John’s Questions to Jesus (Luke 7:18-35)
John’s Question to Jesus: Doubt, Faith, and the Kingdom (Luke 7:18–35)
Introduction
Have you ever been in a place where your faith felt shaky? Where the questions in your heart were louder than the answers? I have. There are moments when life doesn’t go as planned, and the God I thought I knew seems distant or even confusing. It’s in those moments that I find comfort in John the Baptist’s story in Luke 7. Here’s a man who dedicated his life to preparing the way for Jesus, yet even he had questions. Big ones.
In this passage, John sends his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” It’s a raw, honest moment—one that reminds us that doubt isn’t the opposite of faith; it’s often a part of it. Let’s walk through this passage together and see what it has to say about faith, doubt, and the surprising ways God’s kingdom shows up.
Verse by Verse Breakdown of Luke 7:18–35 and Commentary
Luke 7:18–20 - John the Baptist and his disciples talk
The disciples of John reported all these things to him. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’”
John the Baptist is in prison. This is the same John who leaped in his mother’s womb at the sound of Mary’s voice, who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, and who boldly proclaimed, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” But now, sitting in a dark cell, he’s wrestling with doubt. He sends his disciples to ask Jesus a pointed question: “Are you the one, or should we look for someone else?”
Joel B. Green, in The Gospel of Luke, suggests that John’s question reflects his struggle to reconcile Jesus’ ministry with his own expectations. John preached about a Messiah who would bring fire and judgment (Luke 3:16–17), but Jesus was healing the sick, eating with sinners, and proclaiming good news to the poor. It’s a tension many of us feel: the gap between what we expect God to do and what God actually does.
Darrell L. Bock, in Luke (IVP New Testament Commentary), adds that John’s question isn’t just about doubt; it’s also about faith. By sending his disciples to Jesus, John is seeking clarity. He’s not giving up on Jesus; he’s trying to understand. And Jesus doesn’t rebuke him for his question. Instead, he responds with compassion and evidence.
Luke 7:21–23 - The blind receive sigh, lame walk, lepers are cleansed and more
Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
Jesus doesn’t give John a simple “yes” or “no.” Instead, he points to the evidence of his ministry: the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised, and the poor hear good news. These aren’t just miracles; they’re signs of the kingdom of God breaking into the world. Jesus is fulfilling the promises of Isaiah 35:5–6 and 61:1, which describe the Messiah’s work.
Leon Morris, in Luke (TNTC), highlights how Jesus’ response is both gentle and challenging. He reassures John by pointing to the fulfillment of prophecy, but he also adds, “Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” This is a reminder that Jesus’ kingdom doesn’t always align with human expectations. It’s a kingdom of grace, not judgment; of healing, not destruction. And that can be hard to accept.
Luke 7:24–28 No One Greater than John the Baptist
When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
After John’s disciples leave, Jesus turns to the crowd and affirms John’s role. He asks a series of rhetorical questions to remind them of who John is: not a weak reed swayed by the wind, not a man in fine clothing, but a prophet—and more than a prophet. John is the messenger foretold in Malachi 3:1, the one who prepares the way for the Messiah.
N.T. Wright, in Luke for Everyone, notes the paradox in Jesus’ statement: “Among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” John stands at the threshold of the kingdom, pointing to Jesus, but even the least in the kingdom experiences something greater—the fullness of life in Christ.
Luke 7:29–30
(And all the people who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)
Luke inserts a brief commentary here, contrasting the responses of the people and the religious leaders. The tax collectors and sinners—those on the margins—embraced John’s message and baptism, acknowledging God’s justice. But the Pharisees and lawyers, who prided themselves on their religious standing, rejected God’s purpose. It’s a sobering reminder that God’s kingdom often surprises us by who gets in and who stays out.
Luke 7:31–35
“To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
Jesus concludes with a parable about “this generation.” He compares them to children in the marketplace who can’t be pleased no matter what. John came as an ascetic, and they accused him of being demon-possessed. Jesus came eating and drinking, and they called him a glutton and a drunkard. The problem isn’t with John or Jesus; it’s with the hardness of their hearts.
Joel B. Green points out that this parable underscores the fickleness of human expectations. No matter how God shows up—whether in John’s austerity or Jesus’ inclusivity—people find reasons to reject him. But Jesus ends on a hopeful note: “Wisdom is vindicated by all her children.” In other words, the fruit of God’s wisdom will be evident in those who embrace it.
John’s Question to Jesus: Meaning for Today
So, what does this passage mean for us today? First, it reminds us that doubt is a natural part of faith. John the Baptist, one of the greatest prophets, had questions. And Jesus didn’t scold him for it. Instead, he pointed to the evidence of God’s work and invited John to trust. When we wrestle with doubt, we can do the same—look for where God is at work in our lives and in the world.
Second, this passage challenges our expectations of God. Like John, we often have ideas about how God should act. But Jesus’ kingdom doesn’t always fit our plans. It’s a kingdom where the blind see, the poor hear good news, and sinners find a place at the table. Are we willing to embrace that kind of kingdom, even when it surprises us?
Finally, this passage calls us to examine our hearts. Are we like the tax collectors, who humbly accepted God’s purpose, or like the Pharisees, who rejected it because it didn’t meet their expectations? God’s wisdom is often found in the unexpected—in the places and people we might overlook.
So, if you’re in a season of doubt, take heart. You’re in good company. And if you’re struggling to see God at work, look again. He might just be showing up in ways you never expected.
Sources Cited
1. Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (NICNT): Green emphasizes the tension between John’s expectations and Jesus’ ministry, highlighting the role of doubt in faith.
2. Darrell L. Bock, Luke (IVP New Testament Commentary): Bock focuses on Jesus’ response to John’s question, noting how it reassures while also challenging expectations.
3. Leon Morris, Luke (TNTC): Morris explores the significance of Jesus’ miracles as signs of the…
