WHY WAS THERE NO HUMAN GREATER THAN JOHN?

According to the Bible no human was greater than John the Baptist until Jesus came. After that the least in the kingdom of Heaven was greater than John the Baptist.

 

Matthew 11:10-13 NKJV

For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'

““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.

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

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

 

Jesus was also born from a woman, but was born 6 months after John the Baptist. He was man, but also God; no one is greater than the Father.

 

John 10:29 NKJV

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

 

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while he was still in his mother’s womb. Many reckon that there was 430 years of silence after Malachi and then John the Baptist was born. John was the only prophet that prophesied and saw the coming of the Messiah. He was compared to the prophet Elijah.

 

Luke 1:15-17 NKJV

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. [17] He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

 

Isaiah and Malachi prophesied that John would come.

 

Isaiah 40:3 NKJV

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

 

Malachi 3:1 NKJV

"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, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts.

 

John was humble and didn’t see himself worthy of baptizing Jesus.

 

Matthew 3:1-6,11-12 NKJV

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, [2] and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" [3] For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" [4] Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. [5] Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him [6] and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

[11] I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

 

John the Baptist didn’t do signs and miracles, but he anounced Jesus as the Son of God.

 

John 1:35-36 NKJV

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. [36] And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"

 

“And He (Jesus) went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” And many believed in Him there.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭40‬-‭42‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

In Luke 3 (v1-20) we can see that John the Baptist was straight and stern when he preached. He even rebuked King Herod Antipas (son of Herod the great) and was imprisoned and later beheaded. [Herod divorced his wife and married Herodias, his half-brother Philip’s now-divorced ex- wife.]

 

Luke 3:18-20 NKJV

And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. [19] But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, [20] also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

 

Matthew 14:6-8 NKJV

But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. [7] Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. [8] So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."

 

John received Holy Spirit before he was born. He lived in isolation in the desert and knew the Father. He recognized Jesus as the Son of God before anyone else. He warned the people to repent since the kingdom of God was near. He baptized Jesus and within 3 years he died. He didn’t walk with Jesus like the disciples. He didn’t see Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection or the Holy Spirit being poured out. He never did miracles or the greater works therefore the least in the kingdom could be greater than John.