Section 9
What would you have said if you had been John and had received the word spoken by the Lord in Luke 7:22? Perhaps you would have said, "I don't want to hear this kind of report. Lord, what will You do about me? You give sight to the blind, You make the lame to walk, You cleanse the lepers, You cause the deaf to hear, You raise the dead, and You bring good news to the poor. I would like to hear some good news concerning my situation. Lord, what will You do for me? I am still in prison. Didn't You declare the jubilee and proclaim release to the captives? Lord, I want You to liberate me."
In verse 23 the Lord said to John, "Blessed is he who is not stumbled in Me." This word implies that John the Baptist was in danger of being stumbled because the Lord did not act on his behalf according to his way. Here the Lord encouraged him to take the way the Lord had ordained for him that he might be blessed.
In verse 23 the Lord seemed to be saying, "John, I have done many things for others, but I shall not do anything for you. Do not be stum bled in Me. Blessed is the one who is not stumbled in Me."
I believe that the Lord's word in verse 23 strengthened John for his coming martyrdom.