Why did John the Baptist’s followers ask Jesus if He was the Coming One in Luke 7:19?

Answer

Various names and titles are attributed to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second Person of the triune Godhead. His given name is Jesus, which means “savior.” Christ is a title for the Lord and signifies “anointed one.” Throughout history, Israel anticipated the coming of a promised anointed Savior, as prophesied by God and foretold by Israel’s prophets (Daniel 9:25-26; Isaiah 9:1-7; 11:1-10; Jeremiah 23:5-6). When John the Baptist emerged in the biblical narrative, the awaited time had arrived. John’s purpose in preaching repentance “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”, (Mark 1:4) was to ready the people of Israel and the world to welcome their long-awaited Savior— the Coming One, Israel’s Messiah.

Many of John’s followers were uncertain, “waiting expectantly” and “pondering in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. John responded to them, ‘I baptize you with water. But one who is mightier than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not fit to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire’” (Luke 3:15-17). John then directed his followers to Jesus “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’”, (John 1:29).

When John was imprisoned, he dispatched two disciples to inquire of Jesus, “Are You the Coming One, or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:2-3).

other?” «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? », (Luke 7:19, NKJV). John sought confirmation that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah. Was Jesus indeed Israel’s deliverer, the Coming One they had been expecting, or should they look for someone else? John was likely expecting the Messiah to bring judgment, wrath, and destruction (Luke 3:7-9). Jesus didn’t seem to fit the bill.

Everything John had done in ministry to the point he was arrested was to prepare Israel and the world for the Coming One. John and his followers assumed their Messiah and Savior would come as a mighty ruling King (see John 6:14-15;Luke 19:38) and not a humble servant. Jesus answered the question John had asked from prison: “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor” «Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. », (Luke 7:22, NLT).

For now, the Messiah had come to bring the good news of salvation. He had been anointed “to bring Good News to the poor, . . . to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” Luke 4:18-19 (NLT; see also Isaiah 61:1-2). The Messiah would come again to bring judgment in the future, but for the present, He was bringing good news.

The apostle Paul explained that the historical Adam served as “a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come” «Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. », (Romans 5:14, NLT). Citing Habakkuk 2:3, the writer of Hebrews referred to God’s promise of a Coming One who would rescue those who trust in Him and live by faith: “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away” (Hebrews 10:37-38; NLT). In Revelation 1:8, Jesus is “the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end, . . . the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One” (NLT).

Even now, Jesus is the Coming One. His closing words to us in Scripture are “Behold, I am coming soon” «Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. », (Revelation 22:7, 12, 20, ESV). As believers, we are to live every day with the eager expectation and anticipation of Christ’s return (Revelation 16:15; 2 Peter 3:11-14).