Luke 7:18
in Luke 7Then John’s disciples informed him about all these things.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the disciples of John told him of all these things.
KJV
And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
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This verse in Luke 7
Commentary
15 notes on this verseBut we have before said, that mystically John was the type of the Law, which was the forerunner of Christ. John then sends his disciples to Christ, that they might obtain the filling up of their knowledge, for Christ is the fulfilling of the Law. And perhaps those disciples are the two nations, of whom the one of the Jews believed, the other of the Gentiles believed because they heard. They wished then to see, because blessed are the eyes that see.
This site's exposition
the disciples of John
on Luke 7:18-23
The disciples of John carry the reports to their master, and from prison he sends two of them asking, Art thou he that should come, or look we for another; the bench treats the question with honesty about its difficulty, the greatest of the prophets asking for reassurance when he hears of works without the axe and fan he had preached, and the commentators divide between real perplexity and a question staged for his disciples' sake, both readings named. Jesus answers with evidence rather than assertion, curing many in that same hour and sending back an Isaiah catalogue: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached, Isaiah 35 and 61 audited in the street. The gentle beatitude closes it, blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me, a word for John and for every believer whose expectations God fulfills in his own order.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
That, then, was no celestial thing which furnished no celestial (endowments): whereas the very thing which was celestial in John-the Spirit of prophecy-so completely failed, after the transfer of the whole Spirit to the Lord, that he presently sent to inquire whether He whom he had himself preached, whom he had pointed out when coming to him, were "HE." And so "the baptism of repentance" was dealt with as if it were a candidate for the remission and sanctification shortly about to follow in Christ: for in that John used to preach "baptism for the remission of sins," the declaration was made with reference to future remission; if it be true, (as it is, ) that repentance is antecedent, remission subsequent; and this is "preparing the way.
Certain of His disciples relate to the holy Baptist the miracle which was known to all the inhabitants of Judæa and Galilee, as it follows, And they told John, &c.
But we are then most raised up to Him when we are fallen into straits. John therefore, being cast into prison, takes the opportunity, when his disciples were most in need of Jesus, to send them to Christ. For it follows, And John calling two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come, &c.
And because we have already said above (in Luke, chapter 3) that John is a type of the Law, which was a precursor of Christ, it is right that the Law, which held captive the hearts of the faithless as if in eternal prisons, was physically enclosed, with its fertile entrails of punishments and doors of madness restrained, would not be able to bring about the complete fulfillment of the testimony of the Lord's dispensation without the consent of the Gospel. Indeed, the Law prophesied the grace of baptism through the cloud and the sea in Exodus; it foreshadowed spiritual food in the lamb (Exodus 12:3); it designated an everlasting fountain in the rock (Exodus 17:6); it revealed the forgiveness of sins in Leviticus (Leviticus 25:10); it announced the kingdom of heaven in the Psalms; it most clearly declared the promised land in Joshua.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Now this proclamation of fame, although it was for many a cause of believing, was nevertheless for some an occasion of derision, as for the disciples of John, with respect to whom it is added: And his disciples reported to John concerning all these things. …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
And his disciples reported to John concerning all these things. Not with a sincere heart, I think, but driven by envy, John's disciples reported to him the virtues and miracles of Christ. For elsewhere they are found complaining to him thus: Rabbi, he who was …
Not, as it seems to me, in simpleness of heart, but provoked by envy. For in another place also they complain, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come unto him. (John 3:26.)
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Christ confirming the faith of John who was now in prison, and of some of his disciples, by sending him a short account of the miracles he wrought, in answer to a question he received from him (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! 35 But wisdom is justified of all her children. All this discourse concerning John Baptist, occasioned by his sending to ask whether he was the Messiah or no, we had, much as it is here related, Matt. xi.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:33w-of-62
And the disciples of John showed him of all these things. The miracles that were wrought by Christ; particularly the healing of the centurion's servant, and the raising from the dead the widow of Naim's son, and what fame and reputation Christ got every where by his doctrine, and mighty works.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
The disciples of John showed him, etc. - It is very likely that John’s disciples attended the ministry of our Lord at particular times; and this, we may suppose, was a common case among the disciples of different Jewish teachers. Though bigotry existed in its most formidable shape between the Jews and Samaritans, yet we do not find that it had any place between Jews and Jews, though they were of different sects, and attached to different teachers.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
John's life was drawing to a close. His opportunities of active usefulness were ended. A long imprisonment, or a violent death — were the only prospects before him. Yet even in these dark days, we see this holy man maintaining his old ground, as a witness to Christ. He is the same man that he was when he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God!" To testify of Christ, was his continual work as a preacher at liberty. To send men to Christ — was one of his last works as a prisoner in chains.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
John's life was drawing to a close. His opportunities of active usefulness were ended. A long imprisonment, or a violent death — were the only prospects before him. Yet even in these dark days, we see this holy man maintaining his old ground, as a witness to Christ. He is the same man that he was when he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God!" To testify of Christ, was his continual work as a preacher at liberty. To send men to Christ — was one of his last works as a prisoner in chains. We should mark, in these verses — the wise fore-thought which John exhibited about his disciples, before he left the world. He sent some of them to Jesus, with a message of inquiry, "Are you the One who was to come — or should we expect someone else?" He doubtless calculated that they would receive such an answer as would make an indelible impression on their minds — and he was right. They got an answer in deeds, as well as words. They received an answer which probably produced a deeper effect than any arguments which they could have heard from their master's lips. We can easily imagine that John the Baptist must have felt much concern about the future course of his disciples. He knew their ignorance and weakness in the faith. He knew how natural it was for them to regard the disciples of Jesus with feelings of jealousy and envy. He knew how likely it was that a petty party-spirit would creep in among them, and make them keep aloof from Christ when their own master was dead and gone. Against this unhappy state of things, he makes provision — as far as possible, while he is yet alive. He sends some of them to Jesus, that they may see for themselves what kind of teacher He is, and not reject Him unseen and unheard. He takes care to supply them with the strongest evidence that our Lord was indeed the Messiah.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπήγγειλαν | apengeilan | brought word | G518 → | 43 times |
| Ἰωάννῃ | ioanne | to John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθηταὶ | mathetai | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| περὶ | peri | concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| πάντων | panton | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τούτων. | touton | these things. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπήγγειλανbrought word
apengeilanG518 →43 times
Ἰωάννῃto John
ioanneG2491 →134 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
μαθηταὶdisciples
mathetaiG3101 →260 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
περὶconcerning
periG4012 →332 times
πάντωνall
pantonG3956 →1235 times
τούτων.these things.
toutonG3778 →1381 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 3:26So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Look, Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—He is baptizing, and everyone is going to Him.”
it leads to
- John 1:7
He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe.
- John 12:19
Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You can see that this is doing you no good. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!”
- Galatians 6:12–13
Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.
- James 3:14–18
But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.
- John 1:15
John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”
- John 1:7
About Luke
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Luke; Ambrose of Milan, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Luke; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 7; Cyril of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Luke; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, On Baptism.