Lk 7:18b-23
[At that time,] 18John summoned two of his disciples 19and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” 20When the men came to [Jesus], they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’ ” 21At that time [Jesus] cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. 22And he said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. 23And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
ARE YOU THE ONE WHO IS TO COME?: The episode of John the Baptist sending his disciples to Jesus while he is in prison comes from the tradition called Quelle (Source) which Luke shares with Matthew (Mt 11:2-6). Considering that John is Jesus’ “cousin” and “recognizes” him even while inside the womb (Lk 1:44), it appears that Luke has left intact the “rough edges” of the gospel as shown by John’s questioning. But the infancy narratives were written after the accounts of Jesus’ public ministry and serve other purposes.
What makes John doubt that Jesus is indeed “the one who is to come”? What probably he has in mind is the return of the fiery prophet of reform, Elijah, “before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day” (Mal 3:23). John himself speaks of the “judgment” that the Coming One will execute: his axe will cut every tree that does not produce good fruit, and he will burn the chaff with an unquenchable fire (Lk 3:9,17). The ministry of Jesus, as probably reported to John by his disciples, does not exhibit this burning zeal. Instead, Jesus heals, restores sight to the blind, and forgives sinners. He acts more as a humble “servant of Yahweh” (Is 61:1-3) rather than Elijah redivivus, the fiery reformer come back to life and threatening sinners. Jesus invites John to see that while he may not answer his expectation, he is indeed the expected one, the Messiah. He comes not as a king and judge but as God’s servant who will take away the guilt of men and women and cure their illnesses.