Luke 7:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John,

NIV: John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them,

NASB: The disciples of John also reported to him about all these things.

CSB: Then John's disciples told him about all these things. So John summoned two of his disciples

NLT: The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples,

KJV: And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

NKJV: Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.

John the Baptist is in prison (Matthew 11:2) because he had publicly called out Herod Antipas for marrying his brother's wife (Luke 3:19–20). Antipas' territory includes two separate areas. Jesus is in Galilee, north of Samaria and west of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. John is in Perea, farther south and east, on the other side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea from Judea.

Given that he was a prisoner, one might wonder how John heard what Jesus is doing. After Jesus raised the widow's son in Nain, "this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country" (Luke 7:17). John knew his purpose was to identify Jesus as the Christ, and he made sure his disciples knew Jesus (John 1:35–36). Jews traveled from Galilee to Judea often to worship at the temple. If someone were in prison, his friends and family were responsible to feed him, so John's disciples would have seen him regularly. Paul's letters show that he had contact with friends even while in the Roman dungeons (2 Timothy 4:11–13).

John's disciples report Jesus' miracles, including healing the blind and raising the dead. The miracles Jesus is doing, particularly raising the widow's son (Luke 7:14–15), healing the centurion's servant (Luke 7:1–10), and other miracles the men witness directly (Luke 7:21) prove Jesus is at least a great prophet. The question is, is He the Messiah: the Promised Savior?

Luke 7:18–23 speaks about John the Baptist's expectations regarding Jesus. He understands how Jesus has fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah in His healing and good news. Yet Jesus hasn't completed every aspect of prophecy yet. He has not freed the prisoners—like John—nor judged the wicked. Jesus doesn't criticize John. He simply asks him to be patient. Next, Jesus describes the different reactions to His and John's contrasting lifestyles, though both come with the same message. John's doubt is also recorded in Matthew 11:2–6. Later verses tie Old Testament prophecy to John with references to Malachi 3:1 and to Jesus via several passages in Isaiah.

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.