Annotation CXLIV
”Art thou he that is to come, or do we look for another?” — Luke 7:19–20
Whether John the Baptist doubted concerning the death of Christ.
Bede, in book 2 on Luke, interpreting this, seems to impute to John the Baptist that he doubted concerning the death of Christ — namely, whether he was to die for the salvation of the human race — speaking thus: “‘Art thou he that is to come?’ The sense is: Tell me — because I am to be killed by Herod, and to descend to the nether regions — whether I ought to announce thee to those below too, [I] who have announced [thee] to those above; whether it be not fitting for the Son of God to taste death, and whether thou wilt send another for these mysteries.”
Jerome, in book 1 of the commentaries on Matthew, writes the same opinion in the same words: and there is no doubt that Bede took it thence.
Eusebius of Emesa, in the homilies marked with his name, reports that John doubted concerning Christ’s descent to the nether regions, saying thus: “‘Art thou,’ he says, ‘he that is to come? I indeed go to the patriarchs and prophets, I descend into hell: but wilt thou too come thither? Ought I to announce to them that thou art to come thither, as I announced to the world that thou hadst come? Wilt thou descend thither in thine own person, or do we look for another from thee? For I fear to believe this of thee, unless this be made certain to me by thee. Greatly indeed hast thou humbled thyself — or perhaps wilt thou humble thyself more? What shall I say to them, what shall I announce?’”
Pope Gregory, in the book of 40 Homilies, homily 6, seems to ascribe to John both hesitations — both concerning Christ’s death, and concerning his descent into hell — with these words: “John therefore says, ‘Art thou he that is to come, or do we look for another?’ — as if he plainly said: As thou hast deigned to be born for men, [say] whether thou also deignest to die for men and to descend to the nether world; make [it] known, that I who [am] the forerunner of thy nativity may become also the forerunner of [thy] descent, and may announce thee as about to come in hell, [thee] whom I have already announced as having come to the world.”
Chrysostom, in homily 38 on Matthew, and Theophylact, and Euthymius, assail both opinions, as ridiculous and false, in a long discourse — because it is not credible to them that so great a prophet, and more than a prophet, who was greater than all the prophets, was ignorant of what the other prophets had foretold concerning the death, burial, and descent to the nether world of Christ, and which he himself had preached. There are [some] of ours who say that John most steadfastly believed that Christ would penetrate hell by the efficacy of his power, and thence snatch away the patriarchs, but that he was in doubt whether he [Christ] would go down to the nether regions according to the substance of [his] soul. Which, however — Theophylact being witness — Gregory the Theologian [Nazianzen] disapproves, affirming that John knew that he [Christ] was to come to hell with [his] soul, that he might there save the believers. It must therefore be said that John asked this not as though ignorant of it, but so that his disciples — still rude and incredulous — being sent with this question to Christ, might, from Christ’s response, come to know and believe the majesty of Christ, not yet [by them] recognized. Or, according to Ambrose, it can be said that John was in doubt concerning the death of Christ — not by a doubt of incredulity, but by the hesitation and stupor of a mind wondering, and considering, how it could come to pass that men should dare to kill him who raised the dead and produced such great miracles of power.