Luke 7:18

And the disciples of John told him all these things. And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he who cometh, or look we for another?

THE DEPUTATION FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST

John's uncertainty is understandable. He had publicly identified Jesus as the Christ; but the Saviour's Messiahship was not being proclaimed with the dogmatic certainty which John might have expected; therefore, he did with his doubts what every true believer in Christ should always do, that is, he brought them to Jesus who answered and relieved them. When God's children are in doubt, let them search the word of the Lord. If John, instead, had taken his doubts to the Pharisees, he would have been confirmed in his doubt, not in his faith; and the same is true today of many religious leaders. For more on this, see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 11:1-3.

Art thou he that should come ...? Humanity must have a Saviour; God promised one; and, if Jesus is not the Saviour, then who is? John did not say, "Art thou he that should come, or shall we cease looking?" but "shall we look for another?" Such is the state of Adam's fallen race that only a Saviour can avail anything. This desperate need of all mankind surfaces in John's question. This was the text chosen by this writer as his "trial sermon" at Walnut Street Church of Christ, Sherman, Texas Oct. 6,1935; but the speaker was not aware of the reason for the murmur of laughter that swept over the audience when his text was announced.