also be unsure about Jesus, whom John had pointed to as the promised Messiah. Many believe that under these difficult circumstances John wanted his disciples to go to Jesus for reassurance—even though John himself had no doubts about Jesus. It seems preferable, however, to regard John as troubled and unsure at this point. John was aware of the mighty works of mercy that Jesus was performing, but where were his acts of judgment? Even before he baptized Jesus, John described Jesus’ work in terms of