Luke 7:18-23 · Bible study
Luke 7:18-23 Commentary: John’s Question, Jesus’ Answer
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine why John the Baptist sent messengers to ask if Jesus is the Messiah, and how Jesus answered with signs of the kingdom. For pastors and teachers.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus validates his messianic identity not by argument but by fulfilling Scripture: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers cleansed, deaf hear, dead raised, poor evangelized.
- Key words: “The coming One” (ὁ ἐρχόμενος, v.19, 20); “granted sight” (ἐχαρίσατο, v.21); “good news preached” (εὐαγγελίζονται, v.22); “stumbling” (σκανδαλισθῇ, v.23).
- Main debate: Whether John himself doubted or sent disciples to bolster their own faith, commentators are divided (Gill holds personal doubt; Barnes sees pastoral strategy).
- Theological theme: The kingdom of God arrives through Jesus in hidden, healing ways, not political triumph; faith holds steady through disappointment.
- Best use: Sermon or small-group study on doubt, the identity of Jesus, and the shape of messianic hope.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
18Then John’s disciples informed him about all these things.
19So John called two of his disciples and sent them to ask the Lord, “Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’”
21At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind.
22So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
23Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
18The disciples of John told him about all these things.
19John, calling to himself two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”
20When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptizer has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?’”
21In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and to many who were blind he gave sight.
22Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard: that the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
23Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
KJV King James Version 1769
18And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
19And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
20When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
21And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
22Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
23And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
18And the disciples of John told him of all these things.
19And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?
20And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?
21In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight.
22And he answered and said unto them, Go and tell John the things which ye have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good tidings preached to them.
23And blessed is he, whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
18And the disciples of John told him about all these things,
19and John having called near a certain two of his disciples, sent unto Jesus, saying, `Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'
20And having come near to him, the men said, `John the Baptist sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he who is coming, or for another do we look?'
21And in that hour he cured many from sicknesses, and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight.
22And Jesus answering said to them, `Having gone on, report to John what ye saw and heard, that blind men do see again, lame do walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf do hear, dead are raised, poor have good news proclaimed;
23and happy is he whoever may not be stumbled in me.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
18And the disciples of John brought him word concerning all these things:
19and John, having called two of his disciples, sent to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that is coming, or are we to wait for another?
20But the men having come to him said, John the baptist has sent us to thee, saying, Art thou he that is coming, or are we to wait for another?
21In that hour he healed many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and to many blind he granted sight.
22And Jesus answering said to them, Go, bring back word to John of what ye have seen and heard: that blind see, lame walk, lepers are cleansed, deaf hear, dead are raised, poor are evangelized;
23and blessed is whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
18And John's disciples told him of all these things.
19And John called to him two of his disciples and sent them to Jesus, saying: Art thou he that art to come? Or look we for another?
20And when the men were come unto him, they said: John the Baptist hath sent us to thee, saying: Art thou he that art to come? Or look we for another?
21(And in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases and hurts and evil spirits: and to many that were blind he gave sight.)
22And answering, he said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached.
23And blessed is he whosoever shall not be scandalized in me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 7:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage presents a crisis of expectation. John the Baptist, imprisoned in Machaerus (as Barnes notes), sends two disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?” The question uses the Messianic title “the Coming One” (ὁ ἐρχόμενος), derived from Genesis 49:10 and Malachi 3:1 (Clarke, Cambridge). Gill and Clarke acknowledge that John may have felt some perplexity given Jesus’ unexpected, non-political ministry. The Cambridge Bible sees honest perplexity rather than disbelief. Jesus answers not with a direct claim but by pointing to Isaiah’s signs (Isa 29:18; 35:5-6; 61:1) unfolding in the present: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed. Vincent notes that the verbs are present tense, “are receiving sight, are walking”, showing these miracles are happening even as John’s messengers watch. Wesley calls the preaching to the poor “the greatest miracle of all.” The closing beatitude, “Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me,” acknowledges that Jesus’ humble appearance and suffering path could trip up those who expected a conquering Messiah. The consensus across traditions is that Jesus directs John back to the Scripture-saturated evidence.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- John’s personal doubt: Gill, Clarke, and many traditional readers interpret John’s question as expressing real uncertainty, citing his imprisonment and the unexpected shape of Jesus’ ministry.
- John’s pastoral strategy: Barnes and some modern commentators argue John already believed but sent disciples to convince them through firsthand contact, pointing to Jesus’ immediate healing actions as evidence.
What is clear: All agree that Jesus answered by pointing to healing, deliverance, and preaching to the poor as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s messianic promises, and that he pronounced a blessing on those who do not stumble over his humble appearing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| John’s motive for sending the disciples | John was in prison and likely wrestling with the contrast between Jesus’ ministry and his own suffering. | Some (Gill, Clarke) hold that John himself experienced genuine doubt; others (Barnes, Cambridge) argue he sent disciples to strengthen their faith, using his own question as a teaching tool. |
| Jesus’ response as a proof of messiahship | Jesus pointed to the signs of Isaiah, showing that the age of restoration had begun. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions read the healings and preaching to the poor as literal fulfillments; some Protestant streams emphasize that the miracles point to a spiritual kingdom still to come fully. |
| The meaning of 'the poor have good news preached' | This is the climax of Jesus’ list and reflects God’s special care for the marginalized. | Some (Wesley) see it as the greatest miracle, spiritual restoration; others stress economic poverty and God’s option for the poor (Luke 4:18, liberation theology). |
| The beatitude in verse 23 | It warns that Jesus’ humility and suffering can cause people to reject him, and that those who trust despite appearances are blessed. | Some traditions (Calvinist) emphasize divine preservation: the truly elect will not finally stumble; others (Arminian) stress human responsibility to not fall away. |
Historical & Cultural Context
John the Baptist had been arrested by Herod Antipas for condemning his marriage to Herodias (Luke 3:19-20). Imprisonment on the eastern frontier of Galilee, likely at Machaerus, cut John off from public ministry and from firsthand observation of Jesus’ work. At that time, Jesus had just raised a widow’s son in Nain, a miracle John’s disciples reported to him (vv.11-17). This report, perhaps triggering both hope and the need to reassure his own followers, moved John to send two disciples to ask directly whether Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.
First-century Judaism expected the Messiah to be a political and military liberator. The phrase “the one who is coming” (ὁ ἐρχόμενος) was a recognized title from Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis 49:10 and Malachi’s promise of the coming messenger (Mal 3:1; 4:5-6). John himself had previously announced Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29) and had seen the Spirit descend on him. Yet his present circumstances may have raised a painful question: if Jesus is the Messiah, why am I still in chains?
Luke carefully structures the scene. Verse 21 shows Jesus’ immediate response to the messengers: he heals many of “diseases and plagues and evil spirits.” Vincent and the Cambridge Bible note that Luke, with medical precision, distinguishes chronic illnesses (νόσον), acute scourges (μαστίγων), and demonic oppression (πνευμάτων πονηρῶν). The verb “he gave sight” (ἐχαρίσατο) carries the sense of a gracious gift, not mere action. Jesus then sends the messengers back with a catalogue of Isaiah’s messianic age coming true before their eyes. The list builds to a climax: “the poor have good news preached to them.” In Luke’s Gospel, the poor are the primary recipients of the kingdom (Luke 4:18; 6:20). The final beatitude (“Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me”) uses the Greek σκανδαλίζω, meaning to trip over an obstacle, here, to reject Jesus because he does not fit human expectations.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a few minor variants. In verse 19, some manuscripts read “to the Lord” (πρὸς τὸν κύριον) instead of “to Jesus” (πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν); the Cambridge Bible records this as the reading of Codex Vaticanus and other uncials. In verse 21, the word “same” in English translations has no equivalent in the Greek (Cambridge). In verse 31, the clause “And the Lord said” is omitted by almost all manuscripts and by the best critics (Barnes). No variants affect the meaning of the passage as a whole.
Reception History
Early church fathers, including Origen and Chrysostom, treated John’s question as an example of pastoral tact: John wished to confirm his disciples’ faith by sending them to see Jesus’ works firsthand. Augustine saw in verse 22 the demonstration that Christ fulfills the Law and the Prophets. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin both emphasized that Jesus’ answer bypasses human speculation and points to Scripture. In the Wesleyan tradition, verse 22 has been a touchstone for salvation available to the poor. Modern preachers often return to this passage to address the silence of God in suffering, finding in the beatitude a blessing for those who cling to Christ when circumstances make no sense.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Honest Questions Are Welcome. John, though a prophet, faced confusion. He did not hide his doubt but brought it directly to Jesus. The church has always been a place where hard questions can be laid before God.
- Jesus Answers with Actions, Then Scripture. Jesus did not give a theological lecture. He let the messengers see healing, cleansing, and deliverance, and then he pointed them to the scroll of Isaiah. Sight leads to understanding.
- The Ultimate Barrier Is Offense at Jesus. The beatitude in verse 23 is the punchline. Many stumbled because Jesus came in lowliness, not in triumph. The blessing is for those who trust him even when he does not match their plans.
Five-point outline
- John’s Position: Imprisoned, cut off from Jesus’ ministry, receiving second-hand reports.
- John’s Question: “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for another?”
- Jesus’ Demonstration: He healed many on the spot, offering visible proof of the kingdom.
- Jesus’ Prophetic Answer: The list of miracles matches Isaiah’s messianic promises, confirming Jesus’ identity without ambiguous claims.
- Jesus’ Blessing: The warning and promise not to be offended in him, trusting him despite circumstances.
Illustration hooks
- Waiting Room Faith: A cancer patient who has heard promises of healing but still sits in treatment, asking, “Are you really there?” John’s question is authentic and not rejected.
- Mismatch of Expectations: A child expecting a sports car for graduation and getting a used sedan, the gift is real, but the form disappoints. Jesus comes in a different shape than expected.
- Secondhand Reports: The way rumors distort big events, John needed to hear from eyewitnesses. We also sometimes need to “go and see” Jesus through Scripture and community before doubts clear.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it allowed for a spiritual leader or a faithful Christian to have doubts?
- Why does God sometimes seem silent or inactive when I am suffering?
- How can I tell whether Jesus is answering my questions, especially when he does not answer directly?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us that honest confusion can coexist with genuine faith. John the Baptist had testified to Jesus, yet from prison he needed reassurance. As you read Luke 7:18-23 together, notice how Jesus treats the question, not with rebuke but with evidence and a blessing. Let the group explore what it means to struggle with faith and yet be held by Christ.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think John, who had declared Jesus the Lamb of God, now expresses uncertainty? What might have contributed to his question?
- Read verse 21 aloud. Why does Luke include the specific healings happening that moment? How does the timing affect the meaning?
- Jesus’ answer in verse 22 quotes Isaiah 29, 35, and 61. What does this tell you about how Jesus understood his own mission?
- The final item on the list is “the poor have good news preached to them.” Why is that significant, especially in Luke’s Gospel?
- What does the word “offended” or “stumble” mean in verse 23? In what ways might people still stumble over Jesus today?
- Have you ever found yourself in a situation like John’s, where your circumstances made you question promises you once believed? How did you respond?
- This passage ends with a beatitude, not a command. How does that shape your approach to someone who is wrestling with doubt?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 11:2 | Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples |
| Matthew 11:19 | The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” |
| John 3:26 | They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone is coming to him.” |
| Genesis 3:15 | I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” |
| Genesis 22:18 | All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’” |
| Genesis 49:10 | The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. The obedience of the peoples will be to him. |
| Deuteronomy 18:15 | Yahweh your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. |
| Deuteronomy 18:18 | I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you. I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that Luke, more precisely than other gospel writers, treats diseases, physical sores, and evil spirits as three distinct categories in this passage. He also notes the Greek word for "gave sight" implies Jesus graciously and kindly bestowed it, not merely performed a cure.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the common people who heard John did not merely approve his message but declared God just in sending it. He stresses that the Pharisees and lawyers did not cancel God's ultimate purposes by rejecting His counsel; they broke His commands to their own hurt. Human rejection damages the rejecter, not God's plan.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that John sent his disciples not from his own doubt but to correct their envy and unbelief about Jesus. Jesus answered by healing the sick, raising the dead, and preaching to the poor, all fulfilling messianic prophecies. Gill warns that those who take offense at Jesus miss the blessedness of recognizing him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that this miracle happened the very day after Christ healed the centurion's servant, showing Jesus never wasted a day doing good. He also points to the double crowd witnessing it at the city gate, making the event as well attested as possible.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley calls the preaching of the Gospel to the poor the greatest mercy and the greatest miracle of all. For him, the fact that those who are socially low and overlooked receive the good news is an act of divine compassion that surpasses every other sign of power.