Matthew 11:1-15, A True Prophet

 John asked Jesus an important question: Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?  Jesus gave two answers to the question.  First, he spoke directly to John through his disciples.  Tell John the things which you hear and see, by which Jesus referred to the miracles as well as to the preaching of the gospel to the poor.  And, of course, He encouraged John to stand firm, announcing the blessing on those who would not stumble over the stumbling block. 

Second, Jesus spoke to the crowd as John’s disciples departed.  He spoke to them about John.  Jesus did not say these things for John to hear because his disciples were departing.  He said these things about John as an encouragement to the crowd of Jews.

Jesus began by honoring John.  He was not some “softie” and the crowd knew it (v7-8).  Rather, John was a true prophet (v9-10).  He was the “forerunner” mentioned in Isaiah, the one who would precede the Messiah.  And the crown also knew this!  They accepted John as a prophet. 

Jesus then made a significant statement, one that would bring Him to what the crowd needed to hear.  Jesus said, Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  John was the greatest of the OT prophets because he actually saw the Christ that the rest of the prophets had predicted.  But on the other hand, believers after the cross know Christ in a way which John did not know. 

·        John saw the shadow.  After the cross Christ was known as risen Lord and Savior. 

·        John ministered under the old covenant; those in the kingdom of heaven know Christ under the new covenant. 

·        John looked forward to and hoped for sin’s provision; those after the cross look back and believe in Christ’s provision. 

·        As Heb. 11:39-40 indicates, John did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. 

We will delve into the matter of taking the kingdom by force in the next post.  For now, however, note that Jesus indicates this is a critical point in His ministry and in the response of the crowd.  He tells the crowd that they can, if the are willing, receive John as Elijah who is to come.  This refers, of course, to the closing words of the OT in Malachi 4:4-6.  Malachi predicted that Elijah would come before the Messiah comes to establish His kingdom.  This can be that time for those listening to His words.  Thus, Jesus beckons the crowd: He who has ears to hear, let him hear.