The Embassy of John the Baptist. Luke 7, 18-35.
The question of the Baptist: V. 18. And the disciples of John showed him all these things. V. 19. And John, calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art Thou He that should come, or look we for another? V. 20. When 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?
After John the Baptist had been sure of the identity of Christ, John 1, 29-34, he had made an earnest effort to get his disciples to follow Jesus. A few left and joined the ranks of the disciples of the Lord. But some refused to give up their allegiance to John. They could not distinguish between essentials and nonessentials; they felt that the austere life of John the Baptist belonged to the substance of a moral life.
But many of them hovered about Christ and reported to John what they thought worth while. The great miracle of the raising of the young man at Nain made a deep impression upon some of them, and they hastened to the prison of John and gave him a report concerning this last miraculous deed.
John now thought the time ripe for a last effort to lead his disciples to Jesus. For that reason he delegated two of them to go to Jesus with the question: Art Thou He that is coming, that should come, the promised Messiah, or must we expect, and prepare for, another? The disciples of John carried out his order very faithfully, repeating the very words of their master.