In what way was John the Baptist the greatest (Matthew 11:11)?

John had the great privilege, not only of prophesying of Christ, but of preparing the way before Him. He was God's messenger to announce the blessed Christ of God. No other had ever been accorded such dignity as this. No greater prophet had ever arisen. Though the greatness of John's moral and spiritual character is evident (Jn.1;1-27; 3:27-31), it is not this to which the Lord refers, but to the greatness of the dignity of the place God had given him. In this regard he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John. The Lord speaks of the future glorious millennial kingdom for which the Old Testament had taught Israel to look and which will be introduced entirely by the power and grace of God. Yet we may also rightly apply it to the present aspect of the kingdom of God in its mystery form, that is, believers even now have a favored place in the present kingdom that John did not have.

What then? was he a prophet? The Lord affirms it to be absolutely true; and more then this, for he had a place that no other prophet was ever given, the unique privilege of announcing the Messiah of Israel. Malachi 3:1 had prophesied specifically of him as the messenger sent before the Lord to prepare His way. The Lord strongly affirms that among all mankind there had not arisen a greater then John the Baptist. He certainly does not speak of any public display of greatness as in the eyes of the world, for John had none of this. Nor does He speak of moral greatness, though his moral character was exemplary, no doubt. He speaks rather of the greatness of the place John was given as the forerunner of the Messiah. This explains also His last statement, that a lesser one in the kingdom of heaven was greater than John. He is speaking of the greatness of the position believers are given today in contrast to any position possible previous to the presentation of Christ Israel in grace.

Then Jesus bore witness to John. No oscillating reed nor man of luxury was he; but more than a prophet, even the messenger predicted by Malachi, who should prepare the way of the Lord. Moreover John was the "Elijah" of the first advent. and he marked the end of an epoch. The dispensation of law and prophets ran up to him, and from his day onward the kingdom of heaven was open, if there was the "violence" or vigour of faith to gain an entrance. When the kingdom arrives visibly, there will not be the same need for such vigour of faith. All this showed how great a man John was, nevertheless the least inside the kingdom would have a position greater than this great man, who prepared the way but did not live to enter himself. John's moral greatness was unsurpassed, though many of much less moral weight would be greater as to outward position.

Plainly, it cannot be that even the little one in the Kingdom of heaven can be greater morally than. John the Baptist; but then it can hardly be thought that John himself was greater in this respect than all the men that had preceded him. That is not the point of comparison: it is in the place given to him as the predicted messenger who was to prepare the way before Messiah. Certainly spiritual greatness could not be wanting in one put in such a position; but that is another thing. "All the prophets and the law prophesied until John:" they all pointed onward to the time of which John was able to say, "It is just at hand." It was for him to change the whole character of testimony hitherto, and to sound the note of Jubilee which announced a Kingdom not of earth but of heaven, and the King Himself even at the door. And, this being his greatness, it is easy to understand that he would be in the greater position, who was in the Kingdom itself, and could say in the language of the psalmist anticipating,. this, "As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of Jehovah of hosts, in the city of our God" (Ps. 48:8).

Then, turning to the people when John's messengers were gone, He pointed out that John himself, His forerunner, had not been a mere nonentity, nor had he come in pomp and luxury. His whole mission had been strictly in keeping with the character of the One whom he announced, who was infinitely great and yet come in lowly grace. He designated John as a prophet so great that there was none greater than he. This of course at once showed that when the people spoke of Christ Himself as "a great prophet" they were falling far short of the truth concerning Him.

As far as John was concerned, though so great, the one that should be least in the coming kingdom of God would be greater than he — not morally, but in the position that would be his. Morally John was very great indeed, and his testimony of such importance that men's destiny was determined by their attitude towards it. The publicans and sinners accepted it, and, thus justifying God, were led ultimately to Christ. The Pharisees and lawyers rejected it, and in due course they rejected Christ. Verse 28 can only be understood as we distinguish between that moral greatness, which depends upon a man's character, and the greatness which springs from the position into which God may be pleased to call us, which varies in different dispensations.

Having set John under the responsibility of receiving this testimony, which put all Israel to the test, and distinguished the remnant from the nation in general, the Lord then bears witness to John himself, addressing the multitude, and reminding them how they had followed the preaching of John. He shows them the exact point to which Israel had come in the ways of God. The introduction, in testimony, of the kingdom made the difference between that which preceded and that which followed. Among all that are born of women there had been none greater than John the Baptist, none who had been so near Jehovah, sent before His face, none who had rendered Him a more exact and complete testimony, who had been so separate from all evil by the power of the Spirit of God — a separation proper to the fulfilment of such a mission among the people of God. Still he had not been in the kingdom: it was not yet established; and to be in the presence of Christ in His kingdom, enjoying the result of the establishment of His glory, was a greater thing than all testimony to the coming of the kingdom.

But mark this word, a striking one, in this transitional chapter, "Notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (ver. 11). What is the meaning? In saying, "Among those born of women there had not risen a greater than John the Baptist," the Lord is excepted. He is speaking of John, not as compared with Himself, but with others. He was the greatest born of women; "Notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." It means clearly that there was a new order of things commencing, in which the privileges that God's sovereign grace would confer would be so great, that the least in the dispensation about to open would be greater than the greatest in all the past. Of course this is not as to anything in themselves; the faith of a weak believer now is not greater than a man's mighty faith in times past; nor is some poor soul, anxious and troubled about his acceptance, in a healthier state than those who could rejoice like Simeon in God their Saviour. Yet the Lord does say that the greatest of those gone by is less than the least now.

To be the forerunner of Christ was such an honour that it made the man whose privilege it was the greatest that had yet been born. Greatest, that is, of course, in point of privilege (Matthew 11:11). But when the kingdom was established, not merely as being among men in the person of the King, but as a sphere where heaven's rule is acknowledged, the least in that kingdom was greater (in point of privilege) than all who had lived and died before, greater even than John.

The end of the chapter determines the relative position of John the Baptist and of Christ. John's proper mission was an earthly one; he spoke of the Messiah to Israel, of the kingdom in connection with this people; as the immediate precursor of the Christ, the nearest of all those who, vessels of the testimony of God, had preceded him, he was, by this fact, greater than all the prophets: but he did not come up to the manifestation of that which is heavenly. Those who have believed since Christ's ascension enjoy this; the least even in the kingdom of God is greater than John. In the Person of the Christ, the Baptist glimpsed the glory which belonged to Him, and which, by grace, belongs to His own also; but the veil was not rent, and there was not a man in heaven. Personally, Jesus had brought that which was heavenly; He revealed the Father, He spoke the words of God; but the grain of wheat remained alone, redemption was not accomplished, although He who came from above was there, and spoke that which He had seen and heard in words which were the words of God. No one received His testimony.

In the eleventh chapter of Matthew we have two remarkable statements as to the kingdom of heaven, which, I believe, are often misunderstood. One referring to John the Baptist, where, after it is stated that there was none greater born of women, it is added, "Notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." How do some interpret this? They say that the kingdom of heaven is the Church, and that the least in the Church is greater than John; but this is very unsatisfactory. The kingdom of heaven, as we have seen, is not the Church. In the kingdom there will be such distinctions as least and greatest; but there are no such distinctions in the Church.

There are various gifts; but no such idea as least and greatest. We cannot find such words in the writings of the apostles applied to the Church. There are some who have greater faith than others; there are also apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers, and so on; but, I repeat, not least and greatest. The statement, I believe, means, that although John the Baptist had up to that time been the greatest that had been born of a woman, yet in the millennial kingdom the glory will be so marvellous, and the blessing so beyond anything that could have been conceived by man, that the place of privilege John had will be inferior to the least amongst those who will be in the enjoyment of that time of blessing.