Blessed Because Not Offended

"And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Matthew 11: 6)

Many believers struggle with some passages, like this one in the Gospel of Matthew. Bringing themselves under condemnation, they fret and tell themselves:

"I better not be offended, so that I will be blessed."

That is not the case at all.

We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Ephesians 1: 3), and because we are blessed, no longer seeking to earn through the law but trusting in His goodness by faith, we have nothing to be offended about.

So, what is going one here?

A greater context bears out that the person who may have been offended, was none other than the greatest prophet, after Jesus: John the Baptist:

"2Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5The blind receive their 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. 6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Matthew 11: 2-6)

For doubting John, Jesus gave His miracles, His Word, and His assurance.

Luke's account affirms that Jesus performed those miracles in the presence of John's disciples:

"And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight." (Luke 7: 21)

Jesus never expected blind faith from anyone:

"Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." (John 14: 11)

Jesus also gave His Word, for He is the living Word. When Jesus spoke about the healing miracles, and the preaching of the Gospel, He was quoting Isaiah:

"5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

 

"6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." (Isaiah 35: 5-6)

 

Today, we do not focus on avoiding offense, because of us, Jesus is not a stumbling block, but is our rock of salvation.