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Luke 7:17-30
And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and
throughout all the region round about.
18
And the disciples of John
shewed him of all these things.
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?
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?
Blessed Theophylact tells us that some of St JohnÁ-?s disciples were jealous, having heard
of Christ. These were still holding onto their allegiance to John, even though their leader
had already said: Á-°He must increase, but I must decreaseÁ-?
(John 3:30)
Sometimes people
do not adapt well to change, and become enamored of a personality instead of the
message that person is trying to convey. St John, being a wise pastor, wished to bring his
disciples to the proper understanding. They may have believed him if he told them again
of Christ, but a better and more sure way was to send them to Christ, so they could see
for themselves.
A shallow perusal of this text may raise the doubt in some that St JohnÁ-?s faith was weak.
How can this be, since he was the one who leaped in the womb when he met Christ, who
was in the womb of the Virgin, when she came to Elizabeth?
(Luke 1:41)
. How can this be,
since shortly after he prophesied to his followers that: Á-°I indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not
worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fireÁ-?
(Matthew 3:13)
,
when Christ came to him in the Jordan, he recognized the one of whom He had
prophesied, and said with trembling: Á-°have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou
to me?Á-?
(Matthew 3:14).
Luke 7:24
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to
speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the
wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Some of the people who knew the St. John had sent messengers to Christ were
scandalized, and our Lord is addressing this when he asks a series of questions
beginning with Á-°What went ye out to seeÁ-?. A reed in the wind bends whichever way the
wind blows Á-? this signifies inconstancy and weak faith.
Luke 7:28
For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is
not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the