“Jesus answered them.
‘Go!
Tell John!
What you have seen
And heard.
The blind
Receive their sight.
The lame
Walk.
The lepers
Are cleansed.
The deaf
Hear.
The dead
Are raised up.
The poor
Have good news
Brought to them.’”
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάνει ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε· τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται, καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται·
Luke said that Jesus answered the disciples of John (καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς). He told them to go tell John (Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάνει) what they had seen and heard (ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε). The blind ones receive their sight (τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν). The lame walk (χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν). The lepers are cleansed (λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται). The deaf hear (καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν). The dead are raised up (νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται). The poor have good news brought to them (πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται). This is almost word for word like Matthew, chapter 11:4-5, indicating a possible Q source. Jesus responded or answered these disciples and their main question. He told them to report back to John after their journey what they had heard and seen. Then Jesus listed what he had been doing. The blind people have recovered their sight. The lame people were walking around. The lepers were cleansed. The deaf were able to hear. The dead were raised up. The poor and destitute people were getting good news brought to them. This is a very strong response, as if to say that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one, something that Jesus did not do often. This messianic expectation was based on Isaiah, chapter 35:4-6, when the savior, their God would come with a vengeance to make up for past problems. He would come to save them. Isaiah seems to indicate that there would be a reversal of fortune, a change in the ways that things happen. The blind would see. The deaf would hear. The lame would run. The mute people would speak. Have you had a change in your life?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 