Jesus' failure was also personal for John. He's sitting in prison. He will soon be executed by the political powers. Is Jesus really the Coming One the more powerful one? Mary Donovan Turner, in a Christian Century (December 6, 1995, p. 1173) article on this text begins with:

John sat in his prison cell staring at the four walls that kept him from freedom. He could no longer look upon the familiar landmarks of the country he loved. He was cut off from his friends. He was disconnected from his community and stranded in a limited world, a world filled with uncertainty. He remembered the days in the wilderness when every word he spoke exuded certainty and assurance."

Is Jesus the one who comes or should we look for another? John's question is not answered with a simple "yes" or "no". The answer can only come from faith. Like John in prison, we can only hear reports about what Jesus is saying and doing (as we hear these words in the gospels). Will we believe in our hearts the reports from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John or not? Will these reports create a change of thinking about God, ourselves, and the world in us? Will we believe in our hearts and in our lives Jesus' call to continue his work on earth? How do we - through our words and actions - reveal what is in our hearts?