And the disciples of John showed him of all these things.
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Matthew 11:2-6 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, …
John 3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
informed him
John was in prison at this time, as noted in Luke 3:19-20, due to his condemnation of Herod's unlawful marriage. Despite his imprisonment, John remained influential, and his disciples kept him updated on the events occurring outside. This communication indicates the loyalty and dedication of his followers, as well as John's continued interest in the unfolding of God's plan through Jesus.
about all these things
The phrase "all these things" refers to the miracles and teachings of Jesus, which were spreading throughout the region. This includes Jesus raising the widow's son in Nain (Luke 7:11-17), which demonstrated His power over life and death, affirming His identity as the Messiah. The reports of Jesus' works would have been significant to John, who had previously baptized Jesus and witnessed the Holy Spirit descending upon Him (Luke 3:21-22). This information was crucial for John to understand the fulfillment of his own prophetic mission and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
• The verse opens with a time-marker that links directly to the previous narratives: Jesus had just healed the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10) and raised the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17).
• Scripture records that “fear gripped them all, and they glorified God” (Luke 7:16). The momentum of these miracles sets the stage for what follows.
• “Then” underscores a literal, historical sequence—God working in real time, in real places, for all to see (cf. John 20:30-31).
• These were loyal followers of John the Baptist, men who had once stood with him at the Jordan (John 1:35-37) and continued to learn from him even after Jesus’ public ministry began (Luke 5:33).
• Their allegiance shows John’s enduring influence, despite his imprisonment by Herod (Luke 3:19-20).
• While some of John’s disciples had already begun following Jesus (John 1:40), others stayed near their original teacher, illustrating different stages of understanding yet the same longing for Messiah.
• “Him” points to John himself, now confined but still very much engaged in God’s plan (Matthew 11:2).
• The verb pictures a purposeful report—news carried from the public square to a prison cell so that John could stay current with what God was doing through Jesus.
• Even chains cannot silence testimony: God ensures His servants receive the confirmation they need (2 Timothy 2:9).
• “All these things” encompasses the fresh wave of miracles, preaching, and compassion just witnessed:
– The spoken word that healed a dying servant (Luke 7:7-10).
– The authoritative command that raised a dead son (Luke 7:14-15).
– The amazement that swept the crowd, who declared, “God has visited His people!” (Luke 7:16).
• These events fit the Messianic signs foretold in Isaiah 35:5-6 and Isaiah 61:1, the very passages Jesus will soon cite to John’s envoys (Luke 7:22-23).
• The comprehensive report invites John to recalibrate his expectations, moving from the fiery judgment he had preached (Luke 3:7-9) to the mercy now unveiled in Christ.
Luke 7:18 captures a pivotal moment: immediately after stunning miracles, John’s loyal disciples bring firsthand testimony to their imprisoned teacher. The verse highlights God’s precise timing, the faithfulness of John’s followers, the unstoppable spread of eyewitness news, and the cumulative evidence that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah.
(18-23) And the disciples of John shewed him.--See Notes on Matthew 11:2-6. The fact, mentioned by St. Luke only, that the "disciples of John" reported these things, suggests some interesting coincidences: (1) It implies that they had been present at our Lord's miracles, and had heard His teaching, and we have seen them as present in Matthew 9:14, Mark 2:18. (2) It shows that though John was in prison, his disciples were allowed free access to him. (3) The fulness of St. Luke's narrative in Luke 7:21 suggests the thought that St. Luke may have heard what he records from one of those disciples, possibly from Manaen (see Introduction, and Note on Luke 6:1) the foster-brother of the Tetrarch.Verses 18-35. - John the Baptist sends messengers to ask a question of Jesus. The reply of the Master. Verse 18. - And the disciples of John showed him of all these things. St. Luke, unlike St. Matthew, in the corresponding passage in his Gospel, does not specially mention that John was in prison; he evidently took it for granted that this would be known to his readers from the account of the Baptist's arrest and imprisonment by Herod Antipas given in ch. 3:19, 20. In the course of John's imprisonment, it is probable that very many of his disciples became hearers of Jesus. During the early period, at all events, of the Baptist's captivity it is clear that his friends and disciples had free access to his prison. There is no doubt but that, in reply to the anxious inquiries of John, his disciples told him of all the miracles they had witnessed, and the words they had heard, especially, no doubt, recounting to him much of the sermon on the mount which Jesus had lately delivered as the exposition of his doctrine. We can well imagine these faithful but impatient disciples, after detailing these marvels which they had seen, and the strange new words of winning power which they had heard, saying to their imprisoned master, "We have seen and heard these wondrous things, but the great Teacher gets no further; we hear nothing of the standard of King Messiah being raised, nothing of the high hope of the people being encouraged; he seems to pay no attention to the imperious rule of the foreigner, or the degrading tyranny of men like Antipas, the Herod who has wrongfully shut you up. He rather withdraws himself, and when the people, fired by his winning words and mighty acts, begin to grow enthusiastic, then this strange Man hides himself away. Can he be Messiah, as you once said?"