The
disciples of John told him about all these things. John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”
In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
Luke 7:18-21
Luke 7 [16.] Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!” This report went out concerning him in the whole of Judea, and in all the surrounding region.
Luke 7 [18.] The disciples of John told him about all these things. John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”
Luke 7 [21.] In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight. Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
Luke 7 [24.] When John’s messengers had departed, he began to tell the multitudes about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
Meaning:
News about Jesus spread everywhere after he raised the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17). It even reached John the Baptizer, who was now in prison. From his cell John sent a question that has comforted many believers in their own seasons of doubt.
- “The disciples of John told him about all these things”
John had been arrested by Herod Antipas because he rebuked Herod for taking his brother’s wife (Luke 3:19-20). He was held, according to the historian Josephus, in the fortress of Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea. His own disciples still visited him and brought him news. They told him of healings, of a centurion’s servant restored and of a dead man raised.
- “Are you the one who is coming?”
“The one who is coming” was a title for the promised Messiah. The psalm sung by pilgrims said, “Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name!” (Psalm 118:26). John had announced him: “he comes who is mightier than I”, one who would baptize “in the Holy Spirit and fire”, whose “fan is in his hand” to separate wheat from chaff (Luke 3:16-17).
Why would John ask? He had baptized Jesus and seen the Spirit come upon him. But he had expected the Messiah to bring swift judgment, and he himself sat in prison while Jesus healed the sick and ate with sinners. Was this how the Kingdom would come? John did not keep his questions to himself or turn away. He sent them to Jesus. Matthew tells the same story (Matthew 11:2-3).
- “Or should we look for another?”
Luke repeats John’s question word for word as the messengers deliver it. The repetition slows the story and lets the question hang in the air. It is the most important question anyone can ask about Jesus. If he is not the one, we must look elsewhere. If he is, then we need look no further.
- “In that hour he cured many”
Luke alone records what John’s messengers saw while they waited. Jesus did not answer at once with words. In that very hour he cured diseases, freed people from evil spirits and gave sight to many who were blind. The messengers became eyewitnesses. Isaiah had foretold these very signs: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped” (Isaiah 35:5). Then Jesus told them to go and report what they had seen and heard, and he added a gentle word for John: “Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me” (Luke 7:22-23).
The Significance of Luke 7:18-21
- Honest questions can be brought to Jesus
Even the greatest of the prophets had a moment of uncertainty. Jesus did not rebuke John; he answered him with evidence and later praised him publicly. When we struggle to understand God’s ways, the right place to bring our questions is to Jesus himself.
- Look at what Jesus does
Jesus pointed John to his works, which fulfilled the Scriptures. Our faith rests on what Jesus has done in history: his miracles, his teaching, his death and his resurrection, all written down for us.
- God’s timetable is not ours
John expected judgment at once. Jesus came first with mercy, healing and good news for the poor. Judgment will come, but God’s patience gives people time to turn to him.
Cross-References:
Matthew 11:3: "Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?" Matthew’s account of John’s question.
Isaiah 35:5: "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped." The signs of God’s coming.
Psalm 118:26: "Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name!" The coming one hailed in the psalm.
Luke 7:22: "Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard" Jesus’ answer to John.
Conclusion: John the Baptizer, in prison, heard of Jesus’ works and sent two disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” In that same hour Jesus cured many of their diseases, freed those troubled by evil spirits and gave sight to the blind, so that the messengers could report what they had seen. Jesus answers honest questions with the evidence of his works, which fulfil the promises of Scripture that he is the coming Messiah.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible