This is he of whom it is written: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. (Luke 7:27-28)
Messengers from John the Baptist came to Jesus, asking if He really was the Messiah. John was imprisoned and perhaps discouraged. After being assured the messengers returned to tell John. Then, Jesus explained to the multitudes who John the Baptist was, and the importance of his work.
In Luke 7:24-26, Jesus explained that John was a great man of God, one who stood strong and did not live for his own comfort or the approval of others. Jesus quoted Malachi: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. Jesus quoted this passage about the coming of John, because the prophets themselves were not prophesied, but John was, and this was one way that he was greater than all previous prophets.
Then Jesus said something remarkable about John. Jesus explained that among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. John was greater than all the previous prophets. All the previous prophets said (in their own way) “The Messiah is coming.” John had the privileged announcement, “The Messiah is here.” That is a much better message to preach!
Jesus followed with something even more surprising: but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. Though John was great, he was not born again under the new covenant. This is because he lived and died before the completion of the work of Jesus at the cross and empty tomb. Therefore, John did not enjoy the benefits of the new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 8:6-13).
We don’t often think this way, but of course, because Jesus taught this, it is true. Spurgeon explained it like this: “As we may say, as a rule, that the darkest day is lighter than the brightest night; so John, though first of his own order, is behind the last of the new or Gospel order. The least in the Gospel stands on higher ground than the greatest under the law.”
Taken together, there were many ways John the Baptist was special:
John was steady, not shaken easily like a reed.
John was sober, in that he lived a disciplined life, not in love with the luxuries and comforts of this world.
John was a servant, a prophet of God.
John was sent, as the special messenger of the Lord.
John was special, in that he could be considered the greatest under the old covenant.
John was second to even the least in the kingdom under the new covenant.
Who is greater than John the Baptist? In Jesus Christ and His new covenant, every believer is.
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