WHAT DOES MATTHEW.11:11 REALLY MEAN?

"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 very words of Jesus in the book of Matthew chapter 11 verse 11.

Growing up in an environment where Christian maturity was subtly related to how much material wealth you are able to accumulate, scriptures like the above were veiled from my understanding. The same is the case for many believers who knowingly or unknowingly have supposed that gain is godliness. (1 Timothy. 6:5).

In the above text Jesus was talking to a large number of people about John the Baptist (Matthew.11:7 "as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John...") and He reveals some things about the person and ministry of John the Baptist that without careful reading you might veer off His emphasis.

It would interest you to know that in explaining the person and ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus relied on what is written; he had respect for the scriptures; he quoted Malachi
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts" - Malachi.3:1. (Matthew .11:10)

Funny enough, Jesus never quoted Malachi.3:2-11 in any of his teachings (especially verse 10). That's a topic for another day.

So, Jesus tells us that the messenger that the prophet Malachi talked about was actually John the Baptist. Jesus says John is a messenger sent to 'prepare the way before me'.

Now, what did Jesus mean when He said "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"?
In answering this question let us examine the following.

John. 1:29-34
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: BUT THAT HE SHOULD BE MADE MANIFEST TO ISRAEL, THEREFORE AM I COME BAPTIZING WITH WATER. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: BUT HE THAT SENT ME TO BAPTIZE WITH WATER, THE SAME SAID UNTO ME, UPON WHOM THOU SHALL SEE THE SPIRIT DESCENDING, AND REMAINING ON HIM, THE SAME IS HE WHICH BAPTIZES WITH THE HOLY GHOST. AND I SAW AND BARE RECORD THAT THIS IS THE SON OF GOD."

In the above text, John repeatedly used the phrase 'and I knew him not', and goes further to say 'but' indicating his dependence on a source.

Let's closely examine the highlighted phrases:

"Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world"
John identified Jesus as the sacrifice for the sin of the world. In the old covenant, it was the blood of animals that was used as sacrifice for sins and these sacrifices were not capable of taking sins away (Hebrews.10:4 "for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins"). But, John saw and identified the LAMB provided by God and this LAMB could take sins away eternally (Hebrews.10:12 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God").

"But that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water"
John says that he started water baptism so that via that ministry Jesus would be made known to Israel. The ministry of water baptism was for Jesus (a topic for another day), it was done by John to reveal Jesus(the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world) to Israel . This shows us something about the humanity of Jesus. He was a man, he had no special physical features that would make you know he is God- He was a man!

"But he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God".
Johns makes us know that he was sent; sent by who? He was sent by God! And he tells us that God told him how to identify Jesus (the Lamb of God) - "upon whom thou shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost" . Wow! John was given revelation, because of this he said "this is the Son of God".  John identified the very Son of God! He even identified Jesus as the one that would baptize men with the Holy Spirit.

At this point we can safely conclude that the person and ministry of John was to reveal Jesus (God's salvation plan) to Israel. He was a messenger of God. He was a prophet that was given certain parameters to identify the Messiah (the Saviour), no other prophet before him had such clarity about God's salvation plan. He identified with his eyes the person that would carry out the salvation plan and he told Israel. That was his mission and destiny.

Now let's go back to our main text...

"Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist..."
So why did Jesus say this? He said this because of the revelation of God's salvation plan that John the Baptist had. John did not just prophesy about Jesus, he said "this is Jesus oh!" Hallelujah! John was greater than all men born before him because he identified the Lamb of God - Jesus.

"...notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Question: Who are those in the kingdom of heaven?

Philippians. 3:20 "for our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven".
Ephesians. 2:19 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but felowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God".

These letters were written to believers in Christ Jesus. Every believer is in (or belongs to) the kingdom of heaven.

Next question: In what way is the believer greater than John the Baptist?
The believer is greater than John the Baptist in the revelation of God's salvation plan in His son. The believer has more revelation of the Son of God than John did. In-fact, the believer is the result of God's salvation plan. The believer is in vital fellowship with God, he is God's son just like Jesus. Every believer has the revelation of God.
Look at Hebrews.8:10-11
"For this is the covenant I will make.... And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST"
Take note of "from the least".... Jesus said "he that is least... is greater than he". The greatness Jesus talked about is purely a function of revelation knowledge.

The following are some present day facts about the believer

• he is a son of God just like Jesus. (1 John.3:1-2 "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.... Beloved, now are we the sons of God". Hebrews. 2:9-10 "But we see Jesus.... that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.... in bringing many sons unto glory").
• the Spirit of God lives in him. (1 Corinthians.6:19 "know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit").
• he has access to God - the Father. (Ephesians. 2:18 "for through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father").
• he belongs to God. (1 Corinthians.6:20 "..ye are bought with a price"). among many others.

In conclusion, the believer is greater than John the Baptist because his vital union with God-the Father made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus, affords him the privilege of revelation; A revelation that has come because of fellowship, He is in the family of God.

"he that is the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he(John the Baptist)"

Glory to God!
Let me know if you learnt from this.