Sermon Tone Analysis

Overview

Luke 7:18–35 comprises three subunits that deal with John the Baptist.

Luke 7:18–23 deals with John’s question to Jesus.

Jesus’ reply defines the nature of the times and appeals to his acts and the OT for proof.

Luke 7:24–30 gives Jesus’ view of John and explains the greatness of the new kingdom in comparison to John.

Luke 7:31–35 is a parable of rebuke against Israel for not responding to John or Jesus, despite their difference in style.

Nothing will satisfy some.

1) What does Jesus think of himself?

(2) What does John think of Jesus?

(3) What does Jesus think of John?

John asks

Why did he ask? - is there room for doubt?

Not everything I thought it would be.

Not fast enough.

So that others may be edified.

Did that really happen?

2. Liefeld (1984: 900–901) argues that John’s doubt is fueled not only by the reports of Jesus’ ministry lacking political organization, but also by John’s presence in prison, a situation that seems the reverse of “freeing captives from prison,” as Jesus’ ministry is described in 4:18–19.

This difference raises questions for John (Godet 1875: 1.345; Hendriksen 1978: 392–93; Fitzmyer 1981: 664).

3. Plummer (1896: 202), arguing against a view that sees pure doubt as the issue, prefers to argue that John is impatient with Jesus’ progress (also Geldenhuys 1951: 226).

The problem with this explanation is that impatience is not the issue; Jesus is.

Again, it is more natural to see doubt produced by pressure as the background to the question.

4. Arndt (1956: 209) argues that it is John’s disciples whose faith needs strengthening.

He suggests that 7:22–23 provides no reason to attribute doubt to John.

But if a reference to offense is included in what Jesus says to John, then it seems forced not to include John among those who struggle.

Even disciples like Peter did not comprehend the full character of Jesus’ ministry early on (Matt.

16:22–23).

5.

A more skeptical view argues that this account shows that John did not baptize Jesus in order to point to his messianic office since, if he had, the question would not have been raised (Plummer 1896: 202 and Nolland 1989: 326 note this view and tie it to Strauss 1972: 219–34 [originally 1835], who sees Jesus simply baptized as a disciple of John).

But such skepticism is not supportable when many accounts indicate that various figures wrestled with the nature of Jesus’ ministry even after long exposure to him and confession of him.

The account’s embarrassing honesty makes its historicity likely.

Would the church create such an embarrassing question?

Affirmed by the Authority of Scripture

Jesus’ works clearly show that he is involved in bringing in the eschaton, since his actions parallel promises made by Isaiah about that period (Isa.

29:18; 35:5; 42:6; 61:1)

Life as a disciple - doubt and confusion.

Narrow and wide gates

I cant live with it.

- I dont want that!!!

I can live without it.

- I’m big I can do it by my self!!