Luke chapter 7 describes three seemingly unrelated events. Entering Capernaum, Jesus healed the slave of a centurion, raised a widow's dead son, and appraised His forerunner, John the Baptist.
In the first case, the centurion recognised the Lord's authority. His word is very revealing: "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy for You to enter under my roof... But speak a word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my slave, Do this, and he does it." (Luke 7:6-8). The centurion did not say that he was one in authority, or one of authority, but rather he was under authority. He was an officer with men under him, but he derived his authority by submitting himself to those above him; and as such, he recognised that the man Jesus was also under authority, submitting to the will of the Father, and this submission gave Him all the authority in heaven and on earth.
In the second case, Jesus demonstrated His divine attributes of love, tenderness, sympathy and compassion in His human virtues, in a most pitiful situation. A widow, who had already lost her husband, was now watching her only son, who had just died, being carried out of the house on a bier. Without being asked, He touched the bier and said, "Young man, to you I say, arise" (Luke 7:14). This is an even stronger example of His word of authority; the authority required to raise a dead man is far higher than that needed to heal a sick man.
In the third case, John the Baptist, in prison, sent his disciples to provoke Him, no doubt into doing something miraculous to release John. John's disciples may well have been bothered that the One who had just shown such authority and sympathy, would do nothing for His forerunner in his situation. John's question was, "Are You the Coming One, or should we expect another?" Of course, John was not in doubt concerning the Christ - after all, he had been the one to strongly recommend Him to people, and the one who had baptised Him. Jesus's response was, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel aanounced to them. And blessed is he who is not stumbled because of Me" (Luke 7:22-23). Because of his situation, John was in danger of being stumbled. In verse 22, Jesus spoke of the blind receiving their sight; nowhere in the Old Testament was there such an event. This would have been strong proof to John that this One was indeed the Messiah.
In spiritual significance, the blind receive their sight first. In the Lord's salvation, He opens our eyes, so that we can receive Him and walk to follow Him. The lame signifies those who cannot walk in God's way. After being saved, the lame can walk by new life. The deaf signifies those who cannot hear God. After being saved, the deaf can hear His voice. The dead signifies those who are dead in sins and offences, unable to contact God. After being regenerated, they can fellowship with God in their regenerated spirit. The poor signifies everyone without Christ, without God, and without hope in this world. Upon receiving the gospel, they are made rich in Christ.
The Lord's word was intended to strengthen John that he might carry out the course that was laid for him (that would end in his martyrdom), and receive the blessing.
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