A Reading from St. Hilary:  On the Gospel

Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples, he said to Him. Art thou He that is to come or look we for another? 

Did John in his prison not know the Lord?  Did so great a prophet know not his God?  But as Precursor he had foretold that He was to come; as Prophet he had recognized Him standing in their midst; as Confessor he had venerated Him before men.  Did error creep into so profound and varied knowledge?  The subsequent testimony of the Lord concerning John does not permit us to think so.  Nor can we believe that the light of the Holy Spirit was denied him in prison, when the Light of that same Power was to be given to the imprisoned apostles.

Why John sent to Christ? But a clearer understanding is furnished from the things John did, and from the efficacy of the action the grace that was in him is evident.  For as Prophet he prophesied by the very circumstances of his imprisonment; because in him the Law became silent. For the Law had foretold Christ, and the forgiveness of sin, and had promised men the kingdom of heaven.  John had continued and brought to a close this purpose of the Law.  The Law was now silenced, imprisoned by the wickedness of men, and as it were held in bonds, lest Christ become known, because John has been fettered and imprisoned.  The Law therefore sends messengers to behold the works of the Gospel, so that unbelief may contemplate the truth of the faith in the light of these wonders; so that whatever in it (the Law) is frustrated by the violence of sinful men, may be set free by an understanding of the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free (Gal. iv. 31).

In this matter John remedied not his own but his disciples’ ignorance.  For he had himself proclaimed that Christ was to come unto the forgiveness of sin.  But that his disciples might learn that he had preached none other than Christ, he sends them to Him that they may behold His works, so that the works of Christ may confirm his own teaching, and, finally: so that they might look for no other Christ than He to whom the works gave testimony.