Wrote Dr. J. R. Graves, in his book "Seven Dispensations," says the following upon this passage:
"There are few passages that has called out a greater diversity of opinions, or wilder ones, than this and the verse following it. To the English reader they do present insuperable difficulties. The plain statement is that no one born of woman was greater than John the Baptist. It does not say a greater prophet, as some interpret it, and if it did, it is not in any sense true, for John was not a prophet - he was "more than a prophet." The burden of the prophet's messages was the events that were
to come to pass in the future, but John was sent to announce and make manifest the King of his people. John was a preacher of righteousness, and the first apostle of the Christian Dispensation, and his preaching and ministry were the beginning of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ.
But Christ, John's Master and King, was born of a woman, and can we believe that he intended to say that John was, in any respect, greater than himself? Certainly not. So far, the way is clear. But one exception is made, an exception of either one individual or one class of persons: "Yet he that is least in the kingdom is greater than he." To whom can this refer if we accept this translation? Christ was by no means "the least" in the kingdom of heaven, but the greatest, being King over all. Nor can we believe that he intended to say that the least saint or infant that was then in Paradise was greater than John; for it could not have been the truth. Nor, that the youngest child or most ignorant publican or harlot then in the kingdom, or who would hereafter be in the kingdom, was greater than John; for this was not, and could never be, in any sense, the fact. How, then, must the declaration be understood? We must evidently refer to the original. The term, mikros, is here translated as an adjective in the superlative degree, though it has not this form in the Greek, but the comparative, and, if used as an adjective here, should be translated "less;" but this does not, in the least, remove the difficulty. To render it "least" the translators are compelled to translate the comparative degree as a superlative, and nothing is thereby gained. If it can be claimed that one degree of comparison is used for another in this place, why not as well, and far better, claim that mikros is used
adverbially, qualifying "is," and not any person or class of persons, and the more so, when the sense positively demands this construction? Admit its adjective form, but give it an adverbial signification, and it will then read: "Notwithstanding he that is later in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."
The Herald preceded the king. Christ was manifest to Israel later in point of time than John; therefore, I
under stand him to say, that while John was greater than any man who had preceded him, nevertheless,
he himself was greater than John. John, speaking of Christ, said:
"He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear."-Matt. iii. 11.
"There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down
and unloose." -Mark i. 7.
This is he of whom I said:
"He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me."-John i. 15.
"Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that
hath the bride is the bridegroom ; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth, rejoiceth
greatly because of the bridegroom's voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must
decrease. He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the
earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all."-John iii. 28-31.
This translation of mikros makes Christ speak the truth, and also makes the statements of John coincide
with those of Christ. If mikros were nowhere else in the whole range of Greek literature used adverbially, it
evidently is here. The facts compel us to so read it. Both John and Christ were therefore in the
kingdom."
Greatness may have reference to a person's age. Thus, anyone older than you is greater than you. Anyone younger than you is lesser than you. (See Job 32: 9)
Thayer says that "mikros" means:
1) small, little
1a) of size: hence of stature, of length
1b) of space
1c) of age: less by birth, younger
1d) of time: short, brief, a little while, how little!
1e) of quantity: i.e. number, amount
1f) of rank or influence
In the above passage I have no doubt that Jesus is referring to himself and "less" denotes "less in age," or "less by birth," or "younger." Further, "he" is singular. It is "he who is less (later because younger)" and not "they who are less."
I just cannot believe that Jesus is saying that all converts in the new testament are greater than John the Baptist. Nor can I see how Jesus is saying that the apostles are greater than John the Baptist. What Jesus said is exactly what John said frequently. The one who is younger, who comes later, "after" John, is the Messiah, the one who is "mightier than I." So, Jesus is simply confirming this message by saying "John is the greatest born of woman but the one who comes after him (is less in age) is superior to him."
What think ye?
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