1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns.2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds Christ had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question:3 "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"4 Jesus answered them, "Go tell John what you hear and see:5 The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them6 -and blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me!"
- Following the commissioning of the twelve (Matthew 10), Jesus continues his own itinerant ministry of teaching and preaching in Galilee.
- John the Baptist, imprisoned by Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:3-4), hears reports of Jesus' activities.
- John's question ("Are you the one who is to come?") reflects a potential crisis of expectation. Jesus' ministry, focused on healing and preaching rather than immediate judgment or political liberation, may not have perfectly matched John's messianic anticipation (Matthew 3:11-12).
- "The one who is to come" was a common designation for the expected Messiah.
- Jesus responds not with a direct "yes," but by pointing to his actions, which fulfill Old Testament prophecies about the messianic age (Isaiah 29:18-19; Isaiah 35:5-6; Isaiah 61:1).
- The list of miracles serves as evidence of the Kingdom's arrival through Jesus' ministry: healing, restoration, resurrection life, and good news for the marginalized.
- The final beatitude (Matthew 11:6) acknowledges that Jesus' messiahship might be challenging or "offensive" to preconceived notions, blessing those whose faith remains despite unmet expectations.
- This interaction highlights the nature of faith – trusting God's plan even when it unfolds differently than expected.