Luke 7:27

This is [he], of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

This {G3778} is {G2076} he, of {G4012} whom {G3739} it is written {G1125}, Behold {G2400}, I {G1473} send {G649} my {G3450} messenger {G32} before {G4253} thy {G4675} face {G4383}, which {G3739} shall prepare {G2680} thy {G4675} way {G3598} before {G1715} thee {G4675}.

This is the one about whom the Tanakh says, `See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'

This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’

This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee.

In Luke 7:27, Jesus is speaking to the crowds about John the Baptist, affirming John's unique and divinely appointed role as the forerunner to the Messiah. This verse is particularly significant as Jesus directly quotes from an Old Testament prophecy, applying it to John, thereby confirming John’s identity and mission.

Context

This statement by Jesus comes immediately after a crucial interaction where John the Baptist's disciples came to Jesus asking if He was "He that should come, or look we for another?" (Luke 7:20). After performing miracles and sending John's disciples back with a report of His works, Jesus turns to the crowds to speak about John. He praises John's steadfastness and greatness, declaring him to be more than a prophet. This verse serves as the pinnacle of Jesus' testimony, directly linking John to prophetic fulfillment and clarifying his unparalleled role in salvation history.

Key Themes

  • Prophetic Fulfillment: The most central theme is the explicit declaration of John the Baptist as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus identifies John as the "messenger" foretold in Malachi 3:1, who would prepare the way for the Lord. This connection underscores the continuity of God's redemptive plan across the Testaments.
  • Divine Appointment: John's ministry was not accidental or self-initiated but was a direct divine mandate. He was "sent" by God for a specific, crucial purpose: to announce and prepare the path for the Messiah. This highlights God's sovereign hand in history.
  • Preparation for the Messiah: The phrase "prepare thy way before thee" emphasizes John's primary mission. His preaching of repentance and baptism was designed to ready the hearts of the people, making them receptive to Jesus' message and the kingdom of God. This preparatory work was essential for the successful inauguration of Jesus' public ministry, echoing similar imagery found in Isaiah 40:3.

Linguistic Insights

The term "messenger" in Greek is angelos (ἄγγελος), which can mean both a human envoy or an angelic being. In this context, it unequivocally refers to John the Baptist as God's specially appointed human agent. The phrase "prepare thy way" comes from the Greek kataskeuazō (κατασκευάζω), meaning "to make ready, construct, or equip." It evokes the imagery of building or leveling a road for the arrival of a king or dignitary, illustrating the vital groundwork John laid for Jesus' ministry.

Practical Application

This verse offers profound insights for believers today. Firstly, it reminds us of God's meticulous planning and the fulfillment of His promises throughout history. Secondly, it highlights the importance of spiritual preparation. Just as John prepared the way for the first coming of Christ, we are called to live lives that prepare our hearts and the hearts of others for the ongoing work of Christ in the world and for His eventual return. We too can be "messengers" in our own spheres, pointing others to Jesus and helping to clear the path for His truth to be received.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Malachi 3:1

    ¶ Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Luke 1:76

    And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

  • Mark 1:2

    As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

  • Luke 1:15

    For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

  • Luke 1:17

    And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

  • John 1:23

    He said, I [am] the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

  • Isaiah 40:3

    ¶ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

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