Matthew 11:2

2 John the Baptist was in prison, but he heard about what Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus.

Matthew 11:2 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 11:2

Now when John had heard in the prison
The person here spoken of is John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, who was now in the prison of Machaerus; being put there by Herod, for his reproving him for taking Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; and whilst he was there, an account was brought him by his own disciples, see ( Luke 7:18 ) of

the works of Christ,
the miracles he wrought; as the healing of the centurion's servant, the raising from the dead the widow's son of Nain, and the like; upon hearing of which,

he sent two of his disciples,
who might be the most prejudiced against Christ, because of the increase of his followers, and the decrease of their master's; and because he did not live such an austere life as John did; and who, notwithstanding all that they had heard, and their master had told them of Jesus, were not easily persuaded that he was the true Messiah. Moreover, two of them were sent, both because it was more honourable to Christ, and that they might be proper witnesses of what they saw and heard; and since it was not so much for himself, as for the sake of his disciples, that these messengers were sent.

Matthew 11:2 In-Context

1 After Jesus finished telling these things to his twelve followers, he left there and went to the towns in Galilee to teach and preach.

2 John the Baptist was in prison, but he heard about what Christ was doing. So John sent some of his followers to Jesus.

3 They asked him, "Are you the One who is to come, or should we wait for someone else?"

4 Jesus answered them, "Go tell John what you hear and see:

5 The blind can see, the crippled can walk, and people with skin diseases are healed. The deaf can hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is preached to the poor.