Luke 7:18–35

JOHN’S DISCIPLES TOLD him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

24After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way before you.’

28I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the flute for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not cry.’

33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.”’35But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Original Meaning

THIS PASSAGE HAS three subunits: John’s question to Jesus (vv. 18–23), Jesus’ view of John (vv. 24–30), and Jesus’ parable of rebuke (vv. 31–35). John’s question in verse 19 is significant because it signals that even Jesus’ forerunner is struggling to understand the nature of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is not the type of agent John was expecting, so he sends emissaries to Jesus just to make sure.1 Jesus’ reassurance of John makes the latter a figure like Theophilus (1:4). John’s question is also significant because it follows immediately the crowd’s recognition that Jesus is a great prophet. When the Baptist asks if Jesus is the “one who was to come,” the question intimates the inadequacy of the popular perception of Jesus. Popular perceptions are often wrong. In the case of Jesus, they are also short of the mark.

John’s question emerges because his disciples report to him what Jesus is doing. The word of his miracles gives encouragement that Jesus is a significant figure, but something still does not fit right. Where is the powerful sovereign judge John predicted (3:7–9)? From prison, John sends two of his followers to ask Jesus if he really is the one to come. The use of two messengers will certify that the reply comes back faithfully to John (Deut. 19:15).2

The question John asks shocks some students of the Scripture, who cannot accept the fact that John doubts Jesus.3 His question is specific. He does not wonder whether Jesus has been sent from God; he simply wants confirmation that his ministry is the promised ministry of deliverance. Even the best of God’s servants need reassurance from time to time. The reference to “the stronger one who was to come” recalls John’s own words in 3:15–16. So John is asking if Jesus is the Messiah.

The envoys ask the question in the same words John gave them. Jesus’ reply is not direct, but calls for an inference. Before recording the reply, Luke interjects a reminder about the scope of Jesus’ ministry; it has involved healings, exorcisms, and even sight given to the blind.4 Jesus’ ministry “graced” many with restoration. The envoys are simply to report what they have seen, using a collage of Old Testament phrases from Isaiah (Isa. 35:5–6; 26:19; 29:18–19; 61:1), all of which refer to the coming period of decisive deliverance. Jesus’ ministry signals fulfillment of these prophecies. The reply closes with a beatitude that calls for faith. Blessing belongs to the person who is not offended by Jesus. His style of ministry might not be with the powerful flair of position and status the world expects, but he has been sent from God nonetheless.

Jesus then raises the question about John for the crowd. He notes that people did not journey to see reeds in the desert or fine clothes when they went to see John. The reference to reeds is either an allusion to the scenery at the location of John’s ministry or a figurative, ironic reference to John as a spineless man. Either is possible, but since the next statement about fine clothes should be taken literally, the reference to reeds is also likely literal. People did not go to see John because of the scenery at the Jordan River or for a fashion statement! They came for another reason: to see a prophet.

In fact, John was more than a prophet. At the time of his birth he was the greatest man yet born, since he represented the end of an era and pointed to the dawn of a new era of realization in God’s plan. The words of Scripture in verse 27 from Malachi 3:1 point to his forerunner role. Like Elijah boldly preaching to the nation, John declared God’s will to the people and helped prepare them for that new era. The imagery of John’s going before the people5 also recalls the language of Exodus, where the Shekinah guided and directed the people in the desert (Ex. 23:20). God was pointing the way in this forerunner, a witness to the approaching realization of promise.

Yet John’s greatness is nothing compared to those who participate in the new era’s blessings and benefits. Jesus’ remark in verse 28 is one of the greatest affirmations of the believer’s status in Scripture. To belong to the kingdom is a great privilege. John is the bridge between the two eras, but those who follow where the Baptist points come into a closer, more intimate relationship to God that transcends even the best the old age offered. That is how great Jesus’ work is in this new era.

In an aside, Luke again notes the varying responses to John, setting up the parable that follows. The people and tax collectors are acknowledging God’s work and responding to John’s baptism, but the leadership remain hesitant. They do not recognize their need to repent and so reject God’s counsel. The reversal of where one expects piety to reside signals another surprise in the events of fulfillment.

Jesus therefore warns the current generation of religious leaders about their response to John. He does so through a parable, as he often does when discussing the kingdom or God’s plan (Matt. 13:24; 18:23; 22:2; 25:1; Luke 13:8). He compares them to an ancient game of children at play.6 One can call this comparison “the parable of the brats.” But are there two bickering groups or just one group of upset children? And who are the complainers—God’s messengers or the Jewish rejecters? The second question is easier than the first, since Jesus is clearly comparing the complaining children to this generation, that is, to the Jewish objectors (Luke 7:33–34). The parable is told from their perspective. They are the children who are seated and refuse to play, complaining that John and Jesus do not dance to their tune. Whether they play a light tune on the flute or a funeral dirge, these two men do not follow the Jewish leadership’s desires. They charge John with being demonic and Jesus with gluttony and questionable friendships. Jesus’ open effort to reach sinners and represents a repudiation of the leadership’s more separatist approach (5:31–32; 15:1–32).

Those who respond, wisdom’s children, are contrasted with those who do not, like the comparison in verses 29–30.7 Jesus’ associations and John’s call have registered with some. The presence of the restored vindicates God’s way, revealing his wisdom. The divine attempt to reach out to sinners means that they should not be ignored but pursued. The rebuke through the parable is another way to say that the leadership is hardhearted in its rejection of God’s way.

Bridging Contexts

THE MAJOR FEATURES of this passage are the details it gives on Jesus’ and John’s ministries, the nature of John’s reaction to Jesus, and the importance of the new era. Though John and Jesus are unique figures in the plan of God, some characteristics in their ministries are fundamental to any outreach effort. In fact, one of the fascinating aspects of this passage is the different styles used to accomplish the same goal: bringing sinners to God. The fundamental issue in evangelism is not in the style or form of evangelism, but in the commitment to lead people to God. John, the ascetic withdrawn in the desert, and Jesus, the “gluttonous” friend of tax collectors and sinners, are both accomplishing God’s will. We should major not on style, but on having substance in our ministries.

Issues of style are still with us today. For years I was exposed to Young Life, beginning when I was an unsaved teenager. Young Life was about the only religious meeting I could tolerate. The singing was fun, the skits were always a laugh, and the speaker always put the message at a level I could relate to, in which I was forced to think about what was being said. I know that for some, this laid-back, teenage style of evangelistic outreach receives disdain as lacking substance. But it was a perfect place for my saved friends to bring me as an unsaved person. I am not sure where I would be today if a ministry like Young Life had not existed.

As an adult who serves in the church, I find myself every now and then reminding myself of what it was like to be a teenager, especially when I see present-day youth ministries doing things that might strike me as odd. My own past experience has taught me to be more patient about what I see and not to mix style and substance. This does not mean that sometimes these efforts cannot go too far, but it does warn me that sometimes my adult views are matters of taste versus real substantive objections as to what is taking place. Many youth leaders know what it is to be accused of lowering standards to minister. Most of them need to be given a break as they try to reach out to kids who need relationships built with them as a means of considering a walk with God.

Another key point of tone here is that Jesus’ lack of messianic flash does not mean his ministry lacks authenticity. John raises questions because his preconceived scheme of how things should work comes up short. Jesus impresses people not through claims and pomp, but through substantive ministry. It is not “what is up front” that counts, but what is in the heart. Style tells us little compared to substance.

We need to be careful not to confuse our expectations with the variety of styles God uses in ministry to reach a wide array of different types of people. Sometimes God is doing something powerful, but we miss it because of our expectations of what he should do and how. John anticipated Jesus would take an instant road to glory. When he did not, John had questions. How often do we fall into the same trap? We sometimes expect God to do something a certain way, and when he does not, we think that he has failed. Such expectations may cover a variety of things—from God’s helping to make a certain business situation successful, to God’s promising to heal us from a debilitating condition, to our expectation that the Christian life will be free of hardship. Any of the preconditions for how God must work may work against us when he chooses to build character by taking us down a harder road.

Furthermore, we sometimes also place the same kind of expectations on those who minister to us. If they do not take us down a path of comfort or encouragement, then we conclude God is not working through them. Sometimes the truth needs to be told that life with God is not always the road to prosperity. God can and does bless through hardship. Will we hear such a message if it comes from the Lord? Can we see God in the midst of events that go a different way from what we had hoped or would have designed if we had been at the planning table with God?

With the message of reality that Jesus gives John about the surprisingly difficult and humble nature of his ministry also comes an exhortation that is almost too much to fathom. To be a saint in this era is to have a spiritual advantage that the saints of old would have loved to have had (cf. 10:23–24). Our resting in the grace of Jesus’ forgiveness, now obtained once for all, and our permanent access to God through the Spirit are benefits the old era lacked. Even as we await the rest of what God will do, we tend to underestimate or underappreciate what he has already done. John the Baptist has nothing over us when it comes to access to God’s grace. Hard as it is to believe, we are in a greater position than he was when he was ministering as a forerunner to Jesus.

Contemporary Significance

THE MAJOR ISSUES of this text are John’s relationship to Jesus and questions about ministry style and response. At a theological level, the subordination of John to Jesus is most obvious. What is surprising is the subordination of the prophet John to any who belong to the kingdom (v. 28). That is to say, a distinct break in God’s plan of salvation came with Jesus’ arrival (16:16). The blessing of those in the kingdom is greater than anything a prophet of the old era could bring to the table.

This observation is significant, because often we feel that the prophets of old had all the advantages. We think how great it would have been to be with Moses, Isaiah, or John the Baptist. How wonderful to see God “really” work. But this passage indicates that anyone who truly knows Jesus has greater blessings. Those Old Testament prophets would love to experience what we as believers have (1 Peter 1:10–22). It is easy to take our blessings for granted. The resources we have are so great. Just think, we have the Spirit of God within us and within our communities. We possess a forgiveness that is complete because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross. They are greater than the more temporary, individualized bestowals of the old era. Paul underscores that the ministry of the current era has a new and greater depth than that of the past (2 Cor. 3–4). God has given the church all the gifts we need to be effective in ministry, provided everyone does his or her part (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4:7–16).

Jesus’ ministry is one of substance, not mere claims. Even when John asked him directly about his identity, Jesus’ only response was to point to his works. The Savior refused to trumpet his claims far and wide. In an era where advertising often calls on us to boast our accomplishments and our record of service, Jesus presents a different perspective. Claims are a dime a dozen, but in-depth ministry speaks volumes. Jesus simply let John deduce who he was on the basis of his works. They indicate that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Our ministries should have similar substance that points the way to its origin.

Jesus is again the central issue for Luke. All the other applications are irrelevant if one has not responded to him. As Jesus told John, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”

The value of John’s struggle should not be missed. Here is a man of God needing reassurance that Jesus is truly the one he anticipated. We sometimes think that the great saints never doubted. In doing so, we deny that they were normal human beings. The Scripture is honest and open about such struggles and doubts, just as the Christian community today should be. The way to deal with them is to express them, as John did. However, with the expression of doubt should be an open and receptive ear prepared to hear the answer. The difference between healthy doubt and destructive doubt is not the uttering of uncertainty but the response that follows it. The laments of the Psalter teach us that saints can be brutally honest on how they feel about God, but they also teach us that after they share their complaint with the Lord, they humbly await his reply. Disappointment often calls us to a deeper, less self-focused walk with God.8

The response to tax collectors and sinners also suggests that we can anticipate being surprised at who might respond to the gospel. In fact, some of those we might least expect will respond. This is why we can never anticipate whom God might bring to himself through us. We must be ready to share the gospel with anyone, even with those who at first may seem impossible cases.

The differences in style also contribute to this emphasis. One of my best friends and I came to the Lord in very different ways. I was brought to the Lord in a low-key evangelistic style over a five-year period. My friend did not hear the gospel until he was in college and came to the Lord within a few weeks of hearing the gospel for the first time. He was impacted by a confrontational style of evangelism that had turned me off. We often laugh at the different means God used to bring us to himself. I needed a long, slow process; he needed to be whacked by a two-by-four! The differences in John’s and Jesus’ style remind us that different people are reached in different ways.

We also learn something here about those who reject Jesus. The parable of the brats indicates how superficially pious people sometimes want God to approach them on their own terms. They want God to respond to their music, rather than follow God’s tune. People are often uncomfortable responding to God’s call that they must come to him, recognizing their need for his grace and forgiveness. Do we ask God to serve us? Or do we serve him? The passage ultimately makes it clear that Jesus is the only way. The blessing of being greater than a prophet comes only from following his call to enter into God’s grace and to dance to the music of the divine musician.