Now when John had (omit, with the Revised Version) heard in the prison; i.e. Machaerus (Schurer, 1. 2:27; comp. Matthew 3:1, note; Matthew 14:1, note). Matthew alone tells us that he was already in prison.
The works of Christ; of the Christ (Revised Version); τοῦ χριστοῦ. Not the proper name, but the official title (Matthew 1:16,Matthew 1:17, notes). The title may be merely due to the evangelist's narrative, or may represent the actual terms in which the message was brought to John.
It brings out the pathos of the situation. John had prepared the way of the Christ, and had at the baptism taken part in his anointing. Yet of all the works that the Christ now did there was none to set his kinsman and herald free.
He sent two of his disciples; by his disciples (Revised Version). Possibly the slight difference between διά, the true reading here, and δύο, which is genuine in Luke, points to the common source (observe here a Greek source) having been written, but with the close similarity in sound this need not have been the case.
Observe that the true reading lays slightly more emphasis on the fact of the inquiry coming from John himself (vide infra). "Sent by" is the equivalent of the Hebrew דיב חלש (Exodus 4:13; 1 Samuel 16:20; 1 Kings 2:25; comp.
also Revelation 1:1).