Wednesday, April 05, 2006
No Greater Man
Matt. 11:11 "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Luke 7:28 "I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
With this view in mind and a duly admonished crowd amazed and dumbfounded, they are anxious to hear His next sentence. His statement slams the door on any thoughts about John’s defectiveness. Jesus boldly proclaims, "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” (It is important to understand that the word arisen – egeiro – means to appear on the stage in history.) This is because of the close relationship that John had with Jesus and the active role he had in preparing Jesus way to make the kingdom known and appropriated. All this activity was done in the physical realm but beyond the physical there awaits a place incomparable with anything man has or will experience.
As close as John was to Jesus in the physical world, it pales in comparison to the close relationship that the least individual in the spiritual kingdom of heaven/God will have with Jesus. In this sense, the least in the future kingdom is greater than John the Baptist in his earthly mission. As great as John’s mission was it served in the realm of the temporal. Eternity awaits us all; in the bliss of heavenly worship of the Almighty, or Hell’s eternal torment.
Luke 7:28 "I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
With this view in mind and a duly admonished crowd amazed and dumbfounded, they are anxious to hear His next sentence. His statement slams the door on any thoughts about John’s defectiveness. Jesus boldly proclaims, "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” (It is important to understand that the word arisen – egeiro – means to appear on the stage in history.) This is because of the close relationship that John had with Jesus and the active role he had in preparing Jesus way to make the kingdom known and appropriated. All this activity was done in the physical realm but beyond the physical there awaits a place incomparable with anything man has or will experience.
As close as John was to Jesus in the physical world, it pales in comparison to the close relationship that the least individual in the spiritual kingdom of heaven/God will have with Jesus. In this sense, the least in the future kingdom is greater than John the Baptist in his earthly mission. As great as John’s mission was it served in the realm of the temporal. Eternity awaits us all; in the bliss of heavenly worship of the Almighty, or Hell’s eternal torment.
# posted by Castusfumus : 6:54 PM
