Luke 7:24-28 24And when John’s messengers had gone away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25But then what 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. 26But what then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27This is the one of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28I say to you, among those born of women none is greater than John. But the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Through a series of rhetorical questions, Jesus helps those gathered around him to realize the significance of John’s ministry in the revelation of God’s kingdom. We can assume that Jesus’ disciples and a crowd were gathered around him at this time. The key question is repeated three times: what did you go out to see? Many of these people had heard about John’s ministry and likely his arrest by Herod, which would have been the “big news” of the day among the devoted and pious people. The same people who sought out John also looked to Jesus.
The first two questions have the assumed answer, No, that is not what people went out to see. The first question appeals to the imagination of grass reed growing out in the wilderness around the Jordan river, which would have been a common sight. The wilderness was where John did his ministry. People did go out to see John, but they did not find a flexible reed blowing in every direction by the wind. John was firm in his convictions, and his message called people to account. The second question also refers to what people saw about how John dressed. Although it is not mentioned here, likely everyone knew John dressed in lowly desert garb of camels skins. He looked very much like a desert dweller who lived off the land. There was nothing appealing about how he dressed.
The third question stands out because it has an affirmative answer, which Jesus provides. What people really sought out about John was his prophetic word. He spoke the powerful truth of God’s word to the people. The truth is appealing to those who genuinely seek it. But then Jesus goes beyond the obvious to the significant and connects John’s ministry to his own. Jesus quotes the prophecy in Malachi 3:1 with the assumption that John fulfilled it. Jesus clearly connects the my messenger of this passage to John. The assumption, then, is that your face and you of the Malachi passage refers to Jesus, since John came in preparation of the coming messianic kingdom. The Malachi prophecy clearly connects John’s ministry and Jesus.
Verse 28 is not so much a boast about John, as is typically interpreted, but a statement about Jesus and the kingdom. John was the greatest human born because of his position in history as the forerunner of the Messiah. What made his special was the message he proclaimed and how he prepared people’s hearts to hear the kingdom through Jesus’ preaching. The statement should not be taken to exclude Jesus as having been born of a woman. Jesus clearly stands above John because of his miraculous birth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was human but even more so because of his divine origin. The reader is indirectly invited to remember the description of his birth from the early chapters of Luke’s Gospel.
Even though John was the greatest up to that point in time, all who believe in Jesus and become part of his kingdom will be even greater than John. Membership in God’s kingdom is the greatest goal and outcome for everyone. The invitation is wide open. Being the greatest prophet like John pales in comparison to being a disciple of Jesus. John’s ministry prepared for the kingdom but was not the kingdom. Jesus brought the kingdom and opened it to all people, even Roman centurions, the blind, lame, demon-possessed, broken, rejected, poor, and every other person who has suffered under the weight of being a son or daughter of Adam and Eve. John was the last prophet that spoke in preparation for the Messiah. From that point onward, the good news of the kingdom was available to all who would receive it.
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