Matthew 11:7-15

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing ? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ ¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, 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. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Commentary

Vs. 7-8 ⁷ As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

The Lord Jesus having answered John the Baptists disciples about Himself, now turns to the crowds and says to them, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?”

“A reed shaken by the wind?” the implication being that if the people thought John was just another person claiming to be someone or something and yet when faced with opposition or persecution or possible arrest would quickly vacillate and change his tone or message they were wrong.

“A man clothed in soft garments?” John the Baptist was not a worldly preacher, he was not a man who made himself rich by declaring his message. If the crowds wanted to see a well set and cultured preacher John was not their man.

 Vs. 9-10 ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰   For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’

The Lord Jesus knowing that there were those who only went out to see John the Baptist in the wilderness preaching and baptizing because they wanted to see a real-life prophet now emphases that going to see John the Baptist’s person in action was not the point of John’s preaching. For though John was a prophet of God, he was more than a prophet, “For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ The Lord Jesus Christ then in declaring John the Baptist to be the Messenger who was sent before His face is citing Malachi 3:1 a passage which declared the coming of God’s Messenger to announce the Messiah (or Christ) to Israel before His arrival to them. And so in declaring John the Baptist to be such the Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear that John the Baptist was God’s Messenger sent before Him, to prepare the people of Israel to receive their (and our) Lord and Savior and King.

Vs. 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, 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.”

Since God sent John as His Messenger to declare the Lord’s having come to Israel, there is among those born of women no one risen who is greater than John the Baptist; but not because of John’s person; but only because of God bestowing on John the greatest honor and privilege that any mortal can have, and that is being chosen by Him to declare and reveal His Son. Now as fortunate as John was, the Lord Jesus Christ also says, “but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Greater because all of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have not only been chosen by God to be His elect children, but we have also been sanctified and justified and purified by Lord Jesus Christ’s Person, and thus we will forever dwell in and with God the Father in the Kingdom of heaven! Something which John the Baptist at that time had not yet experienced. Therefore, truly even the least of the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he, for to be in the Kingdom of heaven is the absolute highest and greatest honor and privilege of all!

Vs. 12-15 ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

From it’s very inception here on earth, when it was first heralded by John the Baptist right up until the Lord Jesus Christ’s return, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and will continue to suffer violence because the violent take it (not enter it) by force. And so, from the Scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees along with all the Temple authorities, to Herod and his disciples, to the Jews themselves, and then the Roman Empire, to now the unbelieving world, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, for as the Word of God declares it will suffer violence until the Lord’s return, just as the violent take it force. On large scale think the later “holy Roman Empire” which failing to destroy it from outside, took it by force and corrupted it within. Nonetheless the Kingdom of heaven will prevail (see Rev. 17:1-18, vs.6; 18:1-8, 21-24, 19:1-16 etc.).

“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

The reason all the prophets and the law prophesied until John is because John the Baptist was God’s Messenger sent before the face of His Son to herald the Lord Jesus Christ’s coming to Israel, and thus with the Lord Jesus Christ the Kingdom of heaven in fulfilment of the law and prophets has now come, and now is to be preached, for it is through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone that one enters the Kingdom of heaven by faith in His Person.  

 “And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Now Malachi the prophet also declared that before the Christ’s coming to Israel Elijah the prophet would be sent to them (Malachi 4:5-6). Now the Malachi passage is also an ominous passage, because attached with it is the warning of the dreadful Day of the Lord, which is a Day of judgment. Therefore, Jesus is declaring that John the Baptist is Elijah who is to come is warning them all that failure to believe John, and thus receive Jesus as their Messiah and King, is a failure that would result in that generations own judgment.

Scripture Quotations

The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.