Daily Bible Reading 23rd June 2026 // Luke 7:18-23
18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Furthermore, the Jesus that John saw was not, to his mind, fulfilling his (John's) own prediction of Him as a coming Judge. And where was the baptism of fire? These were the considerations that made him send to Jesus, with the question: 'Art Thou He that should come...?' Our Lord's answer in 22, 23 is significant, and there is much to learn from it. In the first place, Jesus directs John's mind to His words and His works (in Matthew's account this is reinforced: 'Show him again'). What we may learn from this is that the way to come to faith, or to renew faith, is to consider the deeds and words of Jesus. This is the biblical prescription: to keep on considering them until their meaning and their majesty grip and master us and our doubts and bring us to a full conviction about Him, and thus into everlasting life. 'Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God' (cf John 20:31). When faith burns low and minds are doubting and confused, here is the answer: show men Christ's deeds and words, proclaim the Saviour. Nor is this any new prescription, when hearing does not seem to work at first (as Matthew puts it: 'Show him again'), but a repetition of what he had already heard (cf Paul also, in Acts 14:3, in face of opposition to his gospel, 'Long time therefore abode they, speaking boldly in the Lord'). The Word will eventually come home to the heart. What encouragement to continue patiently and perseveringly in the work of the gospel!