Oct 23
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Old Testament Reading: Malachi 3:1–5
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1–5, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 7:24-30
“When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’ (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)” (Luke 7:24–30, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
The passage that is before us today is rather straightforward. Here we learn that Jesus testified concerning the goodness and greatness of John the Baptist. So, just as John the Baptist was faithful to testify concerning Jesus as the Messiah, so too Jesus was faithful to testify concerning John, that he was indeed the great prophet who prepared the way for the Messiah. As I said, the text is rather straightforward and simple, and yet I think there is a lot to glean from it if we would only slow down enough to reflect upon what it says.
Friends, you and I are living a long time after the Messiah has come to accomplish salvation and to inaugurate the New Covenant. We have the Holy Scriptures – the Old Testament and the New. And we also benefit from nearly 2,000 years of church history wherein men and women have reflected on the Scriptures, the Christ who is revealed within and have written great works of theology. I think it is important for us to remember the uniqueness of the time in which we live. We live under the New Covenant. We live a long time after Jesus the Messiah has come to accomplish our redemption. It is especially important for us to remember these things when we consider passages like the one that is before us today. Luke 7:24-30 tells us about things that happened as Jesus Christ was just beginning his earthly ministry. Men and women were just beginning to recognize him as the Messiah, therefore. What exactly he would be, and what exactly he would do to bring salvation to his people, was still a mystery to them.
The word “mystery” is very important. It is a word that is used often in the Bible, especially in the writings of Paul. Particularly in Ephesians and Colossians, Paul uses the word “mystery” to describe the information that people had about the Messiah before he lived, died, and rose again (see, for example, Ephesians 3:8-11). Did people know about the Messiah before he was born? Yes. Did they know that he would accomplish salvation? Yes. Did some place their faith in him for the forgiveness of their sins and life everlasting? Yes. Abraham, for example, “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:3, ESV). And there were many others who had the faith of Abraham and were saved. But what did those who lived prior to the coming of Christ believe in? They believed in God’s Word. They trusted in the promises of God concerning the Messiah who was to come. They believed in God’s promise that redemption would someday be accomplished, that sins would someday be atoned for, and that Satan, sin, and death would someday be overthrown and defeated. But who the Messiah would be, when he would come, what he would be like, and how exactly he would accomplish our redemption, was mysterious to them. Some who lived prior to the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ received light from God concerning the coming Messiah, but the light was very dim when compared to the light that we enjoy now that Christ has come.
In fact, we know what it is like to believe in truths cloaked in mystery. I’m thinking here of what the Scriptures say regarding the return of Christ. Do we know that Christ will return? Yes. Do we know that he will judge? Yes. Do we know that he will bring his people into the new creation? Yes. But many of the details remain a mystery. When will Christ return? What exactly will he and we be like? What will be the glory of the new creation? It is hard to say, exactly. But we will know when it happens. Until then, we trust in Christ and in the promises of God’s Word. And I am saying that something very similar was experienced by the people of God concerning their knowledge of the Messiah prior to his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. They knew he would come. They understood some things about who he would be and what he would do. They knew enough to place their faith in him! But the picture they had of him was not nearly as clear as the one that we have, now that he has come.
So why am I reminding you of these things in the introduction to this sermon on Luke 7:24-30? Well, so we might recognize that the events and sayings recorded here took place during a time of great transition. There have been a few great transitions that have taken place in human history. Man’s fall into sin was a great transitional moment. The global flood in the days of Noah was a great transitional moment. By it, the world that once was was separated from the world that now is (2 Peter 3:6-7). Israel’s redemption from Egyptian bondage was a transitional moment. For then the kingdom of God was pictured (or prefigured) on earth for the first time. The greatest of all transitions is still in our future. It will happen when Christ returns to usher in a new heaven and new earth. Then, the first heaven and earth – the one in which we now live – will pass away, and the new will come (Revelation 21). But of course, the new creation that will be brought into existence at Christ’s second coming was earned and inaugurated (or begun) at his first coming. And that is what we are now considering in Luke’s gospel – Christ’s first coming. The period of time that Luke records for us was a time of great transition, for in those days the Christ, who was promised by God from long ago, was coming into the world to accomplish salvation for God’s elect, to inaugurate (or begin) the kingdom of God on earth, and to begin a new creation.
In those days, Christ was coming into the world. I say, “was coming” to stress that his first coming was progressive. The eternal Son of God became incarnate by being conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was born. He grew in wisdom and stature. At about the age of 30, John the Baptist introduced him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father, and, after about three years, he was unjustly crucified. He died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. After showing himself to be alive for 40 days, he ascended to the right hand of the Father, from wince he will return. His first coming was progressive – it was a process that lasted about 33 years. The progressive nature of Christ’s first coming can be compared to the redemption that was worked for Isarel from Egyptian bondage through Moses. That act of redemption was also progressive. It began with the birth and calling of Moses and culminated in the outpouring of ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. That act of redemption was a picture or type of the greater act of redemption that Christ has worked. The two acts share this in common – they were both progressive. Friends, Christ’s second coming will not be progressive. It will happen in a moment and without warning. Christ’s second coming can be compared to the judgment of the flood that came upon the earth in the days of Noah. In fact, Jesus is the one who makes this comparison in Matthew 24:38, saying, “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:38–39, ESV). When Christ came into the world the first time, he came to accomplish our salvation. And like the redemption worked through Moses, he redeemed us progressively through his whole life. When Christ comes into the world again, it will be for judgment and for consummation. There will be nothing progressive about his second coming. No, he will come like a thief in the night.
With all of that as an introduction, let us dive into our text for today being mindful of the fact that was a time of great transition. In these days, the Christ was coming to the world to accomplish redemption for all whom the Father had given to him in eternity. John the Baptist had faithfully testified concerning Jesus. He told everyone he could that Jesus was the Messiah and urged them to turn from their sins and follow him. Now John is in prison. And here in our text for today, Jesus testifies concerning him – his goodness and his greatness.
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Jesus Declared John The Baptist To Be The Greatest Of The Old Testament Prophets
First, in verses 24-28, Jesus declares that John the Baptist is the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.
In verse 24 we read, “When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John…” He did this because the people likely had questions concerning John. Not long before this great masses of people were going out into the wilderness to listen to John’s teaching and to be baptized by him. The people regarded him as a prophet. Some wondered if he was the Messiah. He insisted he was not, but that Jesus was. And now John was in prison. I’m sure many wondered what to make of John. They wondered how they were to interpret this change of events. Some slandered him, I’m sure. And so Jesus spoke up to defend him.
He said, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John.”
When Jesus asked, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?”, he was asserting that John was not a person who was easily shaken. A reed is easily shaken. A soft breeze will make it quiver. The obvious answer to the question, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?”, was, of course not. The multitudes did not flock to John because he was a man easily shaken. Instead, they flocked to him because he was a man of substance, resolve, and strong faith.
When Jesus said, “What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts”, he was asserting that John was not the kind of person who would compromise when faced with hardships. John had already decided to separate himself from the world and to forsake the pleasures of this world. He lived in the wilderness, wore rough clothing, ate locust and wild honey, and devoted himself to fasting and prayer. John had already forsaken the world for the sake of Christ. He would not compromise when threatened with discomfort or death. He would not be tempted by the pleasantries of this life, for he had already died to them.
So, the answer to the first two questions posed by Jesus was “no”. But the answer to the third question, was “yes”. “What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.” Jesus declared John to be a prophet – a prophet like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. When he declared him to be more than a prophet, he meant that he was a prophet like no other, for he was a prophet about whom other prophets had prophesied. Jesus then quoted from the prophet Malachi 3:1, saying, “This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’” John was more than an ordinary prophet. He was the prophet who was blessed to prepare the way for the immediate arrival of the Messiah, Christ the Lord.
Jesus then made this remarkable comment: “I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John.” He is to be regarded as the greatest of all the prophets and people who had ever lived up until then.
A question we should ask is, what made John the Baptist so great? The answer is that it was Christ who made him great. By the grace of God, John was born to be the one who prepared the way for Christ. By the grace of God, John was given the gift of faith to know that Jesus was the Christ. By the grace of God, John forsook all of the pleasures of this world and even life itself to be the forerunner for Christ. And by the grace of God, John was uniquely blessed to say the words, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV). The prophets who had lived before John were blessed to speak of Christ, but they spoke of him from a distance. John was blessed to see him with his own, to touch him with his own hands, to baptize him with water, to witness with his own eyes his anointing with the Holy Spirit, to hear with his own ears the declaration of the Father, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22, ESV), and to point with his own hand while uttering the words, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, ESV). By the grace of God, John was a great man who was strong in faith, hope, and love, but it was his proximity to Jesus that set him apart as truly great. He was a prophet. But he was more than a prophet. He was the prophet who was blessed to minister at this time of great transition to announce that the Messiah was coming into the world to finally accomplish our redemption in fulfillment of the promises of God previously made.
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Jesus Declared That John The Baptist Was Lower Than The Least In The Kingdom Of God
That this is what made John the greatest of all the prophets of Old – his proximity to Christ – is made clear by what Jesus says next. Look at the end of verse 28. There Jesus adds, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
This is a mysterious saying, wouldn’t you agree?
And yes, I am intentionally playing off of the word mystery as it was used earlier in this sermon, for I do believe that the key to understanding the meaning of this saying of Jesus is to interpret it in light of the doctrine of the mystery of Christ once concealed but now revealed.
What does Jesus mean by the words, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” You should know that there are many interpretations found within the commentary tradition. Some think that Jesus is speaking of the angels – the least of the angels is greater than John. Though true, I doubt that this is the meaning. Some think that Jesus is speaking of those who have died and gone to glory. The least in paradise are greater than John who is on earth. Though this is, in a way, also true, I doubt it is the meaning.
Instead, to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than [John]”, we must remember that both John the Baptist and Jesus preached that the kingdom of God (or of heaven) was at hand. According to Luke 1:33, Jesus was born to establish an eternal kingdom. According to Matthew 3:1-2, “John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’”. In Luke 4:43 we were told that Jesus went about preaching the “good news of the kingdom of God” (Luke 4:43, ESV). And in Luke 6:20 we hear the words of Christ as he came down from the mountain with his disciples to preach in that level place: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”
So, the kingdom of God (or of heaven) of which John the Baptist and Christ spoke not confined to heaven, but is present on earth. And it was not present on earth before Christ came, but was at hand in the days of John and Jesus’ earthly ministry. In other words, it was very near. Clearly, the arrival of this kingdom was associated with the arrival of the Messiah, for Jesus is the King of this eternal kingdom.
When Jesus said that none was greater than John the Baptist, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”, he was not comparing John with the angels in heaven or with the saints who had died and were in paradise. No, Jesus was comparing the greatness of John, who lived and would die before the death, burial, and, resurrection of Christ, with the far surpassing greatness of those with faith in Christ who would live after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
You see, this is a comparison between the Old Covanant and the New, the kingdom of God prefigured within Isarel and the Kingdom present in power in the church of Jesus Christ. The comparison is not a vertical one, comparing John on earth with the angels in heaven, but a horizontal, redemptive-historical one.
When Jesus said, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”, he meant that the lowliest disciple of his who lives after his death and resurrection will experience something greater than what John the Baptist ever experienced on earth, namely life in his inaugurated kingdom. Though it is true that none who lived up till then was greater than John, it is also true that John would never experience life in the inaugurated kingdom of God on earth. He preached about the arrival of the kingdom – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, he said – but he would die before it was present with power. In this way, John the Baptist was like Moses. Moses prepared the people to enter the promised land where the kingdom of God would be prefigured on earth, but he himself never entered in.
When did the kingdom of God come to be present on earth with power?
It was after Christ lived a life of perfect obedience to God the Father as the second and greater Adam. It was after he suffered and died in the place of those given to him by the Father in eternity, to bear the wrath of God in their place, and to atone for their sins. It was after Christ died and was raised, thus defeating sin, Satan, and death. And it was after he ascended to the Father’s right hand to sit down on the throne of his eternal kingdom. You see, it was through the suffering of the cross and the victory of resurrection that Christ bound Satan so that he could no longer deceive the nations. He bound Satan so that he could plunder his house. The nations belong to Christ the King! They will be held captive in idolatry and in bondage to the evil one no longer, for Christ is risen. Satan has been cast down and bound, and Christ has ascended to his rightful throne. He has opened up the way in the very presence of God for his people. He has set the captives free. And he has poured out the Holy Spirit on all flesh. Indeed, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. Disciples will be made nations. These will baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, thus marking their entrance into Christ’s eternal Kingdom. These will be taught to observe all that Christ has commanded. And behold, he will be with us, to the end of the age. Then his kingdom, which is now here in part, will be here in full (see Matthew 28:18–20).
John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets of Old given his proximity to Christ. More light was given to him than was given to all who preceded him. But he still lived in the age of darkness and mystery. Though he knew that Christ was “the one who is to come”, he still did not know what exactly he would do to accomplish our redemption or what the result would be.
After Christ died, rose again, and ascended, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Peter, and Paul– indeed all who have heard of Christ, his finished work, and have believed in his name – have received a revelation that is much greater and brighter than the revelation that John, the greatest of the prophets of Old, had received. By God’s grace, John walked confidently in an age of relative darkness by the light of the full moon. He could see Christ clearly so as to believe in him and proclaim him. But those who have heard the good news of Jesus Christ after his death, resurrection, and ascension walk in the light of the noontime sun. One needs only to compare the writings of Paul the Apostle with the writings of all of the prophets of Old, to observe the difference that the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ has made.
The revelation we have received now that Christ has risen is much greater, and so too is our experience. What should I say about this? I could go on for a long time. Our redemption has been accomplished. We are united to Christ by faith. The way into the presence of God has been opened up through Christ’s mediation. We are invited to come boldly before the throne of grace, therefore! We have been set free from the rigor and curse of the law. We have a sympathetic high priest who intercedes for us uninterrupted by fatigue, sickness, or death. And Satan, our advisory, has been bound. That is what passages such as Matthew 12:29, Matk 3:27, and Revelation 20:1-3 so clearly teach. People may wonder what it means for Satan to have been at Christ’s first coming when he is so clearly active in this world. He is bound so that Christ may plunder his house. He is bound so that he cannot deceive the nations any long. He is bound so that disciples of Jesus can be made of all nations! Think of how the nations were bound in the darkness of idolatry prior to the resurrection and ascension of Christ. And think of the progress that the kingdom of God has made! The gospel of the kingdom has gone to the ends of the earth! This is the result of Christ’s victory, the binding of the strongman, and the pouring out of the Spirit of God on all flesh.
I hope you have a better understanding of what Christ meant when, after declaring John to be the greatest of the prophets of Old, then said, “Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” The insights into the mystery of Christ are greater. The benefits that we have received are greater. Why? Because Christ, his Kingdom, and the Covenant he mediators are greater than all that came before.
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Some Of The People Received John, And Therefore, Jesus – Others Rejected Them Both
The last observation I have is that in those days some of the people received John and therefore, Jesus, whereas others rejected them both.
Look at verse 29: “When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.” (Luke 7:29–30, ESV)
To reject the testimony of John was to reject the Messiah, for John testified concerning the Messiah. And the same can be said for the prophets of Old. To reject them was to reject the Lord, for these prophets spoke God’s word to the people.
We should remember the history of Israel, and how often the true prophets of God were mistreated while the false prophets were shown honor. Christ made mention of this in his sermon on the plane, remember? “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets” (Luke 6:22–23, ESV). And a little later he said, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26, ESV).
We should not be surprised, therefore, that John the Baptist was imprisoned (and Christ crucified!). Nor should we be surprised that it was the “Pharisees and the lawyers” who “rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by {John]”, while it was the common people and even the tax collectors people who “declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John”. In their self-righteous pride the “Pharisees and the lawyers” rejected God purpose of salvation in Christ Jesus. But God showed mercy to sinners to draw them to faith and repentance.
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Suggestions For Application
How might we apply this text to our lives? I have two suggestions.
One, I would urge you to learn from John the Baptist and to imitate his unwavering faith, his forsaking of the pleasures of this world, and his willingness to suffer – yes, even to die – for the sake of knowing Christ. He was not reed shaken by the wind. He was tempted by soft and luxurious clothing. He was a man of strong faith and unwavering conviction, and he is to be imitated.
Two, I would urge you to think of the many blessings that are ours through faith in Christ with special attention given to the blessing of the New Covenant. It would be a great error to think that salvation was not possible under the Old Covenant, or that it was obtained in some other way than through faith in Christ alone. The Scriptures are very clear that Abraham was justified in the same way that we are – through faith in Christ alone. But it would also be a great error to think that there is no difference between the Old Covenant and the New. The New Covenant and its blessings are far superior to the Old (see Hebrews). I will not repeat all that I said earlier about the superiority of the New Covenant. I think it will suffice to encourage you to reflect upon the knowledge we have of Christ, his finished work, his victory, and his eternal reward. These truths were revealed in a dim way under the Old Covenant, now we see them clearly. Let us think often of Christ and our salvation in him. Let us draw near to him. And let us rejoice.
