Luke 7:18-35

4. The Deputation from John the Baptist: Luke 7:18-35.

This incident, related only by Matthew (chap. 11) and Luke, and by them differently placed, is in both accounted for in the same manner. The fame of the works of Jesus reached even John. If Luke does not expressly say, as Matthew does, that the forerunner was in prison, it is because, whatever Bleek may say, this position of affairs was sufficiently known from the remark, Luke 3:19-20.

But how should the fame of the miracles of Jesus, of the works of the Christ (Matthew), awaken in his mind the doubt which his question appears to imply? Strauss has maliciously expressed his surprise that no manufacturer of conjectures has as yet proposed to substitute in Matthew: οὐκ ἀκούσας, not having heard, for ἀκούσας, having heard. But this apparent contradiction is the very key to the whole incident. Most assuredly John does not doubt whether Jesus is a divine messenger, for he interrogates Him. He does not appear even to deny Him all participation in the Messianic work: “ John having heard in his prison of the works of the Christ ” (Matthew). What he cannot understand is just this, that these works of the Christ are not accompanied by the realization of all the rest of the Messianic programme which he had formerly proclaimed himself, and especially by the theocratic judgment. “His fan is in His hand...; the axe is already laid at the root of the trees.” Jesus in no way recognised it as His duty to become the Messiah- judge whom John had announced in such solemn terms, and whose expected coming had so unsettled the people. On the contrary, He said: “I am come not to judge, but to save” (John 3:17). This contrast between the form of the Messianic work as it was being accomplished by Jesus, and the picture which John had drawn of it himself, leads him to inquire whether the Messianic work was to be divided between two different persons, the one, Jesus, founding the kingdom of God in the heart by His word and by miracles of benevolence; the other commissioned to execute the theocratic judgment, and by acts of power to build up on the earth the national and social edifice of the kingdom of God. This is the real meaning of John's question: “Should we look for [not properly another, but] a different one (ἕτερον in Matthew, and perhaps in Luke also)?” We know in fact that several divine messengers were expected. Might not Jesus be that prophet whom some distinguished from the Christ (Luke 9:19; John 1:20-21; John 1:25), but whom others identified with Him (John 6:14-15)? Doubtless, if this was the thought of the forerunner, it indicated weakness of faith, and Jesus characterizes it as such (is offended in Him, Luke 7:23). But there is nothing improbable in it. Not without reason had John said concerning himself: “He that is of the earth speaketh as being of the earth” (John 3:31); and Jesus, that he was less than the least of believers. Such alternations between wonderful exaltation and deep and sudden depression are characteristic of all the men of the old covenant; lifted for a moment above themselves, but not as yet inwardly renewed, they soon sank back to their natural level. There is no need, therefore, to have recourse to the hypothesis of Chrysostom, accepted by Calvin, Grotius, etc., that John desired to give his disciples an opportunity to convince themselves of the dignity of Jesus, or to suppose, with Hase, that John's design was to stimulate Jesus, and accelerate the progress of His work. These explanations do not correspond with either the letter or the spirit of the text.

This portion comprises: 1 st, the question of John, and the reply of Jesus, Luke 7:18-23; Luke 2 d, the discourse of Jesus upon the person and ministry of John, Luke 7:24-35.