Matthew 11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
[The Desire of Ages pp 216&224] The Savior did not at once answer the disciples’ question. As they stood wondering at His silence, the sick and afflicted were coming to Him to be healed. Gladly would the Savior have come to John, to brighten the dungeon gloom with His own presence. But He was not to place Himself in the hands of enemies and imperil His own mission.
Visiting John was a good thing no doubt, but to do so without God’s permission would be presumption, even though it was a good thing to do, and because of this fact, deliverance from any potential dangers would not be guaranteed. In fact, if Jesus had gone to visit John, without a first clearance from The Father, He could have been put into a compromised situation where He might have been tempted to deliver Himself by using His own inherent power and had He done so He would have brought the plan of salvation to a screeching halt.
The temptation that satan hounded Christ with from the cradle to the grave, was to use His own inherent power without authorization from The Father, even if it was to do something good. If Christ had once done so He would be immediately disqualified from being man’s representative, for we cannot exercise such power of ourselves, for we just do not possess miraculous power naturally, and as such, Jesus would be exercising an advantage over fallen man.
Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!