After Jesus healed the Centurion’s servant and raised the widow’s son in Nain, word got back to His cousin, John the Baptizer, of all that Jesus was doing. John had been arrested by Herod and was in jail, soon to be executed. I think John knew that he would not emerge out of this prison alive, so John sends two of his disciples back to Jesus with a question. “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” [Luke 7:20]
Jesus’ response is tender and loving. “At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So 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. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.’” [v21-23]
John the Baptizer was a great prophet, but he was also a man. He was sitting in prison, no longer the firebrand roaming the countryside, calling people to repent and pointing toward the Messiah to come. This must have been a very difficult time for him. Perhaps he wanted to make sure that when he acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah that he was correct. Perhaps he wanted to push Jesus to reveal Himself as the Messiah. Whatever his motives in asking Jesus should we expect another, he did nothing more than what we probably would have done had we been in the same situation.
Jesus’ response is kind and compassionate. First, He continues to do what He’s been doing, curing, healing, setting people free. Then He sends John’s messengers back to him with a reminder out of the book Isaiah that the Messiah will do exactly what Jesus is doing. And finally, Jesus reminds His cousin to hang in there … “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.”
John was at his lowest point in life. But Jesus did not rebuke him, nor harshly remind him that he himself had once acknowledged Jesus as Messiah. He simply said, stay the course. It may be difficult now, but there are abundant blessings for the ones who remain faithful.
