The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum In the dark

This verse in the Bible I cannot understand and all the commentaries we have cannot help me either. Can somebody help me? It is especialy the second half of that verse.

Lk 7:28 "For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (KJV)

Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
Who shall prepare thy way before thee.

That Mal. 3:1 refers indeed to John the Baptist as Messiah’s herald is clear from the fact that this way-preparer is evidently “Elijah the prophet” of Mal. 4:5, who, in turn, is John the Baptist, according to Christ’s own words as recorded in Matt. 11:14. We are justified in saying, therefore, that this is Christ’s own interpretation of Mal. 3:1. Thus interpreted, the meaning, in brief, of Mal. 3:1 must be:

“Take note, I, Jehovah, send my messenger, John the Baptist, to be the forerunner of thee, the Messiah. The forerunner’s task is to prepare everything—especially the hearts of the people [Mal. 4:6]—for thy coming.”

The meaning is “to pave the way” for Messiah’s first coming, but in view of the fact that the first coming and the second coming are as it were two stages whereby God comes to his people in Immanuel, therefore also the way for his second coming. When applied in the latter sense the appellation my messenger attains a broader meaning, from which neither John the Baptist nor Christ’s apostles nor their successors throughout the new dispensation can be excluded. Though it is true that the immediate context of Mal. 3:1 reaches forward to the final judgment (see especially verses 2 and 3), Luke very legitimately applies the prophecy especially to the first phase of the coming, or, to put it more simply, to the first coming.

It was in a marvelous manner that John the Baptist had fulfilled his task as herald. Hence Jesus is able to continue as follows: 28. I tell you, Among those born of women there is no one greater than John.

As already indicated, John was greater because he was not only a prophet but one whose arrival upon the scene of history had been prophesied. It may well be questioned, however, whether this is all that Jesus meant when he made the tremendous statement found here in 7:28, introducing it with the formula, “I tell you.”

Is it not very probable that the Lord was thinking not only of the simple fact that John the Baptist, the herald, arrived in fulfilment of prophecy, but also of the marvelous manner in which this forerunner had fulfilled his task?

He had done exactly what a herald must do. First, he had very clearly announced the arrival of Messiah, directing the people’s attention to that Great One: “Look, the Lamb of God who is taking away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Secondly, he had emphasized the necessity of conversion (including repentance) as the only way for the sinner to enter Messiah’s kingdom (Matt. 3:2 and parallels; see also Luke 1:76, 77). And thirdly, since it is the duty of the herald to recede to the background when the One whom he has introduced has fully arrived upon the scene, so John had resisted the temptation to call attention to himself. Instead, in humility of spirit he had said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Now in view of the fact that Jesus himself, in describing the nature of true greatness, always links it with humility (Matt. 8:8, 10, cf. Luke 7:6, 9; Matt. 18:1–5, cf. Mark 9:33–37 and Luke 9:46–48; Matt. 20:26, 27, cf. Mark 10:43–45; Matt. 23:11; and see also Matt. 15:27, 28), is it not altogether probable that he does this also in the present case? This humility, in turn, must be viewed as a gift which John had received from the Holy Spirit. Thus the word of the angel addressed to Zechariah, “He shall be great … and filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15), had been and was being fulfilled.

Surely, all of this—(a) John not only “the prophet of the Highest” but himself the fulfilment of prophecy, (b) as such one who in a most humble manner fulfilled his task, (c) being filled with the Holy Spirit and this from his mother’s womb—must be taken into consideration in order to do justice to the full meaning of Luke 7:28. When that is done it will be clear that the statement is not in any sense an exaggeration.

To this Jesus adds: yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. This cannot mean that John, after all, was not a saved man. Perish the very thought! Rather, the statement must be explained in the light of 10:23, 24, “Blessed (are) the eyes that see what you are seeing! For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you are seeing but did not see it, and to hear what you are hearing but did not hear it.”

The one least in the kingdom was greater than John in the sense that he was more highly privileged, for the Baptist in his prison was not in such close touch with Jesus as was this least one. And was it not this very circumstance which had also contributed to the herald’s confusion with respect to whether or not Jesus was truly the Messiah?

As Luke has indicated (7:20, 21), at the very moment when the messengers sent by John submitted his question to Jesus, the latter was busily engaged in the act of healing and restoring. Is it not true that actually seeing all this happening before one’s very eyes would be more likely to ring memory’s bell, recalling to mind Isa. 35:5, 6; 61:1 ff., than would a dismal prison atmosphere, with no opportunity even to see, much less to speak to the One about whom the prisoner was thinking? Yes, in a sense the kingdom had already arrived: the afflicted ones were being delivered from their ills, the dead were being raised up, and the words of life and beauty were proceeding from the heart and lips of the Master. But in his sovereign providence, which no one has a right to question, John was not an immediate participant or even a direct witness. Also, he was not to see Calvary nor to experience Pentecost.

However, he was not being forgotten or neglected. The message Jesus sent him (7:22, 23) was sufficient to reassure him. It was thus that Jesus defended John in front of people who, as verses 24, 25, 33 clearly indicate, were beginning to find fault with the Baptist.

Hendriksen, William, and Simon J. Kistemaker. Vol. 11, New Testament Commentary : Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke. Accompanying biblical text is author's translation. New Testament Commentary, Page 396. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953-2001.

Wellemina,

I won't add to the reply that Joe supplied, with thanks to Wm. Hendriksen, but what I would like to do is to have you meditate on the following verse, which I believe is similar but goes even beyond that which the "least in the kingdom" is exalted in the Lukan passage:

John 14:12 (ASV) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father."

Here, a believer (no designation as to gifts, etc.) will do greater works than even the Lord Christ Himself. That simply boggles my mind. Yet, who among us would dare challenge the verity of it?

In His Grace,

That verse always amazed me...although i always thought it to mean greater in number e.g. 3000 conversions in 1 day
but i could be wrong

I think the context of the verse will clear up things for you quite nicely.

John 14:12-14 (ASV) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do."

Of course, this is not a carte blanche promise, as many Pentecostals are want to believe. It must be tempered by such texts as:

1 John 5:14 (KJV) "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"

When I see this verse I think of the question that I've heard RC Sproul ask, "Who was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets?"

Sproul's answer? "John the Baptist." <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/cheers2.gif" alt="" />

May I add to what brother Edwards so graciously provided a tidbit from Bishop JC Ryle?

After discussing for several paragraphs what different commentators had written regarding the latter portion of this verse, Bishop Ryle wrote,

I believe the "least in the kingdom of God," to mean the least believer who lived after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. I believe the weakest member of the Churches planted by St. Paul had a clearer knowledge of the exact manner in which God would justify the ungodly than John the Baptist, or any one who lived before the crucifixion ever could have. The contrast our Lord is drawing is between the privileges of those who lived to see the great fountain of sin opened by His blood-shedding and those who died before that blood was shed. We do not realize the enormous difference in the position of these two classes of persons. We do not sufficiently remember how very dimly and indistinctly many great saving truths must have been apprehended before Christ died and the veil was rent in twain. The "way into the holiest was not made manifest" while John the Baptist lived, and for that reason Jesus says that the least member of the Gospel Church was "greater than he." His grace and gifts were not greater, but His knowledge and privileges cedidedly were. Expository Thoughts on Luke, Volume 1 by JC Ryle

I pray that adds to the edification of all.

Your fellow servant in Christ,
Ted

Thank you all very much!