Luke
7:24-30
When the
messengers of John the Baptist had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds
about John. “What did you go out to the desert to see a reed swayed by the
wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine garments? Those
who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously are found in royal palaces. Then
what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a
prophet. This is the one about whom Scripture says: Behold, I am sending my
messenger ahead of you, he will prepare your way before you. I tell you, among
those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom
of God is greater than he.” All the
people who listened, including the tax collectors, who were baptized with the baptism
of John, acknowledged the righteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars
of the law, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of God for
themselves.
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Reflection:
It’s a
mystery why Jesus said that the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than
John. Perhaps He was trying to motivate the tax collectors who were labelled as
sinners to continue to follow Him because there is a reward that awaits those
who will leave behind his sinful past and faithfully follow Him.
Perhaps Jesus also desired that those who were
listening would emulate the humility of John or even surpass it. We can only
guess about the objective of Jesus in saying this very mysterious and meaningful statement.
There are
times that Jesus speaks to us in cryptic language that seems so hard for us to
understand. We nevertheless must continue to hold-on to Him, we must continue
to blindly follow Him without question.
Why? This is for the reason that to follow
Jesus is always right. Never a person was misled by Jesus by blindly holding
His hand and faithfully following Him. Never
a person no matter how poor has lived a miserable life by following Jesus. –
Marino J. Dasmarinas