23 - Matthew 11:11

’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.’ -Matthew 11:11. The popularity of John was apparently declining. Of the multitudes who had once gone to the wilderness to see and hear him, few now occupied themselves about him. They had expected more from his ministry. There was something about him that impressed and stimulated their imaginations. In fearlessness, devotion, and self-denial, he seemed to them another Elijah. They remembered how Elijah had singly met all the prophets of Baal and all the host of the idolatrous king, and in the name of Jehovah had triumphed over them all. Their country was now subject to an idolatrous power; the engrossing thought among all classes was: Who shall deliver us from the hateful rule of these Gentiles? John the Baptist bore the unmistakable stamp of a prophet of the most high God; what more likely than that God had raised him up for the very purpose of breaking this detested yoke? Evidently, he had all the qualities needed to inspire confidence, and lead to victory the sacramental host of God. But when his influence is at its height, he suddenly but quietly vacates it. He makes way for another; and who is that other? Jesus of Nazareth, whose voice is not heard in the streets, who is no agitator, whose manifest aim is simply to deliver men from their sins and teach them how to suffer. The great excitement regarding John the Baptist passes away. Little hope now of national enfranchisement from him; is he not Herod’s captive? And what is this he is now doing? Sending to Jesus to know if he is indeed the coming One, or only another forerunner.

Perhaps even the disciples would have judged this not the fittest moment for an eulogium on John: would have rather judged some reproof of his vacillating thoughts to be demanded. But the magnanimity of Christ rises above this. That the course pursued by Jesus should appear strange to John was natural enough; John shows his entire deference to Christ by submitting his perplexity to him; let Christ speak, this shall suffice. Happy are they who bring their doubts and their perplexities to Christ. Unto such he says: To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. He gives to the messengers of John just the evidences that he gave to everybody else; some works that God has designedly left unfinished, and which all the universe were challenged to finish and could not, Christ, with his creative fiat, finished; the blind saw, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the dead lived.

Both the disciples and the multitude expected of Jesus that he should now say something about their late idol John the Baptist. Our Lord speaks first of the altered state of the people’s minds regarding him. Was there any reason for this? Had John changed? His circumstances were changed, but he was faithful to the mission which he had received. If they had been disappointed in him, it was because of their erroneous expectations. The inconstancy was theirs, not his. He was a man of unbending integrity, no reed shaken with the wind; he was a man of self-denial, not to be won from the path of duty by the offers of a king, not a lover of soft raiment; there is then nothing wonderful in the fact that he should be in a dungeon. Had he been of a more pliant temper, had he been more selfish in his aims, his popularity would probably have remained. Is he a prophet? More than a prophet; in fact, a greater hath not risen among those born of women than John.

He is Elijah; he is more than Elijah; more than Moses; more than Isaiah. What constitutes the dignity of a prophet? That he is brought near to God, and commissioned to reveal God. But surely Moses and Isaiah were brought near to God. Yes, but John came nearer. If the Lord seen by Isaiah high and lifted up, and compassed by adoring seraphim, had left the throne, descending its steps in the form of man, and hand in hand with Isaiah, without seraphim or visible glory, had gone to Isaiah’s house to dwell with him, that would have been a more wonderful manifestation. To know God in Christ is the highest of all privileges accorded to man; and this privilege was preeminently that of John, among all the prophets of the old dispensation. "Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exerciseth loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight."

Men imagine that the great Temple of Fame which they have reared is destined to stand for ever. Have not all ages and all nations been associated in the construction of it? Have not the wisest and most cultivated of all times constituted a never-ceasing assembly to determine who shall have statues and altars and tablets in this sublime temple? All around the bases of these statues and these obelisks are there not piled the reverent testimonies of successive ages? Is there not a power in the glance of the very statues sufficient to dishearten any who should dare to lift his voice for their overthrow? The whole human family, the accumulated authority of all mankind, all majesty, and honour and glory of this world, watch about the enshrined and glorified of this Temple, and strike terror to the heart that would reverse the judgments of all time. So think the worshippers of this world’s heroes. But the still small voice that came from the lips of Jesus eighteen centuries ago is destined to shake to pieces this Temple of Fame, and to cast from their pride of place all these statues. "Among them that are born of women a greater hath not risen than John the Baptist." And if any should propose a statue to John, John himself says: "He must increase, but I must decrease; he that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoes." "Thou alone art worthy to receive glory, honour, and power; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of all nations and kindreds, and tribes, and tongues."