Luke 7:18-20 - The Testimony of the Word

Luke 7:18-20 (ESV)

[18] The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, [19] calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” [20] And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’”

John the Baptist was in prison by this time, which is why he sent two of his disciples to Jesus instead of going himself. As one commentator put it, “John had had a meteoric ministry which lasted for no more than a year.” Now he was sitting in prison, and the doubts were setting in. “Was I wrong? Is this really Messiah? Why am I in prison if he is the deliverer?” He couldn’t make sense of his experience and so he questioned everything he thought he knew.

Jesus’ response was to point John to Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 61

Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV)

[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

[2] to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

 It is easy for us to miss what Jesus was saying. We read Jesus’ words in Luke 7 and assume he is saying, “Look at all the great things I’m doing. Of course I am Messiah.” But it was more than that. John wouldn’t have missed it. He would have known that Jesus was saying, “Look at the Scriptures. What you see me doing is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.”

The Biblical principle is not that something is from God simply because you experience it. It must be tested and verified by the Word. Christians are, after all, a people of the Book. Jesus didn’t say that he was Messiah because he did powerful things. He said that he was Messiah because he did powerful things that were validated by the Scriptures.

Experience is never a trustworthy witness. Experience tested against the Word of God is what we need. Jesus words to John in this passage underscore that truth. John couldn’t make sense of his experience. Jesus pointed him to the Word of God.