Luke 7:22

Context

Imprisoned by Herod Antipas, John the Baptist sends two of his disciples to Jesus to ask, "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?" (Luke 7:18-20). The Gospel of Luke first records that in that same hour Jesus cured many of their infirmities and of evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind (7:21). Then, in this verse, Jesus does not answer with a simple "yes" or "no." Instead, he tells the disciples to report to John "what things ye have seen and heard." Immediately afterward comes the saying, "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (7:23). The same exchange appears in nearly identical wording in Matthew 11:2-6.

Interpretation

• Fulfillment of prophecy: This reading is shared by commentators across many denominations. The works Jesus lists recall the promises of restoration in Isaiah 35:5-6, 26:19, 29:18-19, and 61:1. On this view, Jesus answered John by inviting him to consider his deeds in light of those prophecies. One of the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q521) is also reported to contain a similar list of things expected to occur in the messianic age.
• "To the poor the gospel is preached" as the climax: This reading regards the preaching of the gospel, placed last in the list, as a more essential sign than the miracles. It links the verse to the scene in which Jesus inaugurates his ministry by reading from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19), and it reads the verse within Luke's broader concern for the poor.
• A basis for divine healing: Pentecostalism and the Full Gospel tradition cite this verse as one of the grounds for belief in divine healing, holding that Jesus' healing ministry continues in the church today.
• Social responsibility: Those who regard care for the sick, the disabled, and the poor, alongside the preaching of the gospel, as part of the church's mission cite this verse as a model of mission in which word and deed go together.

Debates and Issues

• Whether miracles continue today: Some within the Reformed tradition hold that such signs belonged to the era in which they served to confirm the message of Jesus and the apostles. Pentecostal and charismatic Christians hold that they continue today. This question is treated in detail in the article Cessationism and Continuationism.
• Criticism of out-of-context citation: Some criticize the use of this verse as a promise that every illness will certainly be healed. These critics point out that Jesus did not, in fact, release John from prison. They also argue that the verse must be read together with 7:23, which speaks of a faith that is not "offended" even when the Messiah does not match one's expectations.
• Translation: The Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul) used the terms sogyeong, anjeunbaengi, mundungi, and gwimeogeori for the blind, the lame, lepers, and the deaf. In the New Korean Revised Version, these were changed to maengin ("blind person"), mot geonneun saram ("person who cannot walk"), nabyeong hwanja ("leprosy patient"), and mot deunneun saram ("person who cannot hear"). The revision corrected expressions that disparaged people with disabilities and illnesses. Some also note that the Greek term lepra referred to a broader range of skin diseases than what is known today as Hansen's disease.

In the Korean Church

The parallel passage in Matthew 11 is appointed in the Revised Common Lectionary (a table assigning Scripture readings to each Sunday according to the church year) as the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Advent in Year A. Consequently, churches that follow the church year read this exchange during Advent.

Related Passages

• Isaiah 61:1-3
• Isaiah 35:5-6
• Matthew 11:2-6
• Luke 4:18-19
• Hebrews 2:3-4