“Verily I say unto you. Among them born of a 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.” Matthew 11:7-15
In the "Message" translation of the bible it says; "... in the kingdom He prepared for you, the lowliest person is ahead of him.."
This is an amazing scripture. What on earth does it mean? When I first read it years ago I just couldn’t get my head around it.
How could it be that we are greater than John the Baptist? Surely there is a mistake. Jesus in the previous verses had just spoken highly of John and said that there was no person born of woman that was greater than John the Baptist - He was the greatest prophet that had ever lived. And yet Jesus said even the least in the kingdom was greater than he.??
Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, telling people to repent and believe in Him. He told people that He was the Son of God and those that believed on Him would enter into His Kingdom. He spoke about being Born Again, born of God.
John the Baptist really was a great man, and there’s no doubt about that. He was born supernaturally - his mother was barren when an Angel spoke to his father. The Angel said they would have a son in their old age. When his dad didn't believe this, the Angel struck him dumb. John the Baptist also was the cousin of Jesus, trained up in the ways of the Lord, living in the wilderness alone. When he came on the scene he preached a message of repentance, baptising people in the River Jordan. He was a prophet who heard from God and not from man. He was the one who was to prepare the way for the Lord's coming, the one that Isaiah spoke of. He never got married, and was bold enough to challenge the Pharisees and the Sadducee's, calling them to repent of their sins not afraid to rebuke them. He didn't wear soft clothing like the rich people, but wore a camel skin garment and ate locusts and wild honey.
These were great physical achievements you could say. A great prophet! John was a man of amazing self control and discipline. But the Lord goes on to say that we in this new kingdom, that Jesus was ushering in, are even greater than this prophet. When you see what Jesus was ushering in you can begin to understand. John was born of a woman only, but those born of God are far greater.
Are we a greater than John the Baptist? Have we lived further out in the wilderness? Have we denied ourselves more than he did? Do we have a stricter diet? Do we eat more locusts and honey or wear a heavier camel skin jacket? Did more Angels appear to our Mum and Dad? Not likely, as it’s nothing to do with what we do but what we believe and who has birthed us that now counts.
In looking at the scriptures we see that up until John the Baptist there was only ONE RACE of people on the earth - and that race descended from Adam. The ‘fallen’ Adam Race. All the black, the white, and the yellow people came from this race. Even God's chosen people, the Jews came from the race of Adam. They though were called by God and taught by Him, but they were born in sin and died in sin. None of them could go directly to heaven for they came from the fallen race of Adam. Even though John the Baptist was a great prophet he was still part of the fallen race of Adam, he wasn’t Born Again. His people all needed Christ’s redemption, for even though they were Jews they still had to be saved.
When Jesus appeared on the scene He came preaching the Kingdom of God and after His death, God was able to create another RACE OF MEN. There were now two races of people on the earth - there was the old race that came from the "First Adam" that was doomed, and now there was the new race that came from the "Second Adam" who was Jesus. This new race of people were different, they were born of God. They could actually go to heaven directly, because they had their sins washed away. The Jews, even though they were God's chosen people, only had their sins covered over every year. But this new race of people had their sins actually washed away by the blood of Christ. They were new creations, spotless, sinless, the Sons of God, and were loved by God as His very own Children.
To enter into this new race you didn't have to do greater things than John the Baptist, and it wasn't who your parents were either that made a difference. The whole emphasis now on entering this new kingdom, this new race of people, was BELIEVING. Believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
The trouble is that when we see a man like John the Baptist we feel inferior and think maybe God isn't happy with us because we could never do what John the Baptist did or be anything like him. God’s not wanting us to do what John did, nor be like him, all He's wanting us to do is believe in His Son and what He did for us on the cross and believe His words.
The emphasis is now on BELIEVING. If you want to enter into the Kingdom of God, then you have to believe what Christ has done for you upon the cross and you will receive the gift of Eternal Life.
Abraham was a very good example for he was accepted by God not because of what he did but by what he believed. His faith was counted unto him as righteousness, not his works.
“What does Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Romans 4:3
Think about this. Why are people thrown into hell? Is it because they are not like John the Baptist or Abraham? Are people thrown into hell because they smoke cigarettes? Are people thrown into hell because they might have murdered somebody? Remember King David murdered someone but ended up a friend of God. We need to understand that the reason why people are thrown into hell is because they reject Christ's death upon the cross. They are offered a way of escape but don't believe and accept the only solution. Hell is for those who turn their backs on God’s amazing gift of His Son to be the sacrifice for their sins.
In the Old Testament the way to please God was primarily by doing. You had to be circumcised. You had to eat certain foods. You had to be part of the Jewish Race and go through all their ceremonies, festivals, feasts and Sabbaths to keep in His favour. There was no other way in which you could please God and be saved.
In the Kingdom that Jesus preached, the way to please God was primarily BELIEVING. We need to remember, that in believing you get saved. We do the "works" in gratitude for all that Jesus did for us, and not so as to get saved. In this new Kingdom, no glory can come to us.
Consider the story that was told about the man who went to find labourers to work for him in the field. Matthew 20:1-6
At the beginning of the day he found labourers and said, "If you work for me I will give you this set amount of money." At lunchtime he went out and found other men and said "Have you got any work?" They said no, so he said "Come and work for me" and at the end of the day he went and found some more at about 4 o'clock. He asked them if they had any work and they said no, so he said "Come and work for me." When the day was over he got all the workers together and gave them ALL THE SAME AMOUNT. The men who started at the beginning of the day were upset that those who started at the end of the day got the same amount of money as them. The man said, "Don't complain, you are getting what I promised you. I can do what I like. If these men come later on, I can still give them the same amount as you."
Jesus was pointing out that it’s not so much your works that get you a reward. He will give you Eternal Life if you believe. Whether you are a Christian for 50 years or 5 weeks. He doesn't give Eternal Life to those who work harder and longer - if you come into the kingdom right at the end of the age, you receive Eternal Life.
Look at the example of the thief on the cross. He never did anything - he had not even been baptised. And yet Jesus said to him that because he had believed on Him, "Today" he would enter into Paradise. His entering into Paradise was because he believed Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus said that even the "Least in the Kingdom of God" is greater than John the Baptist. We, by believing in Jesus, have become the Sons of God. Jesus is the Son of God and we become Sons of God, not by any works we have done, but by the grace of God and by faith. The Old Testament prophets were still only sons of men doomed to death. They were only born of a woman and not Born Again. Their spirits were dead although the Holy Spirit used to come upon them. Jesus gave them all an opportunity to receive Him when He went to Paradise after His death.
In the New Testament Kingdom we become Sons of God by faith and our spirits become joined to Christ.
“But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.”
1 Corinthians 6:17
Look at John 1:12. It says if you believe you will, "Receive the power to become the children of God,"
We are not just born of man we are also born of God. In 1 Peter 1:23 in the "Message" translation it says -
"your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm. Your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think - a life conceived by God Himself." 1 Peter 1:23
When you believe, you become a Child of God. You are Born Again! The Word of God enters into you and you are born of God. You become a New Creature in Christ. You are born, not from lust - (some children are born from rape or out of wedlock) - you are not born by accident - it's not by the will of man or woman, but you are actually Born of God. Jesus was the "First Born" of this new race of people.
Colossians 1:18. Romans 8:29-30 and 1 Corinthians 15: 44-52.
In John 17:23 we read that Jesus was loved by God and it goes on to say that WE will be loved by God too just like Jesus was loved by the Father!! The Father really loves Jesus, but the scripture says that WE are loved exactly the same as He loves Jesus.
The prophets looked at our day and really envied what we have. This gift that is given to us is not by works but by the grace of God. Look at 1 Peter 1:10.
Jesus said those who are least in the kingdom of God are greater than John the Baptist. We are not greater prophets, we are even better than that. We are actually Sons of God, just like Jesus was. That is why we are greater. Your greatness is in believing what God says - it's a revelation of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Look at how Jesus complimented these two Gentiles in the New Testament. They weren't part of the chosen race of Israel, for they were uncircumcised, etc.
In Matthew 8:10 Jesus complimented the Centurion for his attitude and his great faith in believing that Jesus would heal his servant. Jesus said He had looked all around Israel and had not seen anyone with such great faith as this man. This Centurion hadn't eaten locusts and wild honey. This Centurion hadn't been circumcised. This Centurion hadn't done any great works at all for God, but he believed, and Jesus blessed him for that.
Look also at the faith of the Syrophoenician Woman in Mark 7:29 who kept coming to Jesus for the healing for her daughter. Jesus and the disciples turned her away and said she was not of the chosen race of Israel. She hadn't gone through all the purification’s and festivals of Israel. But she persisted with Jesus and He said "I can't throw my food to the dogs." In other words He was calling her a dog. But she said "even the dogs eat crumbs from under the Master's table." And Jesus granted her request and said that she had great faith, and granted her request. She believed.
So we see that people who were being complimented in the New Testament, weren't the ones who were denying themselves, or wearing hairier camel skin jackets and eating more locusts and wild honey or living further out in the wilderness. They were the ones who believed in Jesus and what He could do for them. Isn't this a great incentive for us to get into the word and really believe God too. If you look in the world today there are many people who are denying themselves, even more than John the Baptist did and living Spartan lives.
I saw a film once of India's Holy Men and how everyone highly admired and revered them. These men would deny themselves and go on long fasts. They would put burning cow dung on their heads and walk around naked. They would stand on their heads for ages and do all sorts of strange things. They denied themselves more than John the Baptist yet they will not go to heaven unless they are Born Again.
Jesus said that there has never been a prophet so great - "Born of a Woman," like John the Baptist. But he who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he - Why? Because not only are we born of a woman, we are also "Born of God." We are the Sons and Daughters of God. I believe that as this revelation comes to the Church there is going to be the manifestation of the Sons of God that is spoken about in Romans 8. And the manifestation of the Sons of God will turn this world upside down.