celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ("Dedication"). In 160 BC Judah Macabee was killed in the battle of Elasa when his army was pitted against a superior Seleucid force of 20,000 soldiers, but the Jewish Rebellion continued under the leadership of his two brothers Jonathan and Simon. Jonathan was imprisoned when Hellenistic Seleucid General Tryphon tricked him, and finally had him killed. Antiochus VI (one of the successors to Antiochus Epiphanes) was murdered and Tryphon became king. This intensified the Jewish efforts and Simon, Jonathan's brother, came forthwith to Jerusalem and by 142 had seized the Acra (a fortress built by Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 BC) and had made Jerusalem a free city and the Jews an independent people. This began the rule of the Hasmonean Dynasty and a period of Jewish independence made more secure by the steady collapse of the Seleucid Empire under attacks from the rising powers of the Roman Republic and the Parthian Empire. *QUOTE: The desperate plight of the Jews under Antiochus IV (aka Antiochus Epihanes) elicited a literary call for stubborn resistance to Greek culture and zealous loyalty to the traditional faith, in the conviction that God was about to act to bring in the long-awaited kingdom and to redeem his people. These Jewish beliefs were given new expression through influences coming from Iranian and Zoroastrian theology, including cosmic dualism and a concept of history that postulated a beginning, a series of time periods and a climactic ending of time. The catalyst was the persecution under Antiochus, which produced a failure of nerve, a despair of man's ability to effect the kingdom of God through his own efforts and a conviction that the situation could only get worse until God himself broke in to terminate the present evil age and inaugurate the ideal. Source: To Jewish Independence Roman occupation of Jewish lands began in 63 BC and by the time John the Baptist and Jesus were born the Jews were once again struggling under foreign oppression and seeking a leader who would solve their political problems, remove foreign control, restore independent rule and self-government, and if necessary provoke a violent uprising and in a show of military might achieve a glorious victory with the defeat and expulsion of all their enemies. This worldly view did not align with God's plan for His Creation and His people, and this was difficult for many to comprehend, as per these passages: Luk 24:13-21 (13) And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened. (15) And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. (16) But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. (17) And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that you have one to another, as you walk, and are sad? (18) And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? (19) And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: (20) And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. (21) But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Act 1:6-9 (6) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (7) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in his own power. (8) But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. As Jesus said in His response to J the B's question: Blessed are those who are not offended in Me. (Luke 7:23)