Luk 7:22 | KingComments | STEP | Also the disciples of John the baptist hear everything that is told of the Lord Jesus. Maybe some have seen Him perform deeds themselves. They report this to John in prison. When John hears all this, he becomes confused. He is in prison, and the Lord Whom he has announced is on a tour, on which He does all kinds of wonders. Is He establishing the kingdom, and forgetting His forerunner? He announced Him, pointed out to Him and baptized Him. So why does He not deliver him? He wants to know Who it is about Whom he hears such things. With that question he sends two of his disciples to the Lord. John has not lost his faith, but has been confused. In itself, it is good that he goes with it to the Lord, to the right address. The Lord receives the disciples. They say whom they come from and why John sent them. The question is simple. Is He the promised Messiah or should they look forward to the true Messiah? The question may be understandable, but it originates from false expectations. Luke says that when the question is asked, the Lord is busy doing an abundance of benefits. The question is answered by everything He is doing, by what He shows. This is part of the answer the Lord gives to the disciples of John. He does not say: “Tell John that I am the Messiah.” They can tell him what they have seen with their own eyes and what they have heard with their own ears. He points to His actions and His message. But isn’t that exactly what John heard say in prison and what made him so doubtful? What does that add to what John already knew? Indeed, the Lord has no other message for John than He has for all the people, but He brings it to him in a new and fresh way. He did not come to exercise justice, but to prove mercy. A wrong view of His actions or wrong thoughts about how He should act sometimes makes us doubt Him. The Lord says “blessed” to those who do not reject Him because He does not meet their expectations. Whoever follows Him and trusts Him, even though he sometimes does not understand why things go this way, is blessed. John did not reject Him, but the Lord wants to use these words to tell John that he may continue to believe that he has announced the Messiah. John does not need to doubt that, despite his imprisonment.

‏ Luke 7:22

The Question of John the Baptist

Also the disciples of John the baptist hear everything that is told of the Lord Jesus. Maybe some have seen Him perform deeds themselves. They report this to John in prison. When John hears all this, he becomes confused. He is in prison, and the Lord Whom he has announced is on a tour, on which He does all kinds of wonders. Is He establishing the kingdom, and forgetting His forerunner? He announced Him, pointed out to Him and baptized Him. So why does He not deliver him? He wants to know Who it is about Whom he hears such things. With that question he sends two of his disciples to the Lord.

John has not lost his faith, but has been confused. In itself, it is good that he goes with it to the Lord, to the right address. The Lord receives the disciples. They say whom they come from and why John sent them. The question is simple. Is He the promised Messiah or should they look forward to the true Messiah? The question may be understandable, but it originates from false expectations. Luke says that when the question is asked, the Lord is busy doing an abundance of benefits. The question is answered by everything He is doing, by what He shows.

This is part of the answer the Lord gives to the disciples of John. He does not say: “Tell John that I am the Messiah.” They can tell him what they have seen with their own eyes and what they have heard with their own ears. He points to His actions and His message. But isn’t that exactly what John heard say in prison and what made him so doubtful? What does that add to what John already knew?

Indeed, the Lord has no other message for John than He has for all the people, but He brings it to him in a new and fresh way. He did not come to exercise justice, but to prove mercy. A wrong view of His actions or wrong thoughts about how He should act sometimes makes us doubt Him.

The Lord says “blessed” to those who do not reject Him because He does not meet their expectations. Whoever follows Him and trusts Him, even though he sometimes does not understand why things go this way, is blessed. John did not reject Him, but the Lord wants to use these words to tell John that he may continue to believe that he has announced the Messiah. John does not need to doubt that, despite his imprisonment.