Matthew 11:11

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.

a. NLT: “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!

b. NIV: Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: Verily I say to you, there hath not risen, among those born of women, a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the reign of the heavens is greater than he.

d. Amplified Bible:  Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

e. Worrell Translation: Verily I say to you, there has not arisen, among those born of woman, a greater than John the Immerser; yet he that is least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

1. “Verily I say unto you…”

a. verily [281 * amen] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (543); properly, firm, i.e. (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it):--amen, verily.]

b. I say [3004 * lego] [Strong: a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

1. to you [5213 * humin] [Strong: irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]

2. “…Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist…”

a. among [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

b. them that are born [1084 * gennetos] [Strong:  from 1080; born:--they that are born.]

c. of women [1135 * gune] [Strong: probably from the base of 1096; a woman; specially, a wife:--wife, woman.]

d. there hath not [3756 * ou] [Strong: also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

e. arisen [1453 * egeiro] [Strong: probably akin to the base of 58 (through the idea of collecting one's faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):--awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-)rise (again, up), stand, take up.]

f. a greater than [3187 * meizon] [Strong: irregular comparative of 3173; larger (literally or figuratively, specially, in age):--elder, greater(-est), more.]

g. John [2491 * Ioannes] [Strong: of Hebrew origin (3110); Joannes (i.e. Jochanan), the name of four Israelites:--John.]

h. the Baptist [910 * Baptistes] [Strong: from 907; a baptizer, as an epithet of Christ's forerunner:--Baptist.]

1). Jesus is saying quite a mouthful here about John and it was because of John’s calling, his ministry of being the forerunner of the Messiah. Jesus said John was “more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:9). For clarity we need to look again what the Greek word for “more” means.  Saints, that includes Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jonah, all of them.

a). more [4055 * perissoteros] [Strong: comparative of 4053; more superabundant (in number, degree or character):--more abundant, greater (much) more, overmuch.] [Zodhiates: more abundant, greater, more.] [Thayer: exceeding some number or measure or rank or need, over and above, more than is necessary, superadded, exceeding abundantly, supremely, something further, more, much more than all, more plainly, superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon, pre-eminence, superiority, advantage, more eminent, more remarkable, more excellent.]

2). John’s rank as a prophet surpassed all the other prophets. Within Christianity scholars speak of the major and minor prophets. Well here, Jesus is saying John was “the” major prophet. He never wrote a book or did a miracle, yet Jesus said that, because of his ministry as forerunner of the Messiah, he was the greatest prophet.

2. “…notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

a. notwithstanding [1161 * de] [Strong: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. he that is least [3398 * mikros] [Strong: including the comparative mikroteros mik-rot'-er-os apparently a primary word; small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity):--least, less, little, small.]

c. in [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

d. the kingdom [932 * basileia] [Strong: from 935; properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively):--kingdom, + reign.]

e. heaven [3772 * ouranos] [Strong: perhaps from the same as 3735 (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity):--air, heaven(-ly), sky.]

1). The phrase “kingdom of heaven” is a term referring to the Church age, i.e., the time period between the ascension of Jesus to heaven and the second coming of Christ. As such, Jesus is referring to the New Covenant believers.

f. is [2076 * esti] [Strong: third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

g. greater than [3187 * meizon] [Strong: irregular comparative of 3173; larger (literally or figuratively, specially, in age):--elder, greater(-est), more.]

h. he [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

1). In the passage Matthew 11:9-11, Jesus is saying that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet ever. Surpassing Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, all of them. He then goes on to say in this text, “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”. What does that mean? Jesus is saying that the seemingly least significant believer in the New Covenant is greater or surpasses the greatest Old Covenant prophet. It is because we are under a much greater Covenant than they were. Many of the New Covenant benefits available to us were not available to them, beginning with the New Birth. There is so many benefits we could high light that they did not have under the Old Covenant that we have under this Covenant, but those will be highlighted under those verse. I will end the study of this vers with the inspired words of the Apostle Paul when comparing both Covenants with each other.

a). 2 Corinthians 3:7-11   But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.

b). Notice closely in 2 Corinthians 3:10 where he says that compared to the glory of the New Covenant, the Old Covenant had no glory.