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.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Inter-Trinitarian Conversation
Matt. 11:9-10 "But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10. "This is the one about whom it is written, `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Luke 7:26-27 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27. "This is the one about whom it is written, `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Jesus is the source of authority forcing the issue on this crowd to set them straight on their initial reaction to John’s ministry. He backs off the admonishment and gives them credit that is due by saying, “But why did you go way out of your way to the Jordan wilderness? To see a prophet? Yes, you are commended for this effort but the one who you came out to see is more than just a prophet.” This prophet is the very one about whom it is written by the last Old Testament prophet’s writing in scripture; the prophet Malachi. 400 years of silence are broken in prophetic history as John arrives on the scene. He is the one Malachi 3:1a describes: "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.” The richness of this passage must not be overlooked. Malachi’s words are from God the Father who is calling John the Baptist My messenger. God then is speaking to His Son, Jesus, in the words “Your face”. We zoom out to see God saying that He is sending His messenger, John the Baptist before Your face, Jesus. He, John, will prepare Your way before You. Jesus is letting this crowd in on some inter-Trinitarian conversation that has John as the object of that conversation. This passage is direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy found in 40:1-5 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!'' says your God. 2. "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.'' 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; 5. the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.''
Monday, April 03, 2006
Place of Shame
Matt. 11:8 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' palaces.
Luke 7:25 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces.
Jesus rhetorically asks another silly question, “But (well then) what did you so out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?” In retrospect we see John in Matt. 3:4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. John was the modern version of Elijah; 2Kings 1:8 And they answered him, "He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
Jesus continues to turn up the heat on this crowd by a multifaceted statement that would send their minds reeling. He says, “Behold, those who wear soft clothing live in luxury and are found in royal palaces.” The facts are, John is not dressed soft clothing but camel hair. He is not in the royal palace but in the royal prison.
The facts continue in that all Jesus has said is undisputed. John is who and what they knew to be a prophet by biblical understanding. John is in prison and the Jewish thought was that anyone imprisoned was worthy of shame; it was a shameful place to be. The words of Zechariah would now underscore their thoughts as they considered 13:4 "Also it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, and they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive.”
This fickle crowd is guilty of the same doubt common to any man that John had. Yet, John was right to come to the source of authority to remedy his doubt.
Luke 7:25 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces.
Jesus rhetorically asks another silly question, “But (well then) what did you so out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?” In retrospect we see John in Matt. 3:4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. John was the modern version of Elijah; 2Kings 1:8 And they answered him, "He was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loins." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."
Jesus continues to turn up the heat on this crowd by a multifaceted statement that would send their minds reeling. He says, “Behold, those who wear soft clothing live in luxury and are found in royal palaces.” The facts are, John is not dressed soft clothing but camel hair. He is not in the royal palace but in the royal prison.
The facts continue in that all Jesus has said is undisputed. John is who and what they knew to be a prophet by biblical understanding. John is in prison and the Jewish thought was that anyone imprisoned was worthy of shame; it was a shameful place to be. The words of Zechariah would now underscore their thoughts as they considered 13:4 "Also it will come about in that day that the prophets will each be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, and they will not put on a hairy robe in order to deceive.”
This fickle crowd is guilty of the same doubt common to any man that John had. Yet, John was right to come to the source of authority to remedy his doubt.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
A Reed in the Wind?
Matt. 11:7a. And as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about John,
Luke 7:24a. And when the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the multitudes about John,
After addressing John’s messengers and sending them on their way to report back to him, Jesus tender rebuke of John has grasped the multitudes attention. Herein is a clash of monumental observation; John and Jesus at odds with one another? Jesus now turns His attention toward the multitudes and begins to speak to them about John.
Matt 11:7b. "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
Luke 7:24b. "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
We saw Jesus tenderly rebuke John for his doubt but Jesus is not so tender as he admonishes the multitudes who would elevate themselves over John and would readily agree that shame was due John for his doubt. Jesus now sets the story straight about John’s integrity.
In an air of sarcasm Jesus says, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?” At the beginning of public ministry we are told, Mark 1:5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. It would be a day’s journey from Jerusalem to get where John was ministering. Jesus is speaking in Galilee which is even longer in distance.
Reeds were common vegetation around the Jordan River and would be natural to the landscape. If John was not there the reeds would be. Jesus point is that people do not intentionally venture to the Jordan River on long escapades to see a reed shaken by the wind.
Luke 7:24a. And when the messengers of John had left, He began to speak to the multitudes about John,
After addressing John’s messengers and sending them on their way to report back to him, Jesus tender rebuke of John has grasped the multitudes attention. Herein is a clash of monumental observation; John and Jesus at odds with one another? Jesus now turns His attention toward the multitudes and begins to speak to them about John.
Matt 11:7b. "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
Luke 7:24b. "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
We saw Jesus tenderly rebuke John for his doubt but Jesus is not so tender as he admonishes the multitudes who would elevate themselves over John and would readily agree that shame was due John for his doubt. Jesus now sets the story straight about John’s integrity.
In an air of sarcasm Jesus says, “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?” At the beginning of public ministry we are told, Mark 1:5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. It would be a day’s journey from Jerusalem to get where John was ministering. Jesus is speaking in Galilee which is even longer in distance.
Reeds were common vegetation around the Jordan River and would be natural to the landscape. If John was not there the reeds would be. Jesus point is that people do not intentionally venture to the Jordan River on long escapades to see a reed shaken by the wind.
