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Chapter 29MedVC.1.29

Quomodo Joannes misit discipulos ad Jesum

John Sends His Disciples to Jesus

John the Baptist, imprisoned by Herod, sends his disciples to Jesus to confirm that He is the one who is to come.

The glorious soldier and forerunner of the Lord Jesus, John the Baptist, was imprisoned in chains by Herod for defending justice — because he rebuked Herod for keeping his own brother's wife while the brother was still alive. Wishing to lead his own disciples to follow the Lord Jesus, he planned to send them to him, so that having heard his words and seen his works, they would burn with love for him and follow him.✦✦ So they went to him — oh!1 On behalf of John they said, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?'✦✦23

Jesus Answers by Works and Words

Jesus receives John's messengers calmly, performs miracles before them, and then sends them back with a scriptural answer.

The Lord Jesus, however, had a great crowd before him at that time. Look closely at him: how with a calm countenance he receives John's messengers, and how wisely he answered — first with deeds and afterwards with words. In their presence, therefore, he healed the deaf, the mute, and the blind, performed many other miracles, and preached to the people; and afterwards he said to them among other things, 'Go and report to John what you have heard and seen.'✦✦✦4

The Disciples Return and Are Won to Christ

The messengers report back to John with joy, and after his death they follow Jesus.

So they went and reported these things to John, who heard them most gladly. Those disciples, however, after John's death, adhered firmly to Christ.5

Jesus Praises John and Calls Us to Contemplation

Jesus extols John before the people as more than a prophet, and the devout reader is urged to keep eyes fixed on Christ.

After the messengers had left, the Lord Jesus spoke highly of John before the people — that he was more than a prophet, and that among those born of women no one greater than him had risen — and about other matters as you have in the Gospel.✦6 So then, keep your eyes always on the Lord Jesus — both as he preaches and as he works the miracles just described — so that you may hold fast to what you have already received.7

Read the original Latin

Gloriosus miles et praecursor Domini Jesu Joannes Baptista, cum esset in vinculis incarceratus ab Herode propter justitiae defensionem, quia redarguebat eum, qui tenebat uxorem fratris sui viventis, volens inducere discipulos suos, ut sequerentur Dominum Jesum^ cogitavit eos ad ipsum mittere ^, ut auditis verbis, et visis operibus ejus, exardescerent in amorem ipsius, et sequerentur eum. Iverunt ergo ad eum, e! ; ex parte Joannis dixerunt: Ta es qui venlurus es, an alium expectamus? Dominus autem Jesus magnam turbam tunc habebat coram se. Conspice bene ipsum, quomodo vultu placido recipit nuntios Joannis, et quomodo sapienter primo factis, et postea verbis respondit ei-. In eorum ergo praesentia surdos sanavit, et mutos, et caecos, et alia multa miracula fecit, et populo praedicavit, et postea illis inter alia dixit: Ite et renuntiate Joanni, quce audistis et vidistis. Iverunt ergo, et ea retulerunt Joanni, qui ea libentissime audivit. Uli autem discipuli post mortem Joannis firmiter Christo adhaeserunt.

Dominus Jesus, post illorum discessum, valde Joannem coram populo coUaudavit, scilicet, quod erat plusquam propheta, quod inter natos mulierum major eo non surrexerat, et de aliis ut in Evangelio habes. Tu ergo aspice Dominum Jesum semper, et dum praedicat, et dum praedicta miracula facit, ut supra habuisti

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Matt.11.2-Matt.11.3;Luke.7.18-Luke.7.19 — Now when John heard in prison the works of the Christ, he sent word through his disciples Matt.11.3 — He said to him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another?' Luke.7.18 — And John's disciples told him about all these things. Luke.7.19 — And John, having called two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
  2. ↩Matt.14.3-Matt.14.4;Mark.6.17-Mark.6.18 — For Herod had seized John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Matt.14.4 — For John had been saying to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have her.' Mark.6.17 — For Herod himself had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. Mark.6.18 — For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
  3. ↩Matt.11.3 — He said to him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect another?'
  4. ↩Luke.7.19 — And John, having called two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
  5. ↩Matt.11.4-Matt.11.5;Luke.7.22 — And Jesus answered them, "Go and report to John what you hear and see: Matt.11.5 — the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. Luke.7.22 — 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, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.'
  6. ↩Isa.35.5-Isa.35.6 — Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Isa.35.6 — Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy; for waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
  7. ↩Isa.61.1 — The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners.
  8. ↩Matt.11.9;Luke.7.26 — But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. Luke.7.26 — But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The interjection 'e' is uncertain in the manuscript; it may be an exclamatory particle or a corruption. Rendered as 'oh' to preserve the emotional tone.
  2. 2 ↩'Ta' (token 4) is an uncertain manuscript reading, possibly an Aramaic/Hebrew form or corruption of 'tu.' Rendered as 'you' following the sense of the parallel Gospel passages (Matthew 11:3, Luke 7:19).
  3. 3 ↩'venlurus' (token 7) is likely a corruption of 'venturus' (about to come). Rendered according to the intended sense.
  4. 4 ↩'quce' (token 28) is likely a corruption of 'quae' (what). Rendered according to the intended sense.
  5. 5 ↩'Uli' (token 0) is likely a corruption of 'illi' (those). Rendered according to the intended sense.
  6. 6 ↩The two explanatory clauses (quod erat plusquam propheta; quod inter natos mulierum major eo non surrexerat) echo Christ's words about John the Baptist in Matthew 11:9, 11 and Luke 7:26, 28. Final resolution deferred to Moses stage.
  7. 7 ↩'ut supra habuisti' rendered with purpose force ('so that you may hold fast') rather than simple result, following the imperative context of 'aspice'. The phrase points the reader back to the earlier meditation on Christ's signs and teaching.

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