John having spent his life in the open air, in active, persevering labor, enduring privations, hardship, and toil, he had never before experienced the trials of confined living. He therefore became desponding, and even doubts troubled him whether Christ was indeed the Messiah. His disciples had brought to him accounts of the wonderful things they had witnessed in the ministry of Christ. But he concluded that if Christ was indeed the Messiah, he would publicly proclaim himself as the Saviour of the world. {2SP 70.3}

Johannes havde brugt sit liv på den frie luft, på aktivt og vedvarende arbejde, klare afsavn, vanskelighederne og sliddet, havde hal aldrig før erfaret fængselslivets prøvelser. Han blev derfor fortvivlet, og endog tvivlen betyngede ham, om Kristus i virkeligheden var Messias. Hans disciple fortalt ham om de underfulde ting som de havde været vidne til i Kristi tjeneste. Men han konkluderede at hvis Kristus i virkeligheden var (71) Messias, ville han offentligt proklamere sig selv som verdens frelser.