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What comes to mind at the mention of John the Baptist? An eccentric, if pious hermit; dressing roughly, eating oddly, living almost in exile? (Matthew 3:4) Certainly nothing in his life-style fits the model we associate with greatness today; although Jesus asserted, “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than…”he. Matthew 11:11

Why would we consider someone with no formal education, living in isolation with no social standing, material possessions or prospects for success, as anything but odd? The only thing he might have had going for him was that he was descended from priests of the temple, but he evidently made no claim to that heritage. In fact, even though the general public was intensely curious and even excited by John and his message, the people who mattered – the religious and civil authorities – were wary at first and in the end extremely resentful of him. (Maybe because he sternly rebuked their gross superficiality and pointedly warned them of the divine retribution coming their way; displaying a streak of contrariness in his nature which was decidedly politically incorrect.) In the end, his ministry was short, his disciples few, his death tragic and ignominious.

However, to fully comprehend John’s impact and significance, we must understand that there had been no prophet to declare God’s word since Malachi 400 years earlier and coincidentally no angelic visitation since Zechariah 500 years before the two appearances to John’s father concerning his birth and Jesus’ mother announcing the coming of the Messiah, which certainly indicated something new was in the offing.

After John’s unique birth, he lived much of his life in obscurity in the Judean desert. Somewhere around his 30th birthday, God intervened and initiated his prophetic ministry; scripture simply saying, “…the word of God came to John… in the desert.” And that as a result, “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke 3:2,3 And true to his nature, the message he preached was anything but a vague call to be good and live well, his ringing call to repentance encompassing the idea of turning around – going in the opposite direction. Openly criticizing some while offering advice to what a redeemed lifestyle might look like to others (Luke 3:7-14), John raised hopes and expectations that he himself might be the Messiah. To which he proclaimed the good news of the True One yet to come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 3:15-18) John actually being the one about whom the Old Testament had foreseen, “I will send my messenger ahead of you,… A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Matthew 11:10& 3:3 (Quoting Malachi 3:1 & Is. 40:3)

Ironically, John was able to reach, “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem…” Mark 1:5, specifically because he had removed himself from the distractions of the social life of the city and the influence of the power elites. Shielded from the pervasive reach of the voices clamoring for recognition, many more were now able to carefully ponder the yearned for but unexpected power of his message; which vibrated with urgency and passion. Delivered with an unabashed directness, he challenged all who would listen to renounce superficial hypocrisy and the mere ritualistic observance of tradition – encouraging them to demonstrate their repentance in practical acts of righteousness.

And then came Jesus, whom he had dutifully prepared the way for. And it is at precisely this point that John’s ministry began to diminish, the one significant duty left for him to perform being to baptize Jesus; however reluctantly. Hadn’t John proclaimed him to be, “…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29; and as such blameless? Being the Son of God, wouldn’t Jesus’ ministry far surpass John’s? (John 1:30-34) Yet Jesus insisted his baptism would, “…fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew 3:15 How so? John’s baptism had been ordained by God as an act of righteousness as well as repentance, and Jesus was committed to doing everything declared as such, setting an example of total obedience to his father for others to follow.

From here on out, John intentionally diminished his role by continually pointing people away from himself to Jesus, saying, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it’s now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:28-30 John’s actions once more showing him to be outside the norm, voluntarily submitting himself to someone many might have considered a rival; refusing to cling to the fame and adulation that almost never lasts.

However, like most Jews of the day, John expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to establish an earthly kingdom as well as point to a heavenly one. So, about a year later, as Jesus was still primarily associating with the needy and outcasts, or at least the common folk of the land – and being reviled by the movers and shakers of Jewish society – John began to wonder about Jesus’ commitment to “the agenda.” (John was, of course, in prison at this time, and about to become a martyr because of his fearless – some would say rash – behavior and preaching. So some confusion, depression and loss of direction might be expected and excused.) As a result, he sent some of his remaining disciples to bluntly ask, “Are you the one …or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2 Jesus’ answer, in part quoting Isaiah 35:5,6, calmed John’s fears and reaffirmed Jesus’ mission; helping John meet his fate with fortitude, faith and confidence in something/someone great than himself.

“It may be a shock to our (own) superficial society to learn that greatness is not defined in terms of human achievement, athletic prowess, financial gain, political power, or celebrity status. Instead, it is measured by how one relates to the person and work of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist was great because of his proximity to the Messiah. Similarly for us, true greatness is found in faithfully acknowledging the Savior. It is derived from our relationship to the one far greater than John – the Lord Jesus Christ.”

After noting the uniqueness of John, Jesus went on to make a vivid spiritual point, explaining that, “…he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than (John).” Matthew 11:11 “In saying that, Jesus was not diminishing John’s stature, rather, he was emphasizing the spiritual privilege that all New Testament believers enjoy. John was (indeed) greater than the Old Testament prophets because he personally participated in the fulfillment of what they had merely anticipated from a distance. (See 1 Peter 1:10,11) But all believers after the cross and resurrection enjoy even greater privilege still because we participate in the full understanding and experience of something John only anticipated – the eternal atoning work of Christ.”1

1From John MacArthur’s, Twelve Unlikely Heroes, subtitled – How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You, Thomas Nelson Publishing

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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