Luke 07:18-23 Are you the One who is to come?

Have you ever wondered why Jesus gave the response that he did to the disciples of John the Baptist when they asked, “Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” A passage in the Dead Sea Scrolls parallels the response that Jesus gave. The Dead Sea Scroll community was less than ten miles from where John performed his baptisms. Perhaps John and his disciples were familiar with the passage from the Dead Sea Scrolls that described what the Messiah would do. The comparison below is based on the cross reference notes in the Comprehensive New Testament:


18 Then the disciples of John told him about all these things. And John, calling to him two of his disciples, 19 sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he cured many of their diseases and afflictions and evil spirits, and to many that were blind he gave sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of me.” [Luke 07:18-23 Comprehensive New Testament]

[For the heav]ens and the earth will listen to his Messiah, [and all] that is in them will not turn away from the holy precepts. Be encouraged, you who are seeking the Lord in his service! Will you not, perhaps, encounter the Lord in it, all those who hope in their heart? For the Lord will observe the devout, and call the just by name, and upon the poor he will place his spirit, and the faithful he will renew with his strength. For he will honor the devout upon the throne of eternal royalty, freeing prisoners, giving sight to the blind, straightening out the twisted. Ever shall I cling to those who hope. In his mercy he will jud[ge,] and from no one shall the fruit [of] good [deeds] be delayed, and the Lord will perform marvelous acts such as have not existed, just as he sa[id] for he will heal the badly wounded and will make the dead live, he will proclaim good news to the meek give lavishly [to the need]y, lead the exiled and feed the hungry. [The Dead Sea Scrolls, 4QMessianic Apocalypse (4Q521) Frag. 2 Col. II 1-13]