Luke 7:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: This is he of whom it is written, "‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

NIV: This is the one about whom it is written: " ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

NASB: This is the one about whom it is written: ‘BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU, WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.’

CSB: This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.

NLT: John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’

KJV: This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

NKJV: This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’

Jesus is explaining who John the Baptist is to a group of people who have heard him and know his message. John is more than a prophet; he is the prophet promised in Old Testament prophecies.

This verse is a combination of Malachi 3:1 and Exodus 23:20.1 Malachi 3:1 reads:

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

Exodus 23:20 reads:

Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared.

Malachi 3:1 records God speaking about a prophet who will prepare the way for Him to come to judge and purify Israel. Exodus 23:20 is God's promise to the Israelites that He will send an angel before them when they conquer Canaan. It's important to note that the Jews would take any reference to the exodus very seriously.

By combining the two, Jesus is saying that God sent John to prepare the way for "you"—but scholars are split as to whom "you" refers. Some say it's Jesus, which would fit Malachi. But others say that by combining the verse with Exodus, it means Israel as a nation. Either way works. John prepared the hearts of the Jews so they would more easily recognize Jesus as their Messiah. At the same time, John prepared the people so that Jesus would have an easier time reaching them.

Luke 1:16–17 tips the favor on the side of John preparing the way for the nation of Israel. An angel tells Zechariah, John's father:

"And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

The fact that Jesus has changed the pronouns from both Malachi 3:1 and the angel's prophecy to Zechariah suggests that John prepared the way for the Jews so they could more easily recognize their Messiah. The differences in reactions between the sinners and the Pharisees serve as an example of John's preparation.

Luke 7:24–35 records Jesus making an interesting observation. John lived an ascetic, monk-like lifestyle in the wilderness; Jesus eats and drinks alongside moral and social outcasts. Yet both preach the same message of repentance of sins. The sinners and tax collectors respond to both John and Jesus, drawn to the message without concern for their lifestyles. Stubborn religious leaders, however, claim to judge their lifestyles; what they really can't accept is the message proclaimed by Jesus and John. This section is also depicted in Matthew 11:7–19.

Luke 7 presents a chiasm: a set of themes mirrored around a reflection point. The humble centurion (Luke 7:1–10) contrasts the legalistic Pharisee (Luke 7:39–50). The widow of Nain (Luke 7:11–17) and the sinful women (Luke 7:36–38) have nothing to offer but gratitude for Jesus' blessings. In the center are John the Baptist and his disciples who struggle to trust that Jesus is worth following (Luke 7:18–23), then the sinners who do choose to follow Jesus and the religious leaders who refuse (Luke 7:24–35).

Luke 7 continues Jesus' mission primarily to the people of Galilee expressed as a series of pointed events and teachings punctuated by calls to follow Him. He has finished teaching the rigors of discipleship (Luke 6:17–45) and invited the crowd to place their faith in Him (Luke 6:46–49). Here, Luke describes different reactions to Jesus' miracles and message. Next, Jesus will reveal the mechanics of and reactions to His call (Luke 8:4–21) before showing His great authority over nature, demons, sickness, and worldly powers (Luke 8:22—9:17). After a final call to the disciples to deepen their faith (Luke 9:18–50), Jesus will turn toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51—19:27).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.